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''In "[[The Battery]]", the Decepticon base down on Temptoria, [[Blip]] responds to a summons from [[Nautilator]], but finds himself more interested in the fact that the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacon]] sounds exactly like [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. When Nautilator finally gets him to pay attention to the security monitor, he sees that the Autobots are air-dropping out of the ''Leading Light'' right on top of them! A ferocious battle soon erupts; while Rodimus and Drift squabble over who gets to take on which 'cons, Tailgate and Swerve head off to sneak into the enemy base, though Tailgate delays a moment to marvel at Ultra Magnus's fighting prowess.''
''In "[[The Battery]]", the Decepticon base down on Temptoria, [[Blip]] responds to a summons from [[Nautilator]], but finds himself more interested in the fact that the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacon]] sounds exactly like [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. When Nautilator finally gets him to pay attention to the security monitor, he sees that the Autobots are air-dropping out of the ''Leading Light'' right on top of them! A ferocious battle soon erupts; while Rodimus and Drift squabble over who gets to take on which 'cons, Tailgate and Swerve head off to sneak into the enemy base, though Tailgate delays a moment to marvel at Ultra Magnus's fighting prowess.''


After... The Autobots return to the ''Lost Light'', but the battle is not without victims: twenty-one crew-members have been gravely injured, Rewind among them. A panicked Chromedome tries to ask Swerve what happened, but discovers the little 'bot has had his face blown off. [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] rushes Rewind to the medibay where his [[spark]] is diagnosed to be rapidly fading. As Rewind's [[Conjunx Endura]], Chromedome is given the option of using First Aid's spark-jumpstarting procedure to save him—an easy choice to make, and with his spark a match for Rewind's rare type, he volunteers for the process himself. Just before they begin, Tailgate bursts in, dragging the wounded [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] behind him, begging for help.
After... The Autobots return to the ''Lost Light'', but the battle is not without victims: twenty-one crew-members have been gravely injured, Rewind among them. A panicked Chromedome tries to ask Swerve what happened, but discovers the little 'bot has had his face blown off. [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] rushes Rewind to the medibay where his [[spark]] is diagnosed to be rapidly fading. As Rewind's [[Conjunx Endura]], Chromedome is given the option of using First Aid's spark-jumpstarting procedure to save him—an easy choice to make, and with his spark a match for Rewind's rare type, he volunteers for the process himself. Just before they begin, Tailgate bursts in, dragging the wounded [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] behind him, begging for help.


''While the other members of their team handle the fighting, Rewind and Tailgate search The Battery for the Circle of Light, and discover that the Decepticons have captured not them, but the native organic Temptorians, and are somehow converting them into fuel. A bomb is wired to the door of their cell, which Tailgate sets to work disarming while Rewind films. Whirl, Cyclonus and Swerve keep the Decepticons at bay just outside... although Swerve does manage to shoot himself in the face when Whirl tosses him [[Brainstorm]]'s newest weapon, the [[Shoomer]].''  
''While the other members of their team handle the fighting, Rewind and Tailgate search The Battery for the Circle of Light, and discover that the Decepticons have captured not them, but the native organic Temptorians, and are somehow converting them into fuel. A bomb is wired to the door of their cell, which Tailgate sets to work disarming while Rewind films. Whirl, Cyclonus and Swerve keep the Decepticons at bay just outside... although Swerve does manage to shoot himself in the face when Whirl tosses him [[Brainstorm]]'s newest weapon, the [[Shoomer]].''  

Revision as of 13:58, 20 December 2012

« The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye #12
"Before & After"
Publisher IDW Publishing
First published December 19, 2012
Cover date December 2012
Story by James Roberts
Pencils by Alex Milne (before)
Brendan Cahill (after)
Inks by Atilio Rojo with Alex Milne (before)
Brian Shearer (after)
Colors by Josh Burcham
Letters by Tom B. Long
Editor John Barber
Continuity IDW continuity
Chronology Current era (2012)

In the wake of a battle with the Decepticons on the planet Temptoria, Rewind lies at death's door and Chromedome is pushed to the edge.

Synopsis

Before... Aboard the scout ship Leading Light, the rambunctious, fight-hungry 'bots in craft's fore section are lead in a war-chant by Whirl, and have to be silenced by Rodimus so he can deliver their mission briefing: they are heading for the planet Temptoria, current home to a group of Decepticons they suspect of kidnapping the Circle of Light. Around the ship, Tailgate and Swerve employ "Rungian Re-Experience Therapy", going to their "happy places" to calm themselves before battle; Hound and Pipes discuss Ultra Magnus's appointment in the stead of the wounded Red Alert; Hoist compliments Trailbreaker on his new leg-guns; and Rewind and Chromedome argue over a promise Rewind has broken. Before that particular argument can get going, Whirl barges into the rear section and calls for Rewind to accompany him on the front lines to take footage.

In "The Battery", the Decepticon base down on Temptoria, Blip responds to a summons from Nautilator, but finds himself more interested in the fact that the Seacon sounds exactly like Megatron. When Nautilator finally gets him to pay attention to the security monitor, he sees that the Autobots are air-dropping out of the Leading Light right on top of them! A ferocious battle soon erupts; while Rodimus and Drift squabble over who gets to take on which 'cons, Tailgate and Swerve head off to sneak into the enemy base, though Tailgate delays a moment to marvel at Ultra Magnus's fighting prowess.

After... The Autobots return to the Lost Light, but the battle is not without victims: twenty-one crew-members have been gravely injured, Rewind among them. A panicked Chromedome tries to ask Swerve what happened, but discovers the little 'bot has had his face blown off. First Aid rushes Rewind to the medibay where his spark is diagnosed to be rapidly fading. As Rewind's Conjunx Endura, Chromedome is given the option of using First Aid's spark-jumpstarting procedure to save him—an easy choice to make, and with his spark a match for Rewind's rare type, he volunteers for the process himself. Just before they begin, Tailgate bursts in, dragging the wounded Cyclonus behind him, begging for help.

While the other members of their team handle the fighting, Rewind and Tailgate search The Battery for the Circle of Light, and discover that the Decepticons have captured not them, but the native organic Temptorians, and are somehow converting them into fuel. A bomb is wired to the door of their cell, which Tailgate sets to work disarming while Rewind films. Whirl, Cyclonus and Swerve keep the Decepticons at bay just outside... although Swerve does manage to shoot himself in the face when Whirl tosses him Brainstorm's newest weapon, the Shoomer.

The jumpstart procedure complete, Chromedome waits with Tailgate outside the medibay. After Chromedome explains that the little vials left in the bay are symbolic offerings of innermost energon from the crew for Rewind, Tailgate is prompted to ask how the pair met. A little reluctantly at first, Chromedome relates Rewind's history: he was a member of the Disposable Class in the days of functionism, and was recruited to work as a data receptacle by campaigner Dominus Ambus. Rewind became friends with his new employer, who was moved to fight for Disposables' rights, and accompanied him on a quest for Luna-1, only returning to Cybertron after the war had broken out. After some time, Dominus disappeared and Rewind began searching Relinquishment Clinics—since repurposed as assisted suicide facilities—in hopes of discovering his friend's fate. It was in such a clinic that he met Chromedome, who was seeking death to escape the war, and together, the pair gave each other something to live for. But Rewind has never given up his search for Dominus—this is the reason for his hoarding of "snuff movies", and why he has broken his promise to Chromedome to stop entering danger zones. Tailgate argues that perhaps Rewind only goes into battle to be beside Chromedome, but then, First Aid emerges with bad news: Chromedome's own weak spark means the process has not worked.

The call goes out for other donors to save Rewind while Chromedome goes to his quarters in a grief-filled haze. As he sits in silence, a voice calls to him through the door... a voice that tells him it has discovered a way to wipe out the Decepticons and stop what happened to Rewind from ever happening again... an answer that lies in the basement. Suddenly, First Aid calls Chromedome on his comm and summons him to the medibay: Whirl has proven to have a compatible spark and has saved Rewind's life. On the other side of the bay, Tailgate is about to leave some of his innermost energon for Cyclonus when he suddenly awakens and knocks the vial from Tailgate's hand, shattering it. Cyclonus mocks the small 'bot for believing they share a bond, but upon noticing how many offerings have been left for Rewind by the others, while none were left for him, he silently kneels to help Tailgate pick up the pieces of glass.

After Whirl and Cyclonus finish off the remaining Decepticons, Whirl compliments Cyclonus on his fighting ability, and suggests they become friends and put that whole "death threat" business behind them. Cyclonus is not interested and reiterates his intent to kill Whirl some day, at which point Rewind calls for their aid: Tailgate has triggered a timer on the bomb, but refuses to leave until he can drain the explosives so the blast won't reach the prisoners. Cyclonus seizes his diminutive contemporary and hurls him out of the chamber to safety, only to be trapped inside as Whirl surreptitiously presses the lock button in order to take out his would-be killer. Rewind is trapped inside with Cyclonus, but at the last second, just before the bomb detonates, Cyclonus throws himself in front of the archivist, shielding him.

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

Autobots Decepticons Others

Quotes

"Please! I surrender! Don't shoot!"
"That is uncanny! Has anyone ever-?"
"Megatron. Yes, I know! Just don't shoot!"
"Okay, you be Megatron, I'll be Prime. "You who are without mercy, now plead for it?" Wait wait wait. Try again: "You who are without-" Not deep enough. "You who are-" How can anyone's voice be that low? Ah, frag it."

—Nautilator and Whirl, just before Whirl shoots Nautilator in the head.

Notes

  • The bomb Tailgate is studying on Cover A of this issue sports the green, purple and yellow colors of the K-Class Decepticons seen in issue #8. This, coupled with a solicitation for the issue that mentioned "a band of rogue Decepticons", led pretty much the entire fandom to the conclusion that the Lost Light crew would be meeting Fulcrum and the Scavengers. Whoops!
  • Magnus was seen returning from his reconnaissance mission in issue #10. Now we know where he went!
  • Judging from the 'bots present, Tailgate's "happy place" would appear to specifically be the "movie night" he attended in issue #8.
  • Trailbreaker has added guns to his legs in emulation of Fortress Maximus, after drunkenly grumbling about them back in issue #6.
  • The Decepticon base on Temptoria has Energon Drillers from Transformers: Prime stationed outside.
  • Blip was previously mentioned by Ultra Magnus as a Decepticon who thought he was a Sparkeater in issue #3. His slobbering monster alternate mode certainly helps sell his delusion, and also explains why Nautilator confuses him with Blot, who's also a filthy beast.
  • While the Terrorcon leader has had his name spelled quite a few ways across various Transformers stories at this point, "Hun-Gar" is a new one. He was "Hun-Grrr" in his only named IDW appearance before now, in Spotlight: Sixshot.
  • If you hadn't got Chromedome and Rewind's relationship from the rest of the issue, note that "Conjunx"—from "Conjunx Endura", the Transformer term for "significant other"—is Latin for "spouse". Not Roberts's first use of Latin wordplay!
  • The footnote regarding the conversion of organics into energon points readers to the the deluxe hardback edition of Last Stand of the Wreckers; specifically, the process was seen in the short story included in that tome, "Escape".
  • Tailgate identifies the bomb as a "C-61"; this was the Japanese ID number of Tailgate's Generation 1 toy. Further, he recalls the bomb's progenitor, the "C-12S"; "12" was the ID number of Windcharger toy, which was retooled to create Tailgate's.
  • In attempting his Optimus Prime impression, as transcribed above, Whirl is, of course, quoting from Prime and Megatron's famous exchange from The Transformers: The Movie.
  • The nature of innermost energon is expanded upon after passing mentions in issues #3, #7 and #8.
  • Dominus Ambus was mentioned by Alpha Trion in Spotlight: Orion Pax.
  • At this point, quite a few characters have mentioned seeking the missing Luna-1, intimating that many searches for it have taken place. We get a little bit of a reason for that with this issue, in that the moon lies at the centre of romanticized legend. We also find out that it's the same thing as the "Seething Moon", something included in a list of things that don't exist by Trailbreaker in issue #3.
  • A relinquishment clinic was heavily implied to have played a role in Chromedome and Rewind's first meeting back in issue #6; we get the full story here.
  • Rewind's "snuff movies" were introduced in issue #6.

Crew manifest

  • 21 crew members are seriously injured, but with no fatalities as of yet.
  • 5 deaths, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders) since the launch.

Errors

Covers (3)

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