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*The departure of Metroplex from Cybertron was previously seen in a flashback in [[Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|issue #28]].
*The departure of Metroplex from Cybertron was previously seen in a flashback in [[Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|issue #28]].
*Ramjet and Thrust have been dead for quite some time in IDW continuity; Ramjet was torn to bits by [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] in his [[Spotlight: Ramjet|self-titled ''Spotlight'']] seven years prior, while an injured Thrust was left to burn by human police in ''[[Ride-Along|Spotlight: Prowl]]'' four years ago. EDC has evidently been able to get ahold of their remains to make this army of duplicates; in the case of Ramjet that's partially Megatron's fault, as he rather unwisely and rather prominently spread Ramjet's dismembered parts around the world.
*Ramjet and Thrust have been dead for quite some time in IDW continuity; Ramjet was torn to bits by [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] in his [[Spotlight: Ramjet|self-titled ''Spotlight'']] seven years prior, while an injured Thrust was left to burn by human police in ''[[Ride-Along|Spotlight: Prowl]]'' four years ago. EDC has evidently been able to get ahold of their remains to make this army of duplicates; in the case of Ramjet that's partially Megatron's fault, as he rather unwisely and rather prominently spread Ramjet's dismembered parts around the world.
**This isn't [[Machination|the first time]] humans have attempted to create an army of robots reverse-engineered from Cybertronians in the IDW Universe.


===Transformers references===
===Transformers references===

Revision as of 20:45, 25 September 2014

« The Transformers: Robots in Disguise #32 »

Let's face it: we all knew this would happen eventually.
"Earthfall Chapter 5:
I Dream of Wires"
Publisher IDW Publishing
First published August 20, 2014
Cover date August 2014
Written by John Barber
Art by Andrew Griffith
Brendan Cahill (pages 7, 10, 11, 13)
Colors by Josh Perez
Joana Lafuente (pages 7, 10, 11, 13)
Letters by Tom B. Long
Editor Carlos Guzman
Continuity IDW continuity
Chronology Current era (2014)

Prowl turns the tables on the EDC and the Decepticons as the search for Alpha Trion reaches a climax. But what other secrets is the EDC hiding...?

Synopsis

Half a million years ago on Cybertron, Prowl and Bumblebee watch as Metroplex leaves the planet. Though he accepts that Metroplex's departure is necessary, Prowl bemoans the fact that it has only come about as a result of the illogicality of war. As he watches Optimus Prime lead the charge into battle down below, he confides in his friend that Prime's reactive style of leadership is not what the Autobots need; rather, they need someone who can plan for the future...

As the Ark-7 draws near to Earth, Prowl remarks that it's "nice to come home", surprising Cosmos, who remembers the Autobots' last visit to the planet and Prowl's dramatic fallout with Spike Witwicky. Prowl brushes the matter aside and changes the subject, asking if Cosmos trusts Prime's leadership, and revealing that he asked him to come along because he needs someone he can trust.

As the Autobots are attacked by the Decepticon spaceship on Bikini Atoll, in the secret Earth Defense Command base below the island's surface, Prowl stops Jazz from disconnecting the captive Alpha Trion by pressing his gun to Jazz's head. Prowl withdraws the weapon as soon as he has Jazz's attention, having only intended to make a point, and explains that Trion's presence is not the final piece of the puzzle: the ancient Autobot has clearly only been there for a few months, and the EDC have obviously had their "mind bomb" weapon for longer than that. Realizing that there must be another Cybertronian within the base, the pair set out to search for it, unaware that their presence has already been detected by Sanjay Bharwaney's equipment. At Soundwave's direction, Bharwaney targets Prowl with the mind bomb, instantly knocking him out.

Meanwhile, Thundercracker flies Marissa Faireborn to Bikini Atoll; as they draw closer, his confusion over the island's name gives way to a refusal to fly into the middle of the combat zone, out of concern for Buster's safety. He lands some distance away, and an exasperated Faireborn doesn't even bother to argue, racing for the base on foot.

As Jazz tries to drag Prowl's unconscious form through the base, his way is barred by Soundwave, who reveals the existence of his spy within the Autobot ranks. As this standoff plays out, however, Prowl's mind is hard at work: in actuality, he wanted to be attacked by the mind bomb, thereby allowing his mind to be connected to the EDC's network. As he searches through their computer banks from within, he comes upon a heavily encrypted data point, but has no time to decode it; instead, he interfaces with the base's weapons systems, and unleashes every missiles in the EDC's arsenal against the Decepticon ship, blowing it out of the sky. Next, he activates their army of tanks and jets, unleashing them on Soundwave, so that Jazz can continue getting himself and Prowl's body to safety.

Outside, Thundercracker runs for cover from the fire and debris created by the attack on the Decepticon ship, slipping and tumbling into a crevasse. Momentarily filled with horror over the belief that he has crushed Buster in the fall, his relief to discover that his canine companion is fine is immediately replaced with screaming terror at something unseen...

Jazz and Prowl emerge from the base, rejoining Prime's Autobot squad and the same time as the stealth-painted Constructicons; Scavenger even reveals that he's not really a Decepticon spy, but fed Soundwave information on Prowl's orders. Prowl and the Constructicons merge into Devastator and cover the Autobots as they quickly enter the base, recover Alpha Trion, then return to board Sky Lynx and withdraw. As Jetfire and D.O.C. administer medical aid to the ancient—but still chipper—'bot, Optimus chews Prowl out over his dangerous, secretive actions. Prowls retorts that the new age they now find themselves in holds many dangers, and that logic and planning are what is needed to survive, not heroic reaction. Prime backs down, begrudgingly admitting that the mission was a success, but Prowl then tells him about the EDC's secret data, and believes he knows who they need to find in order to solve the mystery.

As the EDC base crumbles, General Witwicky attempts to order an evacuation when he is confronted by Galvatron. The Decepticon commander remains displeased over the humans' use of the mind bomb against him, and is intent on revenge; although Witwicky tries to give him a message to pass on to his son, Galvatron pays him no need, and atomizes the general with a blast from his cannon. Marissa Faireborn presently arrives in the command centre, and Galvatron profess that Prowl was responsible for the general's death; Faireborn knows of the bad blood between Prowl and the Witwicky family, and is easily led into believing the lie.

Thundercracker and Buster flee Bikini Atoll, and as he circles the globe, the Seeker's experiences on the island clearly inform his continued work on his screenplay. As he writes about "Susan Journeyer" making a shocking discovery in "Josh Boyfriend's" secret apartment, his mind flashes back to the sight he glimpsed in the crevasse on the island... an EDC-made army of drones based on his old allies, Ramjet and Thrust!

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

Autobots Decepticons Humans Others

Quotes

"Bikini Atoll, huh? I actually thought bikinis were something else entirely."
"Thundercracker, just... just give me ten seconds to think."
"Well, I want to be a better writer, so I have to learn about your human culture somehow, Faireborn. If you don't tell me, I'll just pick it up on the internet."

—Thundercracker and Marissa Faireborn


"The telepathic device. I understand the weapon, and I applaud the ingenuity. But you must understand... there are consequences to using it on me."
"Wait. My son. Tell my son—"
(CHOOM!)
"I hope your sun shines in whatever Afterspark awaits you, General Daniel."

—Galvatron and Daniel Witwicky


"Ah. "Son". An offspring. How... charming a method of procreation."

—Galvatron

Notes

Continuity notes

  • The departure of Metroplex from Cybertron was previously seen in a flashback in issue #28.
  • Ramjet and Thrust have been dead for quite some time in IDW continuity; Ramjet was torn to bits by Megatron in his self-titled Spotlight seven years prior, while an injured Thrust was left to burn by human police in Spotlight: Prowl four years ago. EDC has evidently been able to get ahold of their remains to make this army of duplicates; in the case of Ramjet that's partially Megatron's fault, as he rather unwisely and rather prominently spread Ramjet's dismembered parts around the world.
    • This isn't the first time humans have attempted to create an army of robots reverse-engineered from Cybertronians in the IDW Universe.

Transformers references

Real-life references

  • This issue's sub-title is taken from the Gary Numan song, "I Dream of Wires".

Errors

  • Prowl calls Scavenger "Scrapper" while explaining how he ordered them to leak information to the Decepticons.
  • On the second-to-last page "Josh Boyfriend" is consistently misspelled as "Josh Boyfreind".

Other trivia

  • This is labeled "chapter 5"; every other installment of "Earthfall" has been a "part", not a "chapter".

Covers (3)

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