Void Rivals issue 13

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Looks like the Void Rivals have a snake problem!
Publisher	Image Comics Skybound Entertainment
First published	October 23, 2024
Cover date	October 2024
Written by	Robert Kirkman
Art by	Lorenzo De Felici
Colors by	Patricio Delpeche
Letters by	Rus Wooton
Editor	Ben Abernathy
Continuity	Energon Universe

As Darak and Solila go their separate ways, they learn that unity may not necessarily be a good thing.

Synopsis

Golobulus angrily yells at Pythona, admonishing her for her failure to locate the mechanical world that is the antithesis to Cobra-La... Aboard the Cobra-La organic probe, Pythona is awoken from her nightmare by Vipria, who alerts her liege that the Energon signature they were ordered to track has led them to a small planetoid. On the surface, Cobra-La troops investigate the signature, and are led to the exact spot it originated. Nearby, they discover the tracks of two bipedal creatures, which leads them to the launch site of a small, non-energonic craft. Akronus reports that, though faint, they can track it.

In the wasteland of the Sacred Ring, Springer and Darak make their way to Agorria. Meanwhile, Solila and the Handroid make their way through the cramped interior of the Sacred Ring. Handroid raises concerns about if Zerta Trion (or Zerta, Solila corrects) would have even fit through the path, but Solila tells it to just have faith. Out in space, the Skuxxoid concludes his business with Bosch, surprising him with his apathy towards being paid.

Springer and Darak continue to make their way to Agorria, but the terrain forces Springer to convert to his helicopter mode . Springer continues to probe Darak for details on his encounter with Jetfire, but Darak informs him that while he could direct Springer to the planetoid, he unfortunately didn't catch Jetfire's trajectory. As their conversation finishes, they reach the outskirts of Agorria, and Darak disembarks into the city.

On the other side of the Sacred Ring, Zalilak pays a visit to the Temple of Zerta's Light, for a meeting with Vill. Meanwhile, Solila continues her descent into the center of the planet, musing to Handroid that she hasn't felt hungry since Springer gave her Energon. As they reach what appears to be the end of the path, Solila simply grabs a pole and jumps into the depths of the planet. She uses the pole to slow her descent against the walls as she nears the bottom, and makes her landing...

In Agorria, Darak is approached by Director Elander, who informs him that his father, Minister Dulin, wants to see him. At the capital, Dulin demands Darak turn in Solila, and voices his disappointment in his son's chosen path in life. Dulin wanted a successor, not another pilot. When Darak passionately tells his father that they need to stop the stupid war with the Zertonians and unify as one race, Dulin warns him that the current status quo is actually to the benefit of their planet - and that Unity would lead to their end.

Mistress Vill converses with Zalilak, informing him that their sacred texts were flawed. Zalilak is furious at the blasphemy, but Vill knocks him to his knees and explains that Zalilak will be taught their ways; while the texts do state that unity will bring an end, unity will also be followed by a new beginning.

Featured characters

Characters in italic text appear only in dreams.
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Cobra-La	Agorrians	Zertonians	Others
Springer (6)	Golobulus (1) Pythona (2) Vipria (3) Akronus (4) Royal Guards (5)	Darak (11) Elander (14) Dulin (15)	Solila (8) Zalilak (12) Vill (13)	Handroid (7) Bosch (9) Skuxxoid (10)

Quotes

"No, son. You have been misled. Unity is the path to destruction. It will tear our civilization asunder and shatter the Sacred Ring until...nothing remains. Unity is our very end."

—Dulin reminds us that there’s something more at play here...

Notes

Continuity notes

• COBRA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA!!! For those not keeping up with the G.I. Joe side of the Energon Universe, Cobra-La is a secret society of snake people introduced in the pages of Cobra Commander. They hate technology, and their recent encounter with Megatron has led them to discovering the Transformers, whose mechanical nature they view as a threat to their own organic society. As such, their leader, Golobulus, sent Pythona and the small group we see here to find their home planet at the end of Cobra Commander #5. Their journey has brought them to the same planetoid where Darak and Solila first found Jetfire all the way back at the start of the series.
  • It’s noted that they traced an Energon signature from Earth to the planetoid, meaning they tracked Jetfire’s journey from when he arrived on Earth in Transformers #1. Furthermore, they locate and track the signature from Darak and Solila's makeshift spaceship. This probably doesn't bode well…
• Pythona’s nightmare about failing Golobulus is well-warranted. We saw how he punished Cobra Commander for his treachery in Cobra Commander #1.
• Solila and Handroid note that Energon she received from Springer in issue #10 is sustaining her to the point where she doesn't need to eat.
• Bosch hired Skuxxoid back in issue #11.
• The Skuxxoid has been pretty down ever since remembering his family isn't around anymore back in issue #9.

Transformers references

• Bosch's shuttle is based on the shuttle he and Smokescreen used in the Generation 1 cartoon episode "The Gambler", though it's colored like the mothership from the same episode.

G.I. Joe references

• The organic Cobra-La ship Pythona and the Royal Guards use is based on a Cobra-La creature-slash-vessel that first appeared, along with the rest of Cobra-La, in G.I. Joe: The Movie.
• Void Rivals marks the first time we have gotten individual names for any of the Cobra-La Royal Guards.

Covers (7)

• Cover A: Pythona and her Cobra-La soldiers, by Lorenzo De Felici.
• Cover B: Solila, Darak and Vill, by Mattia De Iulis.
• Cover C (1:10 Copy Incentive): Pythona with her Cobra-La soldiers again, by Leonardo Romero.
• Cover D (1:25 Copy Incentive): Darak and Solila, by Gerardo Zaffino and Rex Lokus.
• Cover E (1:50 Copy Incentive): Pythona, by Kendrick Lim.
• Cover F (1:100 Copy Incentive): Springer and Darak, by Ludo Lullabi.
• Cover G: Blank sketch cover.

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• Five-page preview of the upcoming G.I. Joe series.

Reprints

• Void Rivals Volume 3: The Key to Vector Theta (June 11, 2025) ISBN 153432691X / ISBN 978-1534328242
  • Collects issues #13–18.
  • Trade paperback format.

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  Volume 3: The Key to Vector Theta – cover art by Lorenzo De Felici