All Hail Megatron issue 13

« All Hail Megatron #13 »
File:Megatron13.jpg
Publisher	IDW Publishing
First published	July 22, 2009
Cover date	July 2009
Written by	Simon Furman "Old Ways" Mike Costa "Uneasy Lies the Head"
Art by	Don Figueroa "Old Ways" Chee Yang Ong "Uneasy Lies the Head"
Colors by	James Brown "Old Ways" Moose Baumann "Uneasy Lies the Head"
Letterer	Chris Mowry
Editor	Andy Schmidt
Associate editor	Denton J. Tipton
Continuity	IDW continuity
Chronology	All Hail Megatron

Synopsis

This issue contains two stories, "Old Ways" and "Uneasy Lies the Head".

"Old Ways"

'Two Autobots share some energon and tell stories.

In an old Autobot artillery ordnance, Ironhide admits that he is finished and done with the war. He is old, tired, and is ready to be stood down. All the battles,wars and campaigns had become a blur to him, and because of that, Ironhide lost what he had become. Optimus Prime respects his decision and won't bother to change his mind. The world is changing before their eyes, with new challenges ahead on the horizon, and that they have to re-learn, reassess and adapt. Ironhide exclaims that that wasn't it; he wanted to meet them head-on, but he now longer trusts his judgment, due to his situation with Mirage on Cybertron. Optimus reminds him that he was never much of a judge of character, and that during the early years of the Great War, Ironhide thought that Optimus was just a young upstart with no right to be called a "Prime", and Ironhide stood at that...

In Cybertron, during the early years of the Great War, Kup goes over a list of Autobot soldiers that are standing at attention to Optimus Prime. Optimus is impressed by the group assembled, and notices that Ironhide had something on his mind. Ironhide asks for permission to speak; Kup denies it, but Optimus lets him anyway, much to Kup's chagrin. Ironhide says that the "army" Prime assembled aren't soldiers, due to the fact that they have never picked up, let alone fired weapons before and would die before they ever did; and Prime is unlikely to increase their odds of survival. Kup angrily calls Ironhide out of line, but Prime lets him speak again. Ironhide continues on, saying that they're at war, and motivational words out of him aren't going to win it. It takes guts, resilience, muscle and know-how. They need a leader that fought in the trenches, had fought and killed for something more important than a medal, and Prime isn't that leader. Kup reminds Optimus that Ironhide had served in the Cybertronian Civil Militia, and has knocks in the head. Looking straight at Ironhide's face, Optimus asks him to teach him how to be a leader...

Now even Don and Simon rape your childhood!

In the present day, Ironhide, uncorking an urn full of raw liquid Energon, reminds Optimus that he took every harsh word that was said to him, and learned from it. Taking a swig from the urn, Ironhide offers a cup of raw Energon to Optimus, who accepts it by opening his mouthguard. Ironhide goes on to say that lots of leaders would have put him in the brig, but not Optimus, who had gone on to prove Ironhide wrong on more than one occasion...

During a battle on Cybertron, the Autobots came under heavy fire. Optimus agrees with Ironhide's suggestion that they can't stay where they are, but refuses his second suggesion to outflank their position and counterattack from the west. Instead, they'll head east to a corridor that they earlier cleared mines from, and from there, take up new positions at Polyhex. Ironhide thinks they're running, but Prime corrects him by saying that they're retreating instead, knowing that they would head to a trap by going west. Ironhide angrily says that he checked the area himself and there was nothing there. From experience, Prime thinks that it's too good to be true, but Ironhide isn't impressed, stating that retreating now would lose the sector they're on, and that this decision dishonors every Autobot who sacrificed their lives for it. Optimus tells him to either give the order to go east or he'll find someone else to do it. Reluctantly, the order is giving, and not a moment too soon, as Trypticon arrives from the west...

In the present day, Optimus Prime says that everything he brought to their battles came from Ironhide, who gave Prime the tools he needed to win. But Prime knows instinctively that some battles can't be won, that they have to cut their loses and live to fight another day. Ironhide, "drunk" on the Energon he drank, staggers up, says that he need more of the stuff if he wants to listen to old stories some more. Optimus steadies him and decides to switch to something more "fissionable". Optimus believes that Ironhide's main weakness is that he meets everything head-on, but Ironhide retorts, saying that Prime can also be every bit as unbending...

One time, Optimus and Ironhide fell for a Decepticon trap, resulting in Ironhide's left foot being blown off and the two of them hanging on a ledge for dear life. Ironhide tries to speak, but Optimus won't allow it, for even a whisper is magnified a hundredfold, and the ledge won't hold them for long. Prime sees a rescue vessel in the distance as Ironhide tells him to leave him behind, but Prime refuses. Suddenly, the part of the ledge Ironhide is holding on to breaks, but Prime catches his arm in time. Ironhide says that they won't make it, but Prime reassures him that they will...

Optimus, with a hand on Ironhide's shoulder, tells him that his example honed Prime into the the leader that he is today, and that Ironhide overcame impossible odds. Nowadays, other Autobots look up to him for his no-nonsense, practical know-how style, to which the depths of resolve and indomitable fighting spirit that the Autobots need, and if Ironhide ever wavered, he'll turn to Prime for his hard-nosed, honest counsel. Prime says that if Ironhide decides to leave, they'll carry on, but they'll all be lessened by his absence, and Prime would miss his friend. Ironhide, taking a moment to think it over, decides to stick around instead, being outmaneuvered tactically by his military protege.

"Uneasy Lies the Head"

As the Decepticons flee from Earth on Astrotrain, a brooding Starscream is summoned by Shrapnel, who bears news. In front of the other Decepticons, now low on Energon and demoralized, Starscream announces that Megatron has ceased to function, and that they must forge a new path of their own. He is slightly premature, as the 'news' is actually that the badly damaged Megatron, guarded by Soundwave and the cassettes, is beginning to show increased brain activity. An infuriated Starscream attempts to convince Soundwave to let Megatron die, and to use the Energon he is using for the rest of them, but he refuses and Starscream stalks out.

Angry, Starscream reflects that as long as Megatron lives, he will never take power. Shrapnel suggests assassination, but Starscream vetoes this, noting that Megatron would probably come back more powerful than before. Now alone, Starscream muses on the looming chaos. With Megatron gone, the Decepticons will fall apart through infighting. With little more than the troops from Earth, he will be unable to force the issue, and Razorclaw will certainly challenge him. With Megatron's leadership having led them to the disaster he always foresaw, Starscream is left with grudges... and the Matrix of Leadership.

Believing the Matrix to be of little more than symbolic value, with any power it might have had used up, Starscream attempts to throw it out an airlock, but is stopped by a returning Shrapnel. Shrapnel reminds him that the Matrix chooses the Autobot leaders, and is amazed that Starscream has it. Realizing the potential, Starscream rouses the Decepticons, claiming that he now wields the power of the Matrix and will use it to lead them to victory once more. His delighted troops chant 'Hail Starscream!' as he leaves - as the new Decepticon leader put his head in his hands, fully aware that his leadership now rests on the seemingly powerless Matrix...

Featured characters for "Old Ways"

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons
Ironhide (1) Optimus Prime (2) Kup (3) Hubcap (4) Tracks (5) Undertow (6) Brainstorm (7) Tempest (8) Motorhead (9) Crosshairs (10) Boxcar (11) Springer (12)	Trypticon (13)

Errors

• Hey, remember how Ironhide and a pre-Prime Optimus both served in the same unit under Kup? Spotlight: Blurr And how Ironhide claimed he liked and would die for Optimus since the day he met him? All Hail Megatron issue 4

Items of note

• Don Figueroa's art style has changed significantly since Shattered Glass. His new style, briefly seen on his cover for "Spotlight: Cliffjumper", now has Don drawing the G1 characters in the style of the two live-action movies.
• And speaking of which, Prime's mouth plate can retract, just like his movie counterpart.
• Dull surprise? No! Perpetual sneer!
• The flashback sequences are coloured in sepia tone for "Old Ways".
• "Uneasy Lies the Head" bears significant similarities to the 1984 G1 movie - (seemingly) defeated Decepticons leaving Earth in Astrotrain, with Starscream attempting to take power and Megatron severely damaged (and being attended to by Soundwave and his Cassetticons. Starscream even considers chucking Megs out of the ship, but had a nagging feeling he might return, even more powerful than before.

Covers

• Cover A: Optimus Prime and Ironhide side-by-side; art by Don Figueroa with colors by James Brown.
• Cover B: Starscream holding the Matrix of Leadership; art by Chee Yang Ong with colors by Moose Baumann.
• Cover RI: Optimus, Ironhide, and the Matrix; art and colors by Trevor Hutchison.
• Apocalypse Comics Exclusive Cover: Grimlock (and Gregg Berger) at the Auto Assembly 2009 convention; art by Nick Roche with colors by Liam Shalloo.

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