Things Fall Apart, Part 5: "Earthworks": Difference between revisions

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{{Comicstory|
{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers (IDW)|The Transformers]]'' #6
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers (IDW)|The Transformers]]'' #6
|prev=Enemies of the System
|prev=Things Fall Apart, Part 4: "Enemies of the System"
|next=The Transformers issue 7
|next=All His Engines
|title="Earthworks"
|title="Earthworks"
|image=Transformers 6-A.jpg
|image=TFvol1 6cvrA.jpg
|caption=Ohh s*** what are we going to do now?!
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date= [[April 28]], [[2010]]
|date= [[April 28]], [[2010]]
Line 15: Line 15:
|editor=[[Andy Schmidt]]
|editor=[[Andy Schmidt]]
|associate editor=[[Denton J. Tipton]]
|associate editor=[[Denton J. Tipton]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2010)]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline|Current era (2010)]]
}}
}}
'''Major Witwicky and Optimus Prime come to terms with each other, while the giant gestalt, Menasor, wreaks havoc in the desert.'''
'''Major Witwicky and Optimus Prime come to terms with each other, while the giant gestalt, Menasor, wreaks havoc in the desert.'''


==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
Spike Witwicky is sitting in a [[Skywatch]] gunship with Corporal Henderson after being pulled from a flood channel after his near-death encounter with the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]]. Spike voices his frustration with how long it took for them to finally come and get him, to which Joe basically says that Spike did not need any help to get out of the channel in the first place.  
Having been retrieved from his close encounter with the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]], [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Spike Witwicky]] is on his way back to base aboard a [[Skywatch]] gunship when the craft receives word of an altercation nearby. Heading to investigate, they find [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s [[Autobot]]s locked in battle with a [[Combiner|gestalt]] [[Decepticon]]. Lacking the ordnance to take out the [[Menasor (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|monster]] themselves, Spike has the ship return to base, where he is able to convince [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] to help end the fight before [[human]] populations become endangered. Despite the mission not being officially sanctioned, Spike, Prime and a team of Skywatch troops set out for the battle site in a transport plane.


The pilot turns to Joe and Spike and says that a call came in regarding a situation located about 20 miles northwest of their current position. Spike orders the pilot to take them there and Joe remarks that he can see it. Corporal Henderson immediately recognizes the giant robot as one of those gestalts and that he hasn't seen one of those since  [[All Hail Megatron issue 2|the incident in New York]]. Spike asks the pilot what kind of weapons they have on board, but is told that there is nothing on board capable of even barely scratching the paint. Campologno makes a remark about how <i>these things are just not going to stop trying to kill each other,</i> to which Spike tells the pilot to get them back to base immediately.
Meanwhile, the mentally fragmented Menasor has apparently defeated Ultra Magnus, and a smug [[Swindle (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Swindle]] gives a gloating monologue to his long-time adversary. The speech is interrupted, however, when Optimus airdrops in and lands directly onto the Decepticon. Whilst the former Autobot leader engages Menasor, [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] is saved from [[Scrapper (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Scrapper]] by [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]], who has no desire to see the war continue.


Back at Skywatch base; Spike Witwicky decides to talk to Optimus Prime one last time as he he confronts Prime by saying that Prime turned himself in because [[Ironhide (G1)|his friend was killed]]. Prime says that he turned himself in because he realized that there had to be a change, and that it wouldn't have happened if he had told his comrades what he was doing. Spike asks if it was the death of his friend that set him in motion; Prime affirms, to which Spike starts pouring out his heart saying how [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide's]] death was all his fault because he wasn't present on the base the [[...For All Mankind|day of the raid]]. Optimus asks Spike about his sudden release of honesty, to which Spike replies by saying that he is a good soldier and that he's still trying to figure out just what it means to be a leader.
The [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] leaves to help [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]], as Bumblebee notices that Menasor's components are failing to work together. With this realization, he has the Autobots focus on each Stunticon in turn until their increasing arguments leave the combiner completely incapacitated. As Spike's forces move in to clean up, Bumblebee orders that the Autobots do not flee, tired of living like fugitives.


Spike offers Prime a way to to redeem himself. Prime balks at the offer at first, but Spike manages to convince him that if he doesn't, innocent people will most assuredly get hurt. Spike disables the cage surrounding Prime and allows him to walk outside. The other Skywatch personnel are shocked to see what their commanding officer is doing since [[Sparkplug Witwicky|the General]] will be at the base in a few hours. Spike tells his men that the only chance they have at stopping Menasor rests within Prime and that he doesn't want another incident like the one back in New York to occur again. Joe tells Spike that he can't let him do that, because Spike doesn't know how to fly.
After a short conversation, Spike and Bumblebee reach an agreement: the Autobots will work together with Skywatch to hunt Decepticons, and in return will be given accommodation and energy resources. A barely-recovered Ultra Magnus storms up to the two leaders, demanding to know what became of Swindle after the battle, but learns that he escaped. At that moment he notices Rodimus, who is sitting and moping about the failure of his plan to leave the planet. Magnus attempts to arrest him for colluding with Decepticons, but Bumblebee stands up to him, taking issue with the law enforcer undermining his position as Autobot leader. Whilst Bumblebee asserts his authority, Rodimus slips off, steals Magnus's ship, and flees Earth. Scornful of Rodimus' cowardice, the Autobots who followed him rejoin under the finally confident Bumblebee.
 
Menasor has Ultra Magnus in his hands and ponders what to do with him. Menasor's limbs suggest different ways to kill him, but Menasor decides to ignore them, loudly declaring to smash Ultra Magnus instead. Swindle tells Magnus that he knew he was after him for stealing the [[Combiner|gestalt technology]] because Magnus figured that the [[Decepticon]] would sell it to the highest bidder. However, Swindle tells Magnus that he figured out how to use it himself; even though the thought of it would have never occurred to Ultra Magnus. Swindle then mockingly asks Magnus who the idiot is now, only to have Optimus Prime drop right onto his head, transforming and heroically taking on Menasor.
 
Bumblebee is being strangled by Scrapper, who is apparently jealous that everyone is giving their undivided attention to Menasor. Scrapper states that no one should forget about the Constructicons as he smashes Bumblebee down into the ground. However, he ends up getting shot by Thundercracker, who states that he never liked the Constructicons. Bumblebee is shocked that Thundercracker saved him, to which he replies that Swindle will keep fighting no matter what because he is both a [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]] and a [[Starscream (G1)|liar]]. Thundercracker tells Bumblebee that because he used to be a [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]], he has honor, and therefore meant it when he said that he didn't know why the [[Autobot]]s and Decepticons were fighting anymore. Thundercracker then says that Swindle is not as smart as he says he is. Since Swindle didn't spend a proper amount of time applying the gestalt tech to the Stunticons, Thundercracker tells Bumblebee that he believes the Autobots could probably take Menasor down. Thundercracker then tells Bumblebee that he needs to help Rodimus, and runs off to do so.
 
Menasor is busy looking for a weapon, and, deciding a sword would suffice, tears off a piece of the rocket that was built to help Swindle and the rest of the Decepticons escape, much to Swindle's chagrin. Bumblebee realizes that the Stunticons have some teamwork issues and that the best way to defeat Menasor is to break him apart. Bumblebee gives the order to target [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]], followed by [[Motormaster]]. Optimus then radios Spike to come in and pick up the pieces. Red Alert tells Prime (unaware that Prime was the one who called them in the first place), that Skywatch forces are inbound to their position and asks Prime what they should do. Prime tells Red Alert that he's not in charge and that he's returning himself to Skywatch's custody. Red Alert tells Prime that they need him, but Prime replies saying that he came to help, but they cannot go back to the way things were.
 
Red Alert then turns to Bumblebee who says that they stay, an idea that Red Alert doesn't seem to be too fond of. Bumblebee realizes that Prime was right and that living like a band of fugitives is no way for an Autobot. Spike walks over to Bumblebee and tells him that Skywatch will help treat some of the wounded Autobots. He tells Bumblebee that he's seen enough to be convinced that the Autobots are not the problem, and that he's willing to allow them to stay on [[Earth]]. Spike says that they can keep chiseling away at each other, or they can work together to eliminate common threats. Bumblebee is leery at such a proposal, but Spike assures Bumblebee that he's on the level, given that they are currently helping the injured Autobots.
 
Ultra Magnus, furious, suddenly emerges from the Autobot cave demanding to know where Swindle is. Spike tells him that he got away, along with a few of the Constructicons. Magnus seemingly gets distraught at the fact that Swindle has eluded justice once again and asks Bumblebee if anyone tried to pursue him. Bumblebee starts to answer, but Magnus suddenly notices Rodimus and begins to tell him that he is under arrest for wilful collusion with the enemy. Rodimus attempts to justify his actions, but Silverstreak is fed up with him. Bumblebee intercedes between Magnus and Rodimus, telling Magnus to back off. Magnus, not one to be ordered around, attempts to supplant Bumblebee's authority. Bumblebee snaps, and he tells Magnus that they've felt lost and scared ever since [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] stole the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. He also says that he's in charge until the Matrix is recovered and it chooses someone else. Hot Rod overhears this, as he sneaks off and steals Ultra Magnus' shuttle. Silverstreak remarks about how cowardly Hot Rod is for doing so. However, Silverstreak states that he's glad that Bumblebee is still around, as it seems that he's the only leader that they have left.


==Featured characters==
==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
|c1=
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (4)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (4)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod/"Rodimus Prime"]] (6)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod/"Rodimus Prime"]] (6)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (8)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] (8)
* [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (11)
* [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (11)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (12)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] (12)
* [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (16)
* [[Cliffjumper (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Cliffjumper]] (16)
* [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (17)
* [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (17)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (19)
* [[Red Alert (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Red Alert]] (19)
* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (22)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (22)
* [[Bluestreak|Silverstreak]] (23)
* [[Bluestreak (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Silverstreak]] (23)
* [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] (24)
* [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] (24)
|c2=
|c2=
* [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] (5)
* [[Menasor (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Menasor]] (5)
* [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (10)
* [[Swindle (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Swindle]] (10)
* [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (13)
* [[Scrapper (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Scrapper]] (13)
* [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (14)
* [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]] (14)
* [[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (15)
* [[Mixmaster (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Mixmaster]] (15)
* [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (18)
* [[Hook (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Hook]] (18)
* [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]] (20)
* [[Breakdown (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Breakdown]] (20)
* [[Drag Strip]] (21)
* [[Drag Strip (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Drag Strip]] (21)
|c3=
|c3=
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (1)  
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Spike Witwicky]] (1)  
* [[Joe Henderson]] (2)
* [[Joe Henderson (G1)|Joe Henderson]] (2)
* [[Skywatch pilot]] (3)
* [[Skywatch]] pilot (3)
* [[Campologno]] (7)
* [[Campolongo]] (7)
* [[Skywatch]] Personnel (9)
* Skywatch personnel (9)
}}
}}


==Quotes==
==Quotes==
"No. I turned myself in because there had to be a change, and my people would not have been able to enact it if I had told them what I was doing."
"I turned myself in because there had to be a change, and my people would not have been able to enact it if I had told them what I was doing."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''
:—'''Optimus Prime'''
"See, the thing is, Magnus, you were after me for stealing combiner technology. You always figured I was gonna sell it. But it never occurred to you that I'd figure out how to use it myself, right? Because you didn't think I was smart enough. Well, who's stupid now?"
:—'''Swindle''' dares the universe to drop [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|an anvil]] on him.




Line 80: Line 74:


"Listen. Both of us can expend resources chiseling away at each other. Or we can work together to neutralize actual threats, like the one today."
"Listen. Both of us can expend resources chiseling away at each other. Or we can work together to neutralize actual threats, like the one today."
:—'''Spike Witwicky''' [[Gordon Horiuchi|sounding a lot like someone else]] that offered [[The Hanging Sword|a similar proposal]].
:—'''Spike Witwicky''' [[Gordon Horiuchi|sounding a lot like someone else]] that made [[The Hanging Sword|a similar proposal]].




"So you will '''listen''' to me. And you will '''obey'''. No Autobot is being arrested today while I'm here, regardless of their mistakes."
"On this planet you answer to '''me.''' We have to start accepting what we see, and not how we remember things. We feel lost. We feel scared. Let's face it, we've felt this way since we lost the Matrix. But we '''did''' lose the Matrix, and unless we get it back and it chooses someone else, I'm in charge. So you will '''listen''' to me. And you will '''obey'''. No Autobot is being arrested today while I'm here, regardless of their mistakes."
:—'''Bumblebee''' tells Ultra Magnus to shut up and deal with it now.
:—'''Bumblebee''' tells Ultra Magnus to shut up and deal with it now.


==Errors==
==Notes==
* [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], who accompanied Ultra Magnus in the previous issue, are nowhere to be seen in this issue.
===Continuity notes===
* When Bumblebee orders the Autobots to focus their attacks on Dead End, the Stunticon's name is misspelled "Dead-End".
* Thundercracker gives us our first official confirmation that Swindle is a Combaticon. He'd not been seen working with the team at this point in IDW continuity.
* Breakdown is miscolored like Red Alert when surrendering to Skywatch.
* Menasor's ''ad hoc'' combination does not appear to involve the mass displacement that makes other combiners so huge, nor does it seem to merge the component Transformers' minds at all, forcing the Stunticons to manually coordinate their actions as a larger robot.
* Bumblebee's initial reluctance to accept an alliance with Skywatch is based on his experiences in ''[[The Transformers: Bumblebee]]''.
* Magnus notes that he answers to "a body of governors that's been empaneled to --" before Bumblebee cuts him off.
* Hot Rod is prominently in the foreground, visibly reacting, when Bumblebee mentions the loss of the Matrix—foreshadowing his attempt to reclaim it in [[Heart Like a Wheel|issue #13]].
 
===Transformers references===
* The arguments among Menasor's components not only reflect the description given in his original bio, but also recall a cut plot point from the G1 episode "[[Masquerade]]" that had Menasor himself silencing the arguing Stunticons!
 
===Real-life references===
* ''Earthworks'' is a story by Brian Aldiss, as are the subtitles to the other issues in ''Things Fall Apart''.
* "Things Fall Apart" is itself a quote from the poem "{{w|The Second Coming (poem)|The Second Coming}}" by {{w|W.B. Yeats}}.
 
===Errors===
* [[Brawn (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Brawn]] and [[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]], who accompanied [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] in the [[Things Fall Apart, Part 4: "Enemies of the System"|previous issue]], are nowhere to be seen in this issue.
* When [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] orders the Autobots to focus their attacks on [[Dead End (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Dead End]], the [[Stunticon (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Stunticon]]'s name is misspelled "Dead-End".
* [[Breakdown (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Breakdown]] is miscolored like [[Red Alert (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Red Alert]] when surrendering to [[Skywatch]].


==Items of Note==
===Other trivia===
* The cover showing the Autobots fighting Menasor was originally advertised as a wraparound cover. However, this was changed into cover A and cover B being two halves of that wraparound cover. [http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hAWK7DxnqXc/S1dzyDll7eI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/tKhiAjvz_4g/s1600-h/TF_O3_cvr_a.jpg]
* The cover showing the Autobots fighting Menasor was originally advertised as a wraparound cover. However, this was changed into cover A and cover B being two halves of that wraparound cover. [http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hAWK7DxnqXc/S1dzyDll7eI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/tKhiAjvz_4g/s1600-h/TF_O3_cvr_a.jpg]
* Additionally, the cover erroneously depicts Bumblebee in his pre-upgrade body, and [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], who didn't actually participate in the battle.
* Additionally, the cover erroneously depicts Bumblebee in his pre-upgrade body, and [[Sideswipe (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sideswipe]], who didn't actually participate in the battle.


===Covers (3)===
===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Close up of Menasor attacking Rodimus and Bumblebee; art by [[Don Figueroa]] and colors by [[James Brown]].
* '''Cover A:''' Close up of Menasor attacking Rodimus and Bumblebee; art by [[Don Figueroa]] and colors by [[James Brown]].
* '''Cover B:''' Close up of Optimus Prime; art by Don Figueroa and colors by James Brown.
* '''Cover B:''' Close up of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]]; art by Don Figueroa and colors by James Brown.
* '''Cover RI:''' Optimus Prime admiring the forest scenery; art by [[Andrew Wildman]].
* '''Cover RI:''' Optimus Prime admiring the forest scenery; art by [[Andrew Wildman]].


<gallery>
<gallery>
Image: Transformers 6-A.jpg|<strike>Hulk</strike> Menasor SMASH!
File: TFvol1 6cvrA.jpg|<s>[[Hulk]]</s> Menasor SMASH!
Image: Transformers 6-B.jpg|This cover was so epic that it cost Optimus Prime an arm and a leg...literally.
File: TFvol1 6cvrB.jpg|This cover was so epic that it cost Optimus Prime an arm and a leg...literally.
Image: Transformers 6-RI.jpg|[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] came down with a serious case of [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] during the filming of the G1 Season 3 theme song.
File:TFvol1 6cvrRI.jpg|[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] came down with a serious case of [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] during the filming of the [[theme song]] for [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Season 3 of the original ''Transformers'' cartoon]].
</gallery>
</gallery>


===Advertisements===
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* "[[Spotlight: Prowl]]"
* ''[[Ride-Along|Spotlight: Prowl]]''
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Line 120: Line 129:
* IDW Comics for iPhone and iPod touch (Back Cover)
* IDW Comics for iPhone and iPod touch (Back Cover)


[[Category:IDW Generation 1 issues]]
===Reprints===
* '''''The Transformers, Volume 1: For All Mankind''''' <small>([[June 9]], [[2010]]) ISBN 1600106846 / ISBN 978-1600106842</small>
** Collects ''The Transformers'' (2009) issues #1–6.
** Bonus material includes art from all covers, including design sketches from Don Figueroa.
** Trade paperback format.
 
* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Volume Six]]''''' <small>([[May 9]], [[2012]]) ISBN 1613771835 / ISBN 978-1613771839</small>
** Collects ''The Transformers'' (2009) issues #1–6, ''[[The Transformers: Bumblebee|Bumblebee]]'' issues [[The Hanging Sword|#1]]–[[Wings of Wax|4]], ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' issues [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|#1]]–[[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|5]], and ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]: [[Ride-Along|Prowl]]''.
** Hardcover format.
 
* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 46: Things Fall Apart''''' <small>([[October 4]], [[2017]])</small>
** Collects ''The Transformers'' (2009) issues #2–8.
** Bonus material includes character design sketches by Figueroa, an extract from [[Decepticomments]] from ''The Transformers'' #4 by Mike Costa, and a bio on IDW [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]].
** Hardcover format.
 
<gallery>
File:IDW TF vol1.jpg|'''''Volume 1: For All Mankind''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] and [[James Brown]]
File:IDWCollection6.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Volume Six''''' – cover art by [[E. J. Su]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v46.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 46: Things Fall Apart''''' – cover art by [[Makoto Ono]] and Don Figueroa
</gallery>
 
[[Category:IDW The Transformers issues]]

Latest revision as of 22:14, 22 October 2025

« The Transformers #6 »
"Earthworks"
Publisher IDW Publishing
First published April 28, 2010
Cover date April 2010
Written by Mike Costa
Art by Don Figueroa
Colors by James Brown and Andrew Dalhouse
Letters by Chris Mowry
Editor Andy Schmidt
Associate editor Denton J. Tipton
Continuity 2005 IDW continuity
Chronology Current era (2010)

Major Witwicky and Optimus Prime come to terms with each other, while the giant gestalt, Menasor, wreaks havoc in the desert.

Synopsis

[edit]

Having been retrieved from his close encounter with the Stunticons, Spike Witwicky is on his way back to base aboard a Skywatch gunship when the craft receives word of an altercation nearby. Heading to investigate, they find Ultra Magnus's Autobots locked in battle with a gestalt Decepticon. Lacking the ordnance to take out the monster themselves, Spike has the ship return to base, where he is able to convince Optimus Prime to help end the fight before human populations become endangered. Despite the mission not being officially sanctioned, Spike, Prime and a team of Skywatch troops set out for the battle site in a transport plane.

Meanwhile, the mentally fragmented Menasor has apparently defeated Ultra Magnus, and a smug Swindle gives a gloating monologue to his long-time adversary. The speech is interrupted, however, when Optimus airdrops in and lands directly onto the Decepticon. Whilst the former Autobot leader engages Menasor, Bumblebee is saved from Scrapper by Thundercracker, who has no desire to see the war continue.

The Seeker leaves to help Rodimus, as Bumblebee notices that Menasor's components are failing to work together. With this realization, he has the Autobots focus on each Stunticon in turn until their increasing arguments leave the combiner completely incapacitated. As Spike's forces move in to clean up, Bumblebee orders that the Autobots do not flee, tired of living like fugitives.

After a short conversation, Spike and Bumblebee reach an agreement: the Autobots will work together with Skywatch to hunt Decepticons, and in return will be given accommodation and energy resources. A barely-recovered Ultra Magnus storms up to the two leaders, demanding to know what became of Swindle after the battle, but learns that he escaped. At that moment he notices Rodimus, who is sitting and moping about the failure of his plan to leave the planet. Magnus attempts to arrest him for colluding with Decepticons, but Bumblebee stands up to him, taking issue with the law enforcer undermining his position as Autobot leader. Whilst Bumblebee asserts his authority, Rodimus slips off, steals Magnus's ship, and flees Earth. Scornful of Rodimus' cowardice, the Autobots who followed him rejoin under the finally confident Bumblebee.

[edit]

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots Decepticons Humans

Quotes

[edit]

"I turned myself in because there had to be a change, and my people would not have been able to enact it if I had told them what I was doing."

—Optimus Prime


"See, the thing is, Magnus, you were after me for stealing combiner technology. You always figured I was gonna sell it. But it never occurred to you that I'd figure out how to use it myself, right? Because you didn't think I was smart enough. Well, who's stupid now?"

—Swindle dares the universe to drop an anvil on him.


"Everyone wants to focus on the big guy. Just 'cuz we have a new combiner."

—Scrapper envies Menasor for taking the spotlight.


"Listen. Both of us can expend resources chiseling away at each other. Or we can work together to neutralize actual threats, like the one today."

—Spike Witwicky sounding a lot like someone else that made a similar proposal.


"On this planet you answer to me. We have to start accepting what we see, and not how we remember things. We feel lost. We feel scared. Let's face it, we've felt this way since we lost the Matrix. But we did lose the Matrix, and unless we get it back and it chooses someone else, I'm in charge. So you will listen to me. And you will obey. No Autobot is being arrested today while I'm here, regardless of their mistakes."

—Bumblebee tells Ultra Magnus to shut up and deal with it now.

Notes

[edit]

Continuity notes

[edit]
  • Thundercracker gives us our first official confirmation that Swindle is a Combaticon. He'd not been seen working with the team at this point in IDW continuity.
  • Menasor's ad hoc combination does not appear to involve the mass displacement that makes other combiners so huge, nor does it seem to merge the component Transformers' minds at all, forcing the Stunticons to manually coordinate their actions as a larger robot.
  • Bumblebee's initial reluctance to accept an alliance with Skywatch is based on his experiences in The Transformers: Bumblebee.
  • Magnus notes that he answers to "a body of governors that's been empaneled to --" before Bumblebee cuts him off.
  • Hot Rod is prominently in the foreground, visibly reacting, when Bumblebee mentions the loss of the Matrix—foreshadowing his attempt to reclaim it in issue #13.

Transformers references

[edit]
  • The arguments among Menasor's components not only reflect the description given in his original bio, but also recall a cut plot point from the G1 episode "Masquerade" that had Menasor himself silencing the arguing Stunticons!

Real-life references

[edit]
  • Earthworks is a story by Brian Aldiss, as are the subtitles to the other issues in Things Fall Apart.
  • "Things Fall Apart" is itself a quote from the poem "The Second Coming" by W.B. Yeats.

Errors

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Other trivia

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  • The cover showing the Autobots fighting Menasor was originally advertised as a wraparound cover. However, this was changed into cover A and cover B being two halves of that wraparound cover. [1]
  • Additionally, the cover erroneously depicts Bumblebee in his pre-upgrade body, and Sideswipe, who didn't actually participate in the battle.

Covers (3)

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  • Cover A: Close up of Menasor attacking Rodimus and Bumblebee; art by Don Figueroa and colors by James Brown.
  • Cover B: Close up of Optimus Prime; art by Don Figueroa and colors by James Brown.
  • Cover RI: Optimus Prime admiring the forest scenery; art by Andrew Wildman.

Advertisements

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Reprints

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  • The Transformers, Volume 1: For All Mankind (June 9, 2010) ISBN 1600106846 / ISBN 978-1600106842
    • Collects The Transformers (2009) issues #1–6.
    • Bonus material includes art from all covers, including design sketches from Don Figueroa.
    • Trade paperback format.
  • Volume 1: For All Mankind – cover art by Don Figueroa and James Brown
    Volume 1: For All Mankind – cover art by Don Figueroa and James Brown
  • The IDW Collection Volume Six – cover art by E. J. Su
    The IDW Collection Volume Six – cover art by E. J. Su
  • The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 46: Things Fall Apart – cover art by Makoto Ono and Don Figueroa
    The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 46: Things Fall Apart – cover art by Makoto Ono and Don Figueroa
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