Transformers (2023) issue 21
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| Publisher | Image Comics Skybound Entertainment | ||||||||||||
| First published | June 11, 2025 | ||||||||||||
| Cover date | June 2025 | ||||||||||||
| Written by | Daniel Warren Johnson | ||||||||||||
| Art by | Jorge Corona | ||||||||||||
| Colors by | Mike Spicer | ||||||||||||
| Letters by | Rus Wooton | ||||||||||||
| Editor | Ben Abernathy | ||||||||||||
| Continuity | Energon Universe | ||||||||||||
The Autobots are forced to make difficult choices to survive when the Decepticons launch an all-out assault on the Ark!
Synopsis
Ultra Magnus awakens in the depths of the G.I. Joe facility he's being kept in. The only person around is Carl "Doc" Greer, whom Magnus tentatively greets, to Doc's surprise. The two converse for a bit before the conversation is interrupted by the arrival of General Flagg with some sort of machine. Doc asks the general what he plans to do to Magnus, stating he's essentially a prisoner of war, but Flagg ignores his protests as he activates the machine. As the machine begins to whirr, Magnus pleads for them to stop.
On Cybertron, Elita One checks in with Bluestreak and Warpath as they work to repair Shockwave's space bridge, hoping to return to Earth and bring back Optimus Prime. However, because of the damage to the Nemesis side, the portal will require quadruple the Energon necessary to transport all of them; they only have enough to send one Autobot back. Elita goes to Cliffjumper and Shredhead, as the little red bot tells the newly born warrior about his friend Carly.
Back on Earth, the Decepticons prepare to launch an assault on the Ark. Inside the Autobot base, Wheeljack is examining Optimus, trying to figure out why the Matrix of Leadership hasn't recharged at all since its last use. As he looks over the scans, he deduces the cause to be some sort of infection coming from Megatron's arm. However, their examination is interrupted by the Decepticons' attack. The Autobots return fire with the aid of the Ark's weaponry, managing to even keep the bickering combiners Bruticus and Devastator at bay. As the two sides duke it out, Thundercracker sneaks into the Ark and connects to the console where Skywarp resides.
The corruptive power of Megatron's arm grows on Optimus, to the point where he involuntarily turns his fusion cannon on Jazz. However, before he can do anything, Skywarp's teleportation ability activates, teleporting the entire ship to parts unknown and sending the Autobots falling into the caverns of the mountain left behind. The Decepticons converge on the Autobots, but they are saved by the timely intervention of the Aerialbots, who combine into Superion to take on Bruticus and Devastator. As the Autobots try to recover, Optimus realizes what Megatron's arm is doing to him; however, he is unable to remove it himself. He pleads with his troops to shoot it off of him before it is too late, orders they reluctantly follow, wounding their leader in the process. The Autobots then attempt to flee on the back of Superion. Megatron, having regained his lost appendage, transforms into his gun mode and uses Starscream to blast Superion, ripping Slingshot from the gestalt and instantly killing him. The Autobots are forced to leave him behind as they fly away. Megatron tells the Decepticons to prepare for conquest.
Featured characters
Characters in italic text appear only in flashbacks.
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | Humans |
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Quotes
"What are you reading?"
"It's something that makes me--used to make me feel safe in the face of things too big to comprehend."
"You were pathetic then. You're pathetic now. A stain on what it means to be a Decepticon."
"Like me."
- -Ultra Magnus and Doc
"Bruticus! Devastator! Pull your heads out of your scrapholes!"
"But he said--"
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR USELESS SQUABBLING!! Focus on the enemy, not each other!"
- -Megatron breaks up Bruticus and Devastator's sibling fight.
"You are an incredible warrior, Prime. But deep down, I always knew there was weakness inside you."
- -Megatron
Notes
Continuity notes
- General Flagg first appeared in the Energon Universe in Destro #3, where he gave the titular arms manufacturer access to government secrets about Duke's encounter with Starscream from back in issue #2. At the time, there was no indication that Flagg had any explicit connections to the G.I. Joe team that Colonel Hawk was assembling, but this issue confirms that he is at least part of the larger organization.
- Shockwave used the space bridge to connect Cybertron and Earth in issue #9. Optimus destroyed it to prevent the harvesting of Earth, trapping Elita and Cliffjumper on Cybertron in the process, in issue #12.
- Skywarp's teleportation power was previously tapped into in issue #11 when Wheeljack used it to transport them directly into the brig of the Nemesis.
- The corrupting influence of Megatron's arm, which the Autobot leader used to replace the one he lost fighting Skywarp in issue #4, on Optimus has been growing steadily since the events of issue #12.
- Thundercracker snuck into the Ark in issue #17.
Transformers references
- This isn't the first time Slingshot has been taken out of the Aerialbots' lineup. Will Airazor or Alpha Bravo get their chance to shine? (Probably not.)
Real life references
- Caparzo might be named for the character of Private Adrian Carpazo from Saving Private Ryan.
Errors
- Wheeljack says that Optimus used the Matrix against Devastator, but the last time Optimus used the Matrix was to repower the hospital in issue #4. Unless he used the Matrix to make himself powerful enough to take on the combiner?
Covers
- Cover A: Shredhead, Cliffjumper, and Elita One, by Daniel Warren Johnson and Mike Spicer.
- Cover B: Optimus gets Megatron's arm blown off, by Jorge Corona and Mike Spicer.
- Cover C: Connecting cover by David Nakayama.
- Cover D: The Decepticons, by Derrick Chew.
- Cover E: Starscream in jet mode, by Pye Parr.
- Cover F: Energon Universe Anniversary connecting cover, by Jason Howard and Annalisa Leoni.
- Cover G: Energon Universe Anniversary connecting cover (black and white), by Jason Howard.
Ads
- Explore the Energon Universe in G.I. Joe #8, Void Rivals #20, and Transformers #22.
- Energon Experience feature
- 4-page preview of Ghost Pepper
Reprints
- Transformers Volume 4: Conquer and Control (November 25, 2025) ISBN 1534332588 / ISBN 978-1534332584
- Collects Transformers issues #19–24 and the Transformers story from Energon Universe 2025 Special.
- Trade paperback format.
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Volume 4: Conquer and Control – cover art by Daniel Warren Johnson and Mike Spicer
