Spotlight: Doubledealer

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« The Transformers Spotlight #18 »
Revelation
File:Spotlight Doubledealer b.jpg
They should call me "Double Disco!"
"The Transformers Spotlight: Doubledealer"
"Revelation: Part Three"
Publisher IDW Publishing
First published August 20, 2008
Cover date August 2008
Written by Simon Furman
Pencils by Dan Khanna
Inks by Frank Milkovich with Robert Atkins
Colors by Liam Shalloo
Letters by Chris Mowry
Edits by Denton J. Tipton
Continuity IDW continuity
Chronology Revelation

Doubledealer makes his move for the Magnificence as the Autobots reach a critical stage in their investigation of the Expansion.

Synopsis

Hot Rod wonders aloud about the recent strange events which he has learned about since the Autobots left Earth. Dealer tells him the answers lie in the Magnificence. Hot Rod also thinks about finding Sunstreaker and his failed mission where his teammates died. He finally agrees to take Dealer to the Magnificence.

Meanwhile, in the Jiangxi Province of China, Straxus bombards the ground, getting it ready for a drill to harvest energon. He tells Grindcore to mind his own business, which should constitute assembling a space bridge. As the two go about their tasks, they muse that Earth energon is due to Jhiaxus's understudy, Shockwave.

In the Benzuli Expanse, Galvatron and Cyclonus are tasked to destroy anything that might interfere with the Expansion. They see Cloudburst's ship, the Mirror-Manifold, and Cyclonus calls "dibs" on destroying it.

On Garrus-9, Optimus Prime tells Fortress Maximus that Nova Prime has arrived. Even as he says this, Nemesis Prime enters and calls out Optimus, easily dispatching the guards sent to deal with them. Optimus orders Fortress Maximus to call off his men before Nova destroys any more of them, as this battle is between Primes.

Comet raised a mesa to the western skies
With the sound of a thousand cattle drives

Hot Rod and Dealer travel to Ki-Aleta, the planet upon which Hot Rod first found the Magnificence, and where he has hidden it as well. Dealer muses to himself that Hot Rod may suspect he intends to steal the Magnificence and sell it to the Decepticons. He also thinks about how he killed Hot Rod's original crew, but he tells Hot Rod not to blame himself for their deaths.

On the cargo vessel, Nightbird, the Technobots travel to the Benzuli Expanse while creating carapaces for Cloudburst's crew. Jetfire insists that they need to get there faster, but the Technobots point out that even if they got there, they need more time to properly prepare the carapaces. Jetfire concedes that they're right, having seen first hand what happens when shells are rushed. That train of thought leads Jetfire to consider another idea on how to deal with Thunderwing...

Optimus Prime faces down Nova Prime, and tries to reason with him. Optimus's predecessor tells him that he's now called Nemesis Prime, and that the Matrix was a leash, limiting his abilities. He uses the Darkness to attack Optimus and explains that it found him in the Dead Universe and will grant him dominion over that which survives after the Expansion.

On Ki-Aleta, Dealer and Hot Rod must climb a rocky tower guarded by ionic storms. Hot Rod still wonders about his failed mission, and Dealer can't help but think Hot Rod's onto him. When they reach the summit, the Magnificence is waiting, and Dealer suggests asking it something, planning to shoot Hot Rod in the back while he does so. Hot Rod's question, "Did Dealer betray us?", is answered with a resounding "Yes!" and Hot Rod turns around just in time to blast Dealer, knocking him off the tower to his destruction.

Though it may have been self-serving, Dealer's idea was right on the money: Using the Magnificence, Hot Rod tells Ultra Magnus much-needed information about the Nega-Cores, their locations, their guardians, the energon supply on Earth, and the space bridge portals on Gorlam Prime.

On Garrus-9, Jetfire communicates with the Wreckers, announcing that he intends to use the axis cradle technology the Thunderwing cult created to control the insane Transformer. Observing, Jhiaxus activates his backup guardian—Bludgeon!

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots Decepticons Others

Quotes

"Show one face to the world. Hide the other. Be an island. Let no one in."

—Doubledealer's personal philosophy.

"The Matrix was a leash, a shackle of good intentions, limiting the sheer of what I—and we—can achieve. This, on the other hand...has no limits!"

—Nemesis Prime, demonstrating the power of The Darkness.

"I imagine all it can do. The wonders and secrets it can unlock. And any lingering thoughts of surrendering it to the Decepticon Secret Service vanish. Why trade it when it can make me...omnipotent!"

—Doubledealer, living up to his name.

"Take emotion out of the equation...and the answer was staring me in the face all the time."

—Hot Rod, after sending Doubledealer to his death.

Notes

  • Backbeat's fate is finally revealed in this issue, as he was the only member of Hot Rod's original team in "Spotlight: Hot Rod" to not have any sort of death or "facing certain death" scene.
  • The Technobots' ship, Nightbird, is obviously an homage to the female ninja robot.

Continuity Notes

Errors

  • There's a printing error on cover B—there's an extra Decepticon insignia right next to the Magnificence.

Covers

  • Cover A: Doubledealer amongst rubble, third part of 4-issue image by E. J. Su.
  • Cover B: Doubledealer on a playing card motif, holding the Magnificence. Art by Nick Roche.
  • Cover RI: "Virgin" cover B (art only with no titles or publisher info).

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