2005 IDW timeline

A timeline for the events of IDW Publishing's mainline Generation 1 Transformers series.

See also: IDW continuity.

Timeline

1,000,000+ years ago

~ 6.7 million B.C. — The first Ark is launched and subsequently lost. Notable crew include Galvatron, Spotlight: Galvatron Nova Prime and Jhiaxus. Spotlight: Optimus Prime

? B.C. — After Nova Prime and his strategist Jhiaxus disappear, Omega Supreme locks away Jhiaxus' experiment, Monstructor, in an inter-dimensional prison. Spotlight: Optimus Prime

? B.C. — The Autobots evolve into a corrupt galactic police force and spark a riot when shutting down an energon-mining operation. One of the miners, Megatron, escapes in a shuttle and joins the illegal gladiatorial games in the city of Kaon. Megatron Origin issue 1 Megatron takes over the games and is approached by Soundwave, an emissary of Senator Ratbat to cause terror throughout Cybertron. Megatron Origin issue 2 Megatron unites his gladiators under a common banner — the Decepticons, but they are captured by Sentinel Prime's forces.Megatron Origin issue 3 Starscream and Soundwave massacre the Senate, and release the Decepticons from prison. Megatron badly beats/kills Sentinel Prime, and the Decepticons occupy Kaon. The Autobots withdraw to Iacon.Megatron Origin issue 4

100,000+ years ago

~650,000 B.C. — Shockwave begins planning Regenesis, and begins distilling energon into a catalyst which he then launches at various planets, including prehistoric Earth. Spotlight: Shockwave

1,000+ years ago

? B.C. — Shockwave openly leaves the Decepticons to begin stabilizing his Regenesis planets. However, he is followed by the Dynobots, out for revenge; and on Earth — the first of the planets — they engage him in combat. While he defeats them, he is deactivated by a failsafe set by Grimlock, as the Dynobots' ship triggers a volcanic eruption which buries all six in what would later become Eureka, Nevada. Spotlight: Shockwave

? B.C. — Megatron, on discovering Shockwave's absence, assigns Bludgeon to investigate his projects Spotlight: Shockwave — and Soundwave to watch over Bludgeon. Spotlight: Soundwave

100+ years ago

~1550 A.D. — Thunderwing renders Cybertron largely uninhabitable. Stormbringer

• In the final years of Cybertron's inhabitation, Soundwave uses Bombshell to take control of Beachcomber. Beachcomber attempts to assassinate Blaster, leaving him adrift in space. The Decepticons began a massive offensive against the demoralised Autobots. Spotlight: Blaster

1900–2000

Unknown

• Sixshot is challenged by the Reapers, but refuses to join them. Spotlight: Sixshot
• Hot Rod leads a team to secure the Magnificence. Doubledealer, posing as an Autobot, sabotages the raid. Hot Rod hides the Magnificence.
• Hot Rod infiltrates the Decepticon penal colony Styx to rescue "Dealer", who befriends him. Spotlight: Hot Rod

1984 — Soundwave investigates Bludgeon's activities on Earth and is deactivated when Bludgeon, after some of Shockwave's Regenesis ore — called "Ultra-Energon" by him — triggers the eruption of Mount St. Helens (4 years later than in the real world.) Spotlight: Soundwave

1985 — Soundwave, Ravage and Laserbeak are excavated by Skywatch. Interest is taken in the cassettes, found in "robot mode", but Soundwave is apparently discarded. Spotlight: Soundwave

~1988 — Ultra Magnus tracks the Decepticon criminal Scorponok to Nebulos, but despite damages, he escapes. Spotlight: Ultra Magnus

Current era

2002

• Current era of Transformer activity on Earth begins.

2006 onward

• Shockwave's hand is discovered in an excavation in Nevada. Spotlight: Shockwave
• Galvatron lures Nightbeat to the planet Gorlam Prime and implants a device in his brain. Spotlight: Nightbeat
• Blaster is found drifting in space and returned to the Autobot fold. Beachcomber is freed from Decepticon control. Spotlight: Blaster

Infiltration

• Starscream's Infiltration unit on Earth discovers Shockwave's Regenesis ore, dubbing it "Ore-13". Infiltration
• Thunderwing is reactivated on Cybertron by Bludgeon using the "Ultra-Energon", and decimates Nebulos before returning to Cybertron and running out of fuel in front of Optimus Prime. Stormbringer
• Megatron arrives on Earth and blows a hole through Starscream for disloyalty. Infiltration issue 6
• After the Thunderwing debacle, Optimus Prime travels to Earth, following Shockwave's and Bludgeon's records. Stormbringer issue 4
• Soundwave, trapped in alternate mode since 1984, is purchased from a pawn shop. Spotlight: Soundwave
• Springer orders a costly mission to rescue the stranded and demented Kup. Spotlight: Kup

Escalation

• The Machination captures Sunstreaker, along with Hunter O'Nion. Hunter undergoes strange experimental surgery. Scorponok anticipates getting a new body.
• The Decepticons escalate tension between Brasnya and Russia. The Autobots intervene. The Ark-32 arrives with reinforcements. During the battle, Prime is nearly killed, and encounters the form of Nova Prime within infraspace.
• Ramjet initiates an ambitious plan to take control of the Decepticons.
• Ironhide, Ratchet, Jimmy and Verity investigate Sunstreaker's disappearance. Ironhide is severely damaged in the process and left behind.
• Excavation of Shockwave and the Dinobots continues, now under Skywatch supervision. Skywatch activates Ravage and Laserbeak.
• Megatron summons Sixshot to Earth. The Reapers follow.
• Megatron kills Ramjet before his plan can be carried out. Spotlight: Ramjet
• Galvatron travels to Cybertron and defeats Hound's unit to retrieve Thunderwing's body, which he takes to Gorlam Prime. Spotlight: Galvatron
• Optimus Prime meets with Omega Supreme to learn about Nova Prime. Monstructor attacks but is defeated and taken into Autobot custody. Prime returns to Earth. Spotlight: Optimus Prime

Devastation

Three weeks later:

• "Dealer" pressures Hot Rod for reassignment to Earth.
• Nightbeat finds the Machination's tracking device. The Autobots prepare to move Ark-19. Bumblebee proposes back-tracking the Machination through their own device.
• Sixshot arrives on Earth. The other Decepticons begin reactivating Starscream.
• Banzaitron initiates an attack on the Autobot prison facility at Garrus-9. The Monstructor team escapes. Arcee is sent after them. Spotlight: Arcee

5:17am:

• Wheeljack and Hot Rod are en route to rescue Ironhide in Warsaw, Indiana. They encounter a group of Sunstreaker Headmasters.
• In Brasnya, Skywatch deploys Ravage and Laserbeak. Soundwave overrides Skywatch's control signal.
• Prime recalls Hound's unit to Earth.
• The Autobots launch Ark-19. Sixshot shoots down the ship in transit. Ratchet and the humans leave via escape pod. Devastation issue 1
• The US government scrambles fighter jets.
• Starscream comes online.
• Hunter awakens at Machination headquarters. Devastation issue 2

6:15am:

• The US government establishes a no-fly zone around Ark-19's path.

6:45am:

• Ratchet, Jimmy and Verity leave their destroyed escape pod in Wicksburg, Alabama and flee from Sixshot.

6:52am:

• Hot Rod and Wheeljack engage, then escape from, the Headmasters.

7:01am:

• Hunter finds Sunstreaker's head. Devastation issue 3

7:05am:

• Ratchet evades Sixshot with some help from US fighter jets.

7:25am:

• Sixshot locates Ratchet in Pensacola, Florida and pursues him to the Gulf of Mexico. Human television crews capture Sixshot on film. The Ark-19 crew arrives and battles Sixshot.
• The Reapers arrive at Earth.
• In the Dead Universe, Nova Prime orders Galvatron to Earth. Devastation issue 3
• Skywatch recalls Ravage and Laserbeak to deal with the Pensacola battle, but their signal is blocked by Soundwave.

7:53am:

• Hot Rod and Wheeljack arrive at the scrap yard in Warsaw.
• The US government prepares to use "ultimate force" against the Pensacola combatants.
• Hunter undergoes the Headmaster process.

Past 8:00am:

• The Headmasters locate Hot Rod and Wheeljack in the scrap yard.
• The Autobots escape Sixshot via orbital bounce to Ark-32. Jimmy and Verity are killed in the process.

5.62 minutes later:

• Ratchet revives the comatose humans.

• The Reapers attack the Decepticon base in Oregon. Sixshot withdraws; Prime escapes via orbital bounce as the US government bombs the Pensacola combat zone. Devastation issue 4
• Sixshot arrives in Oregon and sides with the Reapers before being shut down by Starscream. The other Decepticons engage the Reapers.
• The Autobots learn of the incident at Garrus-9.
• Scorponok combines with Dante and comes online. Hunter combines with Sunstreaker, evades Scorponok, and escapes the Machination base.
• Skywatch is notified of the battle in Oregon, and prepares to deploy Grimlock. Devastation issue 5
• Hardhead takes Ironhide and Wheeljack back to Ark-32. Hot Rod remains on Earth to track down Sunstreaker.
• Galvatron covertly assists the Decepticons, who defeat the Reapers. Air Force jets arrive over the battle.
• Ark-32 leaves Earth orbit. Hot Rod and Sunstreaker remain on Earth.
• Galvatron returns to the Dead Universe. Devastation issue 6

Footnotes

From Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki, a Wikia wiki.