Brothers' Burden

Slowly but surely, all the integral characters for the arc make their own way to Cybertron, where Shockwave continues to mastermind events. Template:Comicnav

Writer: Brad Mick
Pencils: Pat Lee
Inks: Rob Armstrong
Backgrounds: Edwin Garcia
Layout assists: Ferd Poblete
Colors: Espen Grundetjern, Alan Wang
Letters: Paul Villafuerte

• Originally published: May 21, 2003
• Major characters (in order of appearance): Ramjet, Ultra Magnus, Optimus Prime, Grimlock, Jazz, Starscream,Shockwave, Topspin, Twint Twist, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Soundwave, Gears, Ratchet, Dirge, Thrust, Blitzwing, Bluestreak,Bumblebee,Ironhide, Brawn, Windcharger, Sunstreaker,Sideswipe,Wheeljack, Perceptor, Sky Lynx, Cliffjumper, Prowl, Hound, Mirage, Slag, Sludge, Snarl, Swoop, Astrotrain, Ravage, Reflector
• Chronology: Modern era

Synopsis

After a failed attempt by Ramjet to charge past the Ark's defenses, Security Team Dion leader, Ultra Magnus tries to reason surrender with the Autobots inside. Grimlock favors fighting back, but Prime is indecisive.

After Shockwave punishes Starscream for the ejection of Megatron during the voyage through space, the spacecraft alights upon Cybertron and the Decepticon deplane. Thundercracker and Skywarp are amazed to find that Shockwave's claims of a unified Cybertron were valid, and in the heart of the capital city of Iacon, Shockwave's control tower stands in his image.

On Earth, Prime comes to make a decision. Before Blitzwing can level a human city, Prime emerges from the Ark with a number of Autobots and throws down his faction logo as a sign of surrender, while a team of seven other Autobots secretly head to Portland, Oregon.

Shockwave's security officers, Twintwist and Topspin discuss their dissatisfaction with Cybertron being ruled by a Decepticon, when they're interrupted by a communication from Perceptor, announcing that he's found aberrations in the power distribution system, and incidental scientific evidence that Cybertron has deviated from its traditional projected astral trajectory. But Shockwave is preoccupied explaining to the Decepticons how he's developed energy transfer modules that allow Transformers to siphon energy from Cybertron itself as a fuel source instead of the consumption of Energon.

Back on Earth, Ultra Magnus loads the captive Autobots onto his shuttle when Prime starts to act violent, accusing Ultra Magnus of being a traitor to the Autobots. Magnus commands Prime to stand down. Inside of the shuttle, Prime's party is reunited with the captured recon team who was left in Alaska. Characteristically, Cliffjumper retains some hostility for Mirage for causing the recon team's apprehension.

In the Arctic, Grimlock breaks into Megatron's secret underground cavern, where the Dinobots are being held captive in stasis along with a Decepticon ship.

Thundercracker and Skywarp have some nice hot baths, while Shockwave offers Soundwave a position as his Lieutenant. As soon as Shockwave leaves, Starscream makes a move, disabling Ravage and grabbing Soundwave from behind.

Spyglass, Spectro, and Viewfinder, from their monitoring room, relay news of the arrival of Security Team Dion with their Autobot captives to Shockwave. Aboard the shuttle, Ultra Magnus is extremely angry that Shockwave has made the decision to deactivate the captive Autobots upon their return to Cybertron.

Quotes

Peace, my afterburner
—Twin Twist

Slag it! Decepticon, Autobot, Cybertronian—What difference does it make? I say the side with the biggest guns is the side we roll with.
—Skywarp

How could you betray the Autobots?... How could you... betray me? (Ultra Magnus is such a heartbreaker.)
—Optimus Prime

Items of note

• Ultra Magnus doesn't seem to notice that there are a few Autobots missing from the surrendering party, odd since they were present during the battle in the previous issue.
• While relaxing, Skywarp and Thundercracker are receiving care from the Mini-spies.
• Security Team Dion's shuttle is clearly Sky Lynx. Although his name is never outright stated, the name appears with the shuttle on one of the screens inside of Reflector's monitoring room.
• Yes, Swoop is there in the green-liquid tank with the other Dinobots on the opposite side of Slag.
• This issue insinuates that the reason Grimlock switched sides is the previous volume was due to Megatron using the captive Dinobots as blackmail against him. What the Decepticon ship was doing with them was unexplained, but it meant that Megatron was lying when he said he was unable to leave Earth.

Covers (2)

• A Decepticon cover (left), and
• An Autobot cover (right), art on both by Pat Lee. The covers can be placed together to form a two-page image. The artwork for these covers were not reprinted in the trade paperback.

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