Escalation issue 5

« The Transformers: Escalation #5 »
Now that's gotta hurt!
Publisher	IDW Publishing
First published	March 28, 2007
Cover date	March 2007
Story by	Simon Furman
Art by	E. J. Su
Colors by	Zac Atkinson
Letters by	Robbie Robbins
Edits by	Chris Ryall & Dan Taylor
Continuity	2005 IDW continuity
Chronology	Escalation

The Machination's plans proceed as another group enters the field. Oh, and Prime fights Megatron.

Synopsis

An unidentified Transformer, appearing to be severely damaged, speaks with Abraham Dante of the Machination on the successful outcome of their latest test subject. The Transformer expresses his appreciation for Dante's selfishness and how that quality will help them work well together.

In Brasnya, Megatron and Optimus Prime square off. Megatron brags about the enhancements that have come with his Ore-13 power, but Prime isn't intimidated. As the Russian and Brasnyan forces watch in gaping amazement, the two Transformer leaders engage in a colossal battle as the other Autobots skirmish with the Decepticons. Meanwhile, Hot Rod and Prowl chase after the facsimile of Georgi Koska, hoping to grab him alive before Russian soldiers shoot him dead. The Autobots need his cellular template in order to identify other facsimiles on Earth.

In Fort Wayne, Ironhide and Ratchet are waiting outside the auto parts store; they're worried because Verity Carlo and Jimmy Pink haven't reported in for over ten minutes. Ironhide smashes through the front window and sends his holomatter avatar into the secret compartment in the back where he discovers the two humans unconscious and a timer counting down to something decidedly nasty.

In Brasnya, Megatron and Optimus Prime have tossed aside their weapons and are fighting hand to hand. The close proximity allows Megatron to shoot Prime in the face with an Ore-13-enhanced blast from his mouth, blinding and stunning the Autobot leader. Megatron then smashes Prime twice in the chest, grabs his spark chamber and gives it a crushing squeeze.

Prowl and Hot Rod manage to stop Koska from getting shot by Russian troops. Prowl advises the Russians to disengage and they do so hastily. Next, he tries to contact Optimus Prime to give a report but he doesn't get a response. That's because Megatron is squeezing the life out of Prime's spark, but, before Megatron can finish what he started, Roller blasts him. Distracted, Megatron smashes his fist into the mountainside, which sends an avalanche of rocks and snow over Roller. He then turns his attention back to Prime, but finds a lifeless corpse. Ahhh, the perfect time to gloat.

In Eureka, the archaeological dig has been taken over by Skywatch agents, who have uncovered parts of Shockwave and the Dinobots.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons	Humans	Facsimilies
Optimus Prime (4) Jazz (8) Wheeljack (9) Hardhead (10) Hot Rod (12) Prowl (13) Ironhide (15) Ratchet (16) Roller (19) Grimlock (22) Snarl (24) Sludge (25)	Scorponok (2) Megatron (3) Skywarp (7) Astrotrain (11) Shockwave (23)	Abraham Dante (1) Todorof (5) Breski (6) Jimmy Pink (17) Verity Carlo (18) Goring (20) Clive (21)	Georgi Koska (14)

Notes

Continuity notes

Maybe he picks his allies by their preferences in architecture?

• The Machination compound in Tampa, Florida seen on the first page uses a very similar layout to the Zarak Consortium's headquarters seen in "Spotlight: Ultra Magnus". With the perspective and panel layout also being very similar, this is a very clever instance of foreshadowing, considering the same villain was behind both organizations.

Transformers references

• When Ironhide smashes into the shop, a poster featuring a girl next to a car advertises Kiss Players. Optimus wasn't kidding when he said they were exposed...
• When a Skywatch agents comments on taking over the archaeological dig, she states that they've done so "in the national interest, of course." This is a verbatim repeat of a phrase uttered by a Triple-I agent that bookended the Marvel UK comic story, "In the National Interest".
• Megatron's taunt regarding killing with his "bare hands" and Optimus Prime's two-handed punch that follows both call back to their fight in the animated film.
• Megatron later taunts Optimus Prime by telling him that he respected him a long time ago, but that was "another time, another place." This is presumably a reference to the Marvel UK story Another Time & Place.

Errors

• Brasnya, identified as a "(breakaway) soviet state" in the previous two issues, is now called a "Russian state", thereby apparently fixing a major world politics flub. Simon Furman later stated at the German C.O.N.S. convention in July 2012 that any references to "soviet" are to be considered an error and should read "Russian" instead.
• Skywarp is coloured as Thundercracker when Megatron calls to him for evacuation.
• Prowl's statement to Hot Rod—"One of us will have to run interference"—is mistakenly attributed to Hot Rod.
• When Megatron crushes Roller, the Decepticon insignia on his chest is red.

Other trivia

• The "Decepticomments" section has readers' mail answered by Dan Taylor.

Covers (4)

• Cover A: Megatron over a fallen Prime; art by E. J. Su.
• Cover B: Optimus Prime in Megatron's sights; art by Klaus Scherwinski.
• Cover RI-A: cover A, uncolored
• Cover RI-B: cover B, uncolored

• 
  Cover A
• 
  Dragon-breath
• 
  Cover RI-A
• 
  Cover RI-B

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• Manga versions of The Gathering and Stormbringer
• Movie Prequel comic (issues 2, 3, 4)
• Optimus Prime Alternators toy
• Star Trek: Klingons: Blood Will Tell
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Space Between
• IDW trade paperbacks (Infiltration, Stormbringer, The Gathering, Hearts of Steel, Transformers: Generation 1 vol. 2: War and Peace, Generations
• Transformers posters
• Transformers Classics toys
• Transformers movie (back cover)

Reprints

In addition to collections of the full series.

• The Transformers: Greatest Battles of Optimus Prime and Megatron TPB (June 6, 2007) ISBN 1600100708 / ISBN 978-1600100703

• 
  Art by Don Figueroa and Josh Burcham.