Victims of the Revolution

« Transformers: Micromasters #4 »
This cover pretty much summarizes the entire mini-series.
"Victims of the Revolution"
Publisher	Dreamwave Productions
First published	November 10, 2004
Cover date	November, 2004
Writer	James McDonough, Adam Patyk
Pencils	Rob Ruffolo
Inks	Erik Sander
Colors	Sig Torre, Eric Burns, Josh Perez, Josh Burcham
Letters	Ben Lee
Editor	Roger Lee (VP Editor-in-chief)
Continuity	Dreamwave continuity
Chronology	Micromasters

Chaos ensues as Skystalker sends the Decepticons on a suicide run towards the Autobots. Can Big Daddy and the Hot Rod Patrol save the day? Even if they do, will they ever be accepted again?

Synopsis

Big Daddy and his team meet with Countdown, hoping he'll lend assistance in rescuing the other Micromasters while the Autobots refuse to get involved. Groundshaker is ready to take the team out, but first, Hubs needs some extra convincing from Big Daddy that picking this fight is the right decision, but soon the Hot Rod Patrol agrees to work together.

In the (suddenly sideways?) Decepticon ready room, the Decepticon bulks listen to a pep talk delivered by Shockwave over the monitors. But what they don't know is that the message is a fabrication constructed by Skystalker and his underlings using Shockwave's detached head! Once the "guzzlers" are gone, Skystalker reveals to Barricade that he's intentionally directing the Decepticons into a suicide run. A silent look from Motorhead makes Barricade think back to how he led the Race Track Patrol to enthusiastically sign up with the Decepticons because it seemed like a good idea at the time.

The Autobot Micromasters sneak into the Decepticon base, and find their way to the holding cells to free their allies. The Insecticons ambush them, but the holding cells open, unleashing all the Micromasters against the three bulks. When Venom and Barrage are taken out by Roadhandler and Blaze Master, the Decepticon Micromasters join the fight.

While the Autobot and Decepticon guzzlers battle in the Wastelands, Countdown and Skystalker finally have their show-down. Countdown is almost crushed by the falling head of Shockwave, but is rescued by Big Daddy. Regrettably, the falling head provided Skystalker with an opportunity to escape. The other Micromasters arrive, but Barricade stands with Big Daddy to convince all the Micros to stop fighting each other.

In the Wastelands, both sides have exhausted each other. Countdown and his united army of Micromasters arrive, with Shockwave's detached head as their flag. Seeing their leader deactivated, the larger Decepticons return to their base. Taking no satisfaction in the conquest, Fortress Maximus quits fighting the war. Sidetrack dies from the injuries he sustained fighting in the Wastelands alongside the Autobots. Countdown tries to get Big Daddy to help lead the Micromasters in the larger mission, but Big Daddy rejects Countdown's crusade and resolves to make his own decisions.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons
Countdown (1) Big Daddy (2) Greaser (3) Hubs (4) Trip-Up (5) Groundshaker (6) Free Wheeler (21) Ultra Magnus (23) Powertrain (24) Roadbuster (25) Fortress Maximus (29) Topspin (30) Big Shot (31) Twin Twist (32) Fixit (33) Roadhandler (36) Highjump (38) Hydraulic (39) Sidetrack (46) Kup (47) Mudslinger (50) Heavy Tread (51)	Astrotrain (7) Octane (8) Dirge (9) ? (10) ? (11) Thrust (12) Ramjet (13) Shockwave (14) Skyhopper (15) Dropshot (16) Growl (17) Skystalker (18) Barricade (19) Motorhead (20) Detour (22) Bombshock (26) ? (27) Roughstuff (28) Ransack (34) Barrage (35) Blaze Master (37) Hyperdrive (40) Venom (41) Chop Shop (42) Ground Hog (43) Roller Force (44) Nightflight (45) Carnivac (48) Blackjack (49)

Quotes

"Fellow Decepticons.. The time of our final victory is at hand! In my infinite and infallible logic, I have divined that now is the most tactically favorable moment to strike against our hated Autobot adversaries. But I'm certain the talk of my logic bores you. You are no doubt anticipating the destruction of the Autobots and rest assured that, together, we will raze Autobase to the ground! Rather, you will raze Autobase to the ground, since I have also decided that it is the most efficient for me to remain here and monitor the situation from afar while you engage the enemy. But never fear.. with you on the mission, I am confident that the glorious sight of Decepticon victory will soon grace my single, glowing optic sensor! Over the monitors."
"I don't remember ol' Shockwave being this funny."

—Skystalker is a terrible Shockwave. The rest of the Decepticons are plain morons.

"Most of us didn't start off on opposite sides of the fence... We did joint training then, just learning the ropes. It felt like both sides were pulling us in a million different directions. Even then, I was already getting sick of the Autobots' hot air. "Nice 'bots finish last," they always say. And I wasn't about to do that. I had a different name back then... maybe I was a different 'bot altogether. There was no doubt about it-- --I was the best. And I wasn't puttin' up with anyone who didn't give me the respect I deserved for my game. I was gonna be the star player, and I wouldn't let anything hold me back... My reputation eventually earned me a new name, and the respect of the other Micros, like Motorhead... ...and by the time the meltdown riots hit, I made sure to push everyone who'd listen the same way I pushed myself... The same way Shockwave and the others had been teaching me to. Once we hooked up with the Decepticons, that's when things changed. We were in the big leagues, and I... I just couldn't compete at that level. I kept pushing my team, fooling myself... but deep down, I knew: the Decepticons had duped me. They used me to set the other Micromasters up for a fall... and they didn't care about us once they got what they wanted. This is my last chance to do things right..."

—Barricade's internal monologue and flashback

"Apparently, leaving me to die wasn't just an isolated incident!"

—Skystalker to Countdown

"Hate to say it, kid... You were ready to make the right play all along... but I pushed you into running it for the wrong team."

—Barricade to Motorhead

Notes

Continuity notes

• Barricade flashes back to the early days of the Micromasters, the temporary truce when both sides tried training the new 'bots in Little Iacon, as was established in the first issue.
• Yet another vague hint about Paradron, as Skystalker claims Countdown left him to die. Back in issue 1, Countdown claimed he'd "put a stop" to the Decepticon, but didn't elaborate further. Seems Countdown made the classic good guy mistake of thinking he'd killed his nemesis when they fought.
• Chronologically, the next story in Dreamwave's timeline is Prime Directive.
• Thanks to Dreamwave's closing, this story ends in a weird place. Shockwave is still decapitated, with his head left behind by the fleeing Decepticon troops. The next time we see Cybertron chronologically, there's no sign of the Micromasters (or Fort Max, for that matter), and no explanation for where they went to. Of course, out of fiction, this because those stories were published earlier, but it is hard to reconcile.
• Powers and abilities:
  • Micromasters seem to have an oddly proportional level of strength. Groundrunner is able to kill Ransack with a single punch, causing the larger mech to explode, while Roadhandler is able to tear Barrage's head off.
  • Blaze Master's rotors are also apparently sharp enough to cut through metal. Yikes.

Transformers references

• Thrust derogatorily refers to Barricade as a Scraplet, the metal-eating menace from the Marvel Transformers comic.

Real-life references

• This issue takes its title from a song on Bad Religion's No Substance album.

Other notes

• This was one of the final issues to be published by Dreamwave Productions before they filed for bankruptcy.
• The "Wavelengths" page contains an article from the desk of Pat "Psycho" Lee.
• Reader mail is answered by James McDonough and Adam Patyk. At the end, they raise the possibility of exploring the Meltdown Riots, more explanation of the Great Shutdown or some combination thereof, asking the readers which they'd like to see. Of course, Dreamwave's imminent implosion put the kibosh on those plans.
• In Barricade's flashback, it's revealed he used to be known as "Runner" before he went Decepticon. More than fifteen years later, in the War for Cybertron toyline, a new toy of Barricade would use that name to avoid sharing a name with the other Barricade, who has eclipsed the Micromaster version as "the" Barricade.

Errors

• On page 4, Trip-Up is framed off the page. Whoops!

Covers (2)

The Golden Frisbee

• Cover A: Micromasters walk away while Shockwave and Ultra Magnus fight in the background, art by Alex Milne
• Cover B: Hubs holding the Golden Disk by Pat Lee

Advertisements

• Generation 1 More than Meets the Eye Guidebook collection, volume 2 (interior front cover)
• Energon DVDs, which happen to use box art recycled from the comics
• War Within: The Age of Wrath
• Generation One #11: "It's Ladies Night!", which remains unreleased
• Divided Front #2: "Dread the Dreadnoks!", which remains unreleased
• Beast Wars miniseries: "Unleash the Beast!", which remains unreleased (interior rear cover)
• Dreamwave pocket books (back cover)