Herald, Covenant, Schism, Paradox: Difference between revisions

From MediaWiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
← Older editNewer edit →
undoInterrobang (talk | contribs)
50,478 edits
Geewunling (talk | contribs)
35,468 edits
mNo edit summary
Interrobang (talk | contribs)
50,478 edits
Working on a coherent synopsis. In progress...
Line 16: Line 16:
}}
}}


"Herald", "Covenant", "Schism" and "Paradox" are four overlapping stories that were published as part of the 1998-2001 [[BotCon]]'s ''[[Reaching the Omega Point]]'' fiction.
'''Many players draw closer as Point Omega, the end of everything, comes.
 
 
{{Note|As the story gains time-travel aspects, the storytelling becomes more fractured, with points of view leaping from timeframe to timeframe. It makes far more sense to summarize all of these chapters as a whole than to go one-by-one.}}


==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
We are introduced to the [[Covenant|Covenant of Primus]], a 12-member group of Transformers created by [[Primus]] before [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]].  Their creation-myth follows the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel US comic]], which states that there had once been a universe of god-like energy beings, of whom [[Unicron]] was one. He devoured that universe and all his fellow gods, then slumbered.  But while he rested, a new universe exploded around him, and it created Primus as its protector.  When Unicron awoke and began consuming again, Primus battled him.  These battles led to Primus' fateful plan to trap himself and Unicron in asteroids.  But - in an addition to the previously-revealed creation story - Primus made a "dry run" of his plan, cyberforming the moon [[Protos]] of a giant planet called [[Methuselah]].  He populated Protos with the Covenant, whom he tasked with overseeing the fate of their robotic brethren yet to come.
===Covenant===
 
On [[Protos]], [[Leonicus]] enjoys the sunrise. He is eventually forced to return to the [[Sanctuary]], where he sees his fellow members of the [[Covenant]] go on with their daily lives, sealed away from the Universe for millennia in preparation for [[Point Omega]], or [[Shokaract]]. He is soon met with the [[Chronarchitect]], who struggles to create a physical presence and warns Leonicus of an upcoming disaster. In a booming voice, The Chonarchitect tells Leonicus to "return to the beginning".
And so, as Cybertron was created and the Transformers rose up, the Covenant observed from afar and quietly intervened when necessary to maintain Primus's [[Grand Plan]].  They were constantly on guard for an apocalypse called "Point Omega, or Shokaract, the battle that would decide the final fate of the Transformer race."  They would occasionally receive warnings from a god called the [[Chronarchitect]], such as when Unicron's 2005 attack on Cybertron loomed.  And they received another sometime just before BW Megatron left for prehistoric Earth.  It was on this warning that four of the Covenant time-traveled to various temporal hot-spots.  Three returned empty-handed, but the fourth (Scorpius) hit paydirt in the far future of the 32nd century.
 
Calling himself "[[Sandstorm (BW)|Sandstorm]]," he aligned himself with the Predacons and came to lead the resistance against an interplanetary warlord with the portentious name of [[Shokaract]].  Shokaract had once been a Predacon soldier himself, under the command of some Megatron or other and known simply as "the Hunter."  It's unclear when this was, but at some point, the Hunter was on Earth, pursued by Maximals.  He took refuge in a cave, where he made a grand discovery:  The essence of Unicron.
 
For in this timeline, when Unicron appeared to have been destroyed in 2005, he had actually thrown his own essence back in time at the moment of his defeat.  Somehow he ended up deep in a cave on prehistoric Earth, weakened and waiting for someone to discover him.  Eons passed, but eventually salvation did come in the form of the Hunter, who took the "Dark Essence" and used its power to create an empire spanning the galaxy. Naming himself "Shokaract" and bearing the "Matrix of Conquest," his supremacy seemed secure.  But for some reason, in the aforementioned 32nd century, he became worried about a "dimensional key" on Earth during the Beast Wars, a device that apparently was related to a "great unraveling, a disruption to the timeline that had to be righted."


He sends one of his top lieutenants (or "[[Herald of Shokaract|Heralds]]") back in time to retrieve the dimensional key. This agent is Antagony, and it becomes clear that the mysterious "artifact" from ''Visitations'' was the dimensional key. Moreover, the "shadowy figure" who got it first was its owner, [[Apelinq]]. It seems the device was his "transfer interlink," an uncannily powerful tool he uses for many purposes.  This element of the plot will be covered later.  Suffice it to say that Antagony failed, she was captured by Megatron, and rather than reveal her secrets to his brain-scan, she mind-wipes herself into vegetablehood.
The Convenant convene in a [[zemstvo]] to discuss the Chronarchitect's foreboding words. They recall that the last time the Chronarchtiect appeared was in [[2005]], when [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] died and the ownership of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] was in flux. For that event, they had readied for war, but the Matrix passed to [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], who used it to destroy [[Unicron]] and the Covenant went unneeded. Now, they again worry of the [[Grand Plan]] of their creator, [[Primus]], and the impeding Point Omega.


So Shokaract begins preparing another Herald, Cataclysm, to discover Antagony's fate and check on the Dark Essence.  When the
Leonicus reviews the Covenant's origins. In the beginning, a new universe was reborn from the ashes of the old. In this old universe, gods existed. One of them, Unicron, became a devourer, consuming the entire universe, other gods included. His task done, he slept in the [[void]]. Life still clinged on, spontaneously creating a new universe and a positive counterpart to Unicron—Primus. The two mighty titans' battles devastated the universe, and so Primus concocted a plan: he would distract Unicron on the mental plane and trap their physical essences in metal asteroids. To test his tactic, he imprinted part of his lifeforce into Protos, creating life out of the dead moon. Twelve were born with [[spark]]s of Primus's essence—the Covenant. Satisfied that he could reshape [[Cybertron (planet)his future metal prison]] to create [[Transformer|life]], Primus tasked the Covenant with observation and maintaining the Grand Plan, especially for Point Omega. The Covenant observed the evolution of the Transformer race and waited for the time when they would be called upon.
resistance catches wind of this, desperate plans are hatched to stop him. One of the rebels, called simply "the Veteran" (probably an aged [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]]), captures Cataclysm's rejected and half-dead "fission-brother," who is called "the Cub."  Sandstorm orders the Veteran to merge his spark with the Cub in order to gain whatever crucial information would get them inside Shokaract's base. The merger works, and the resulting Transformer called "[[Windrazor (BW)|Windrazor]]" makes for Shokaract's palace.


Simultaneously, Sandstorm takes a team in search of a strange quasi-reality called "[[J'nwan]]," reached through a maddening dimensional rift on Cybertron.  Many of the [[Autobot]] and [[Decepticon]] heroes of old had retreated there after their war was finished, and he tries to enlist their aid in the coming apocalypse.  However, his team gets destroyed passing through the rift, and his pleas to the legendary figures are rebuffed, so he returns empty-handed.  Eventually, he decides that he must go back to the Beast Wars himself, a decision that's reflected by the rest of the Covenant, who independently choose to make the temporal trip as well.
====Featured characters====
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Covenant]]|c1=
*[[Leonicus]] (1)
*[[Aquator]] (2)
*[[Libras]] (3)
*[[Sandstorm (BW)|Scorpius]] (4)
*[[Capricun]] (10)
*[[Libras]] (12)
*[[Ariex]] (13)


Meanwhile, Windrazor's infiltration of Shokaract's fortress goes swimmingly, and he assaults Cataclysm just as the Herald is opening a [[transwarp]] portal to the Beast era.  The two go tumbling through the vortex, and Windrazor manages to throw Cataclysm outside the temporal tunnel and into oblivion.  Windrazor lands on prehistoric Earth, and his first sight is that of dragon Megatron rising from a volcano (presumably the last scene of "[[Master Blaster]]").  Windrazor also discovers that Cataclysm's destruction wasn't quite complete:  A tracking device also survived the trip.  He uses it to search for the Dark Essence, all the while unknowingly followed by the Beast Warriors (who had detected his arrival).  While battles erupt behind him, he finds the fateful cave and the Dark Essence within.  Unicron possesses Windrazor, and the combined being attacks the Beast Warriors.  But when the Veteran and the Cub team up to resist the evil influence, they exorcise themselves of the Essence, which retreats back to its cave.
|h2=Gods|c2=
*[[Chronarchtiect]] (5)
*[[Unicron]] (6)
*[[Primus]] (14)


Then Shokaract arrives.
|c4=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (7)
*[[Liege Maximo]] (8)
*[[Primon]] (9)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] (11)
*[[Prima]] (15)
*[[Prime Nova]] (16)
*[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] (17)
}}


==Notes==
==Notes==

Revision as of 06:25, 20 August 2011

"Sloppiness is bad, cleanliness is good!"
"Sloppiness is bad, cleanliness is good!"

This article may require cleanup to meet the quality standards of MediaWiki.
Please discuss this issue on the talk page or append this tag with a more specific message.
This article has been tagged since August 2009.

One-line, in-universe synopsis, notes & etc.
The name or term "Herald" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Herald (disambiguation).
« Tales from the Transformers: Beast Wars: Reaching the Omega Point »

A graphic designer's worst nightmare.
"Herald", "Covenant", "Schism", "Paradox"
Publisher 3H Productions
First published July 28, 2000 (BotCon 2000)
Cover date July 28-30, 2000
Script Simon Furman
Illustrations Lee Sullivan
Continuity Generation 1 (via Universe)

Many players draw closer as Point Omega, the end of everything, comes.

Synopsis

Covenant

On Protos, Leonicus enjoys the sunrise. He is eventually forced to return to the Sanctuary, where he sees his fellow members of the Covenant go on with their daily lives, sealed away from the Universe for millennia in preparation for Point Omega, or Shokaract. He is soon met with the Chronarchitect, who struggles to create a physical presence and warns Leonicus of an upcoming disaster. In a booming voice, The Chonarchitect tells Leonicus to "return to the beginning".

The Convenant convene in a zemstvo to discuss the Chronarchitect's foreboding words. They recall that the last time the Chronarchtiect appeared was in 2005, when Optimus Prime died and the ownership of the Creation Matrix was in flux. For that event, they had readied for war, but the Matrix passed to Hot Rod, who used it to destroy Unicron and the Covenant went unneeded. Now, they again worry of the Grand Plan of their creator, Primus, and the impeding Point Omega.

Leonicus reviews the Covenant's origins. In the beginning, a new universe was reborn from the ashes of the old. In this old universe, gods existed. One of them, Unicron, became a devourer, consuming the entire universe, other gods included. His task done, he slept in the void. Life still clinged on, spontaneously creating a new universe and a positive counterpart to Unicron—Primus. The two mighty titans' battles devastated the universe, and so Primus concocted a plan: he would distract Unicron on the mental plane and trap their physical essences in metal asteroids. To test his tactic, he imprinted part of his lifeforce into Protos, creating life out of the dead moon. Twelve were born with sparks of Primus's essence—the Covenant. Satisfied that he could reshape Cybertron (planet)his future metal prison to create life, Primus tasked the Covenant with observation and maintaining the Grand Plan, especially for Point Omega. The Covenant observed the evolution of the Transformer race and waited for the time when they would be called upon.

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Covenant Gods Others

Notes

  • There are two mildly differing versions of the story "Herald", one published in the 1999 four-parter, the other published as illustrated prequel to the 2000 comic. Some details found in one of the versions are absent from the other, and vice versa, such as information Megatron "borrowed" the mind-drill from Tarantulas, a description of Cataclysm's Ko-tu and the extent of Antagony's revenge on him.
  • Botcon.com presents "Herald" as chapter 4 of Reaching the Omega Point. The Botcon 2000 comic's presentation places it (more sensibly) as a prequel.
Retrieved from "https://tfwiki.duckdns.org/index.php?title=Herald,_Covenant,_Schism,_Paradox&oldid=625191"