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{{comicstory|seriesissue=Beast Wars: Uprising
{{comicstory
|prev=
|seriesissue=''[[Alone Together]]''
|next=
|prev=Shattered Destiny
|title=[[Alone Together]]: Prologue
|next=Paranoia
|seriesissue2=''[[Beast Wars: Uprising]]''
|prev2=Identity Politics
|title="Alone Together: Prologue"
|publisher=[[Fun Publications]]
|publisher=[[Fun Publications]]
|published in=[[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 55|''Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club'' #55]]
|published in=[[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 55|''Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club'' #55]]
Line 11: Line 14:
|letters=[[Jesse Wittenrich]]
|letters=[[Jesse Wittenrich]]
|managing editor=Pete Sinclair
|managing editor=Pete Sinclair
|continuity=[[Primax 209.0 Gamma]]
|chronology=Circa [[2384]]
|continuity=''[[Beast Wars: Uprising]]''
}}
}}


Line 17: Line 21:


==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
The [[Autobot]]/[[Decepticon]] war continues on, with [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] forced to fight in their place. Some of them have begun to fight back against the status quo. On the outskirts of the [[Ferromax Detention Center]], a small team of Maximals prepares to break in so they can liberate their captured leader, [[Dinobot (BW)|Dynobot]]. [[Botanica (BM)|Botanica]] shoots off a grappler so they can scale the outer wall, and once up, they activate the [[impercepton shield]], though [[Geckobot]] isn't keen on the name and gives a list of other suggestions.
''On a dystopian [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], a Maximal records an entry into his personal journal. On this Cybertron, the war never really ended; when the Autobots and Decepticons grew too old to continue fighting, the Maximals and Predacons were built in their place. These "[[Builder of Cybertron|Builders]]" encouraged hostilities between their descendants, and much to the Maximal's shame, he fell for it all. That all changed after one mission, where his utterly loyal [[Optimus Primal (BW)|commander]] led his squadron into a slaughter against the Predacon [[Darksyder]]s. His friends [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] and [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]] were killed almost immediately, and when he was nearly killed himself, the rest of his squad turned on their leader. That day, he realized that there was no honor in this "war", and abandoned the cause. Now a renegade, the Maximal plans to free his Predacon friend, [[Dinobot (BW)|Dynobot]], from the [[Ferromax Detention Center]]. [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] sets down his recorder, as he goes to join the others...'''


As they move unseen through the complex, [[Jawbreaker]] pastes up Dynobot posters. They rendezvous with [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], whom Geckobot is surprised to see, as Rattrap was reported to have died on the road to [[Damaxus]]. Rattrap reveals he encouraged such reports himself to keep the heat off him. They move into the maximum security section of the prison, but the close quarters mean the shield won't work. Botanica unleashes a drone which flies ahead to take out the cameras as they go. As they continue on, Rattrap insists on taking command, and Botanica reluctantly agrees.
Outside the Ferromax, Maximals [[Botanica (BM)|Botanica]], [[Jawbreaker (BW)|Jawbreaker]], [[Geckobot|Gecko-Bot]], and [[Transmutate (BW)|Trans-Mutate]] grapple up the side of the prison. Botanica has Gecko-Bot activate the [[Impercepton shield]], hiding them from the guards. It doesn't hide them from Rattrap, however, who has already managed to get inside. Explaining to Botanica's soldiers that he faked his death and that he plans to broadcast after they free Dynobot, Rattrap leads them into the vents. Unable to use the shield in close quarters, Botanica activates a drone previously given to her by Rattrap, which hacks into the security cameras. Botanica is ready to push forward, but Rattrap holds her back, having far more experience than the younger Maximals, much to her consternation.


As they move past the cells, [[Transmutate (character)|Trans-Mutate]] is stopped by a [[Rampage (BW)|voice from one of them]] which tells she has a unique spark, and that he can feel her pain. While she has been distracted by the inmate's words, the rest of her team has freed Dynobot, and Rattrap calls for her to join them in departing.. She moves off, but in the cell she has just passed, Rampage promises they will meet again.
Eventually reaching the Maximum Security level, the Maximals go to free Dynobot from his cell. Trans-Mutate, however, is held up, when a voice from one cell begins to speak to her; the cell of [[Rampage (BW)|someone familiar]]. The prisoner can tell there's something different about her, and that she's holding back her true strength. The other Maximals call to her as they escape with Dynobot; the voice urges her to go with them, but also to show them what she's truly capable of. The voice tells her not to worry about him; after all...
 
[[Alone Together|It won't be long before Trans-Mutate and Protoform X meet once again.]]


==Featured characters==
==Featured characters==
Line 29: Line 35:
*[[Geckobot]] (1)
*[[Geckobot]] (1)
*[[Botanica (BM)|Botanica]] (2)
*[[Botanica (BM)|Botanica]] (2)
*[[Transmutate (character)|Trans-Mutate]] (3)
*[[Transmutate (BW)|Trans-Mutate]] (3)
*[[Jawbreaker]] (4)
*[[Jawbreaker (BW)|Jawbreaker]] (4)
*[[Torca]] (5)
*[[Torca (BW)|Torca]] (5)
*[[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] (6)
*[[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] (6)
*[[Dinobot (BW)|Dynobot]] (8)


|h2=[[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]
|h2=[[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]
|c2=
|c2=
*[[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] (7)
*[[Dinobot (BW)|Dynobot]] (8)
 
|h3=Others
|c3=
*[[Rampage (BW)|Protoform X]] (7)
}}
}}


==Quotes==
==Quotes==
"Your spark, it's not like the others. It speaks of your pain. Such sorrow; sorrow blessed with fury. It has a darkness I can taste."
"Your spark, it's not like the others. It speaks of your pain. Such sorrow; sorrow blessed with fury. It has a darkness I can taste."
:—'''Rampage'''
:—'''Protoform X'''


==Notes==
==Notes==
===Errors===
* Characters mentioned but not seen include: [[Alpha Trion]], the "[[Optimus Primal (BW)|Boss-Gasket]]", the [[Darksyder]]s, [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]], [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]], [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]], and [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]].
*Shouldn't it be spelled "imperception"?


===Continuity notes===
===Continuity notes===
*This story takes place in [[Primax 209.0 Gamma|a ''Beast Wars'' universe]] previous only alluded to in the [[Transformers Collectors' Club]]'s bios for TransTech [[Blackarachnia (TransTech)|Blackarachnia]] and [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]], revealed on the Club's Twitter to be called "''Beast Wars: Uprising''".[https://twitter.com/The_TF_Club/status/434375769330958337]
* The first proper fiction for ''Beast Wars: Uprising'', the universe was first mentioned in Blackarachnia's profile in issue [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 25|#25]] of the Club magazine, which told the story of Blackarachnia's dystopian Cybertron, and the assault on her squad by the Predacons that got Rhinox and Silverbolt killed, and made Cheetor, Nightscream, and her defect. Rattrap was also mentioned as having been killed, but as he says here, reports of his death were greatly exaggerated. Protoform X, meanwhile, was first mentioned in ''Timelines'' [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]]'s tech specs and profile.  


===Transformers references===
===Transformers references===
*Most of this story's cast have new bodies based on ''[[Transformers: Prime (franchise)|Prime]]'' characters: Geckobot is ''[[Beast Hunters]]'' [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] (with his [[Falcon Spear]] used as the impercepton shield), Botanica is ''Beast Hunters'' [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] (with [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]] becoming her drone), Jawbreaker is ''Beast Hunters'' [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] and Rattrap is [[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]]; Trans-Mutate and Rampage, who are both making the jump to toy form via club exclusives, are based on the "First Edition" versions of [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] and [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]], respectively. Torca, meanwhile, is based on ''[[Transformers: Timelines|Timelines]]'' [[Clench (G1)|Clench]], while Dynobot (whose liberation takes place off panel, and whose only appearance outside of Jawbreaker's poster is a barely-noticeable one in the penultimate panel) is based on ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' [[Springer (G1)|Springer]].
* Jawbreaker and Gecko-Bot were chosen to appear probably due to the fact that they were practically the only two Beast Era characters in America who hadn't got fiction aside from their tech specs.
* Aside from Trans-Mutate and Protoform X, who both have their ''Timelines'' toy bodies, the other characters in this chapter all have Cybertronian forms that are [[Redeco#"Virtual" redecos|"virtual" redeco]]s of other toys:
** Botanica is a virtual retool of ''Beast Hunters'' [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]], with a new head. Rather than the [[Ravage (WFC)|Ravage]] figure that release of Soundwave has, her drone is based on the original ''Prime'' [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]] toy.
** Jawbreaker (originally a [[Transmetal 2]] Maximal hyena from the ''Beast Wars'' toyline) is a virtual redeco of ''Beast Hunters'' [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]].
** Gecko-Bot (a [[technorganic]] Maximal flying lizard from the ''Beast Machines'' toyline) is a virtual redeco of ''Beast Hunters'' [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]], with the ''Prime'' [[Dead End (WFC)|Dead End]] head. Their impercepton shield is a virtual redeco of Wheeljack's [[Falcon Spear]].
** Rattrap is a virtual retool of ''Prime'' [[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]], with a new head and color scheme based on his ''Beast Machines'' incarnation.
** Dynobot is a virtual redeco of ''Generations'' "Thrilling 30" [[Springer (G1)|Springer]].
** Torca (a Maximal orca/elephant [[Fuzor]] from the ''Beast Wars'' toyline) is a virtual redeco of ''Universe'' [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] with the [[BotCon 2010]] [[Clench (G1)|Clench]] head.
* Rattrap refers to Botanica as "Struts", a mechanical (rather than botanical) spin on his nickname for her in the ''Beast Machines'' cartoon, "Sprouts".
* Rattrap mocks [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'s "freedom is the right of all sentient beings" motto.
* Rattrap mentions war slogans like "Once a Predacon, always a Predacon" (something he said a lot of times in the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon) and "Better dead than Pred" (something Cheetor said in "[[Dark Designs]]".)
* The Predacon group Rattrap and his squad fought are called the Darksyders, after the name given to the Predacon [[Darksyde (BW)|ship]] by the fandom and various pieces of ancillary media.
* This incarnation of Dinobot has his named spelt as "Dynobot," the Cybertronian name for the ''Generation 1'' [[Dinobot (Dinobots)|Dinobots]] as first established in Dreamwave Productions' ''[[Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|The Dark Ages]]'' mini-series.
 
===Real-world references===
* Gecko-Bot believes Rattrap died on the road to [[Damaxus]], referring to the story of the {{w|Conversion of Paul the Apostle}} from the Bible, where Paul, who persecuted early Christians, was converted to the religion. Bit on the nose, there.
* Rattrap claims that "reports of [his] demise were greatly exaggerated", a quote from [[Mark Twain]].
*Botanica says "Like a leaf on the wind..." as she released the drone, paraphrasing a line from the film ''{{w|Serenity (2005 film)|Serenity}}''.
 
===Proto-typical weirdness===
* Not quite errors, but being an early installment in the ''Beast Wars: Uprising'' universe, several concepts and ideas here differ with later stories.
* As with all the pre-Sorenson and Bishop ''Beast Wars: Uprising'' stories, the Maximals and Predacons are presented as being soldiers fighting each other in a war, rather than their depiction as civilians who fought their proxy war in gladiatorial games.
* The concept of the [[Builder of Cybertron|Builders]] is first mentioned here. Rather than the co-faction group the later prose stories will present them as, the term "Builders" here appears to solely refer to the Autobots, with the Decepticons being mentioned separately in Rattrap's narration. Protoform X's profile (published in the same issue) is a bit more explicit on the matter, referring to the Builder's "fight with the Decepticons".


{{comicstub}}
===Errors===
*The impercepton shield should probably be "''imperception'' shield".


[[Category:Beast Wars issues]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising issues]]

Latest revision as of 01:10, 25 May 2025

Alone Together
Beast Wars: Uprising
"Alone Together: Prologue"
Publisher Fun Publications
Published in Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club #55
Writers Jesse Wittenrich & Pete Sinclair
Pencils Naoto Tsushima
Inks Naoto Tsushima
Colors Evan Gauntt
Letters Jesse Wittenrich
Managing editor Pete Sinclair
Continuity Beast Wars: Uprising
Chronology Circa 2384

As a Maximal team stages a breakout, one of their number encounters someone familiar.

Synopsis

[edit]

On a dystopian Cybertron, a Maximal records an entry into his personal journal. On this Cybertron, the war never really ended; when the Autobots and Decepticons grew too old to continue fighting, the Maximals and Predacons were built in their place. These "Builders" encouraged hostilities between their descendants, and much to the Maximal's shame, he fell for it all. That all changed after one mission, where his utterly loyal commander led his squadron into a slaughter against the Predacon Darksyders. His friends Rhinox and Silverbolt were killed almost immediately, and when he was nearly killed himself, the rest of his squad turned on their leader. That day, he realized that there was no honor in this "war", and abandoned the cause. Now a renegade, the Maximal plans to free his Predacon friend, Dynobot, from the Ferromax Detention Center. Rattrap sets down his recorder, as he goes to join the others...'

Outside the Ferromax, Maximals Botanica, Jawbreaker, Gecko-Bot, and Trans-Mutate grapple up the side of the prison. Botanica has Gecko-Bot activate the Impercepton shield, hiding them from the guards. It doesn't hide them from Rattrap, however, who has already managed to get inside. Explaining to Botanica's soldiers that he faked his death and that he plans to broadcast after they free Dynobot, Rattrap leads them into the vents. Unable to use the shield in close quarters, Botanica activates a drone previously given to her by Rattrap, which hacks into the security cameras. Botanica is ready to push forward, but Rattrap holds her back, having far more experience than the younger Maximals, much to her consternation.

Eventually reaching the Maximum Security level, the Maximals go to free Dynobot from his cell. Trans-Mutate, however, is held up, when a voice from one cell begins to speak to her; the cell of someone familiar. The prisoner can tell there's something different about her, and that she's holding back her true strength. The other Maximals call to her as they escape with Dynobot; the voice urges her to go with them, but also to show them what she's truly capable of. The voice tells her not to worry about him; after all...

It won't be long before Trans-Mutate and Protoform X meet once again.

[edit]

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

[edit]

"Your spark, it's not like the others. It speaks of your pain. Such sorrow; sorrow blessed with fury. It has a darkness I can taste."

Protoform X

Notes

[edit]

Continuity notes

[edit]
  • The first proper fiction for Beast Wars: Uprising, the universe was first mentioned in Blackarachnia's profile in issue #25 of the Club magazine, which told the story of Blackarachnia's dystopian Cybertron, and the assault on her squad by the Predacons that got Rhinox and Silverbolt killed, and made Cheetor, Nightscream, and her defect. Rattrap was also mentioned as having been killed, but as he says here, reports of his death were greatly exaggerated. Protoform X, meanwhile, was first mentioned in Timelines Depth Charge's tech specs and profile.

Transformers references

[edit]
  • Jawbreaker and Gecko-Bot were chosen to appear probably due to the fact that they were practically the only two Beast Era characters in America who hadn't got fiction aside from their tech specs.
  • Aside from Trans-Mutate and Protoform X, who both have their Timelines toy bodies, the other characters in this chapter all have Cybertronian forms that are "virtual" redecos of other toys:
    • Botanica is a virtual retool of Beast Hunters Soundwave, with a new head. Rather than the Ravage figure that release of Soundwave has, her drone is based on the original Prime Laserbeak toy.
    • Jawbreaker (originally a Transmetal 2 Maximal hyena from the Beast Wars toyline) is a virtual redeco of Beast Hunters Ratchet.
    • Gecko-Bot (a technorganic Maximal flying lizard from the Beast Machines toyline) is a virtual redeco of Beast Hunters Wheeljack, with the Prime Dead End head. Their impercepton shield is a virtual redeco of Wheeljack's Falcon Spear.
    • Rattrap is a virtual retool of Prime Rumble, with a new head and color scheme based on his Beast Machines incarnation.
    • Dynobot is a virtual redeco of Generations "Thrilling 30" Springer.
    • Torca (a Maximal orca/elephant Fuzor from the Beast Wars toyline) is a virtual redeco of Universe Onslaught with the BotCon 2010 Clench head.
  • Rattrap refers to Botanica as "Struts", a mechanical (rather than botanical) spin on his nickname for her in the Beast Machines cartoon, "Sprouts".
  • Rattrap mocks Optimus Prime's "freedom is the right of all sentient beings" motto.
  • Rattrap mentions war slogans like "Once a Predacon, always a Predacon" (something he said a lot of times in the Beast Wars cartoon) and "Better dead than Pred" (something Cheetor said in "Dark Designs".)
  • The Predacon group Rattrap and his squad fought are called the Darksyders, after the name given to the Predacon ship by the fandom and various pieces of ancillary media.
  • This incarnation of Dinobot has his named spelt as "Dynobot," the Cybertronian name for the Generation 1 Dinobots as first established in Dreamwave Productions' The Dark Ages mini-series.

Real-world references

[edit]
  • Gecko-Bot believes Rattrap died on the road to Damaxus, referring to the story of the Conversion of Paul the Apostle from the Bible, where Paul, who persecuted early Christians, was converted to the religion. Bit on the nose, there.
  • Rattrap claims that "reports of [his] demise were greatly exaggerated", a quote from Mark Twain.
  • Botanica says "Like a leaf on the wind..." as she released the drone, paraphrasing a line from the film Serenity.

Proto-typical weirdness

[edit]
  • Not quite errors, but being an early installment in the Beast Wars: Uprising universe, several concepts and ideas here differ with later stories.
  • As with all the pre-Sorenson and Bishop Beast Wars: Uprising stories, the Maximals and Predacons are presented as being soldiers fighting each other in a war, rather than their depiction as civilians who fought their proxy war in gladiatorial games.
  • The concept of the Builders is first mentioned here. Rather than the co-faction group the later prose stories will present them as, the term "Builders" here appears to solely refer to the Autobots, with the Decepticons being mentioned separately in Rattrap's narration. Protoform X's profile (published in the same issue) is a bit more explicit on the matter, referring to the Builder's "fight with the Decepticons".

Errors

[edit]
  • The impercepton shield should probably be "imperception shield".