Void Rivals issue 21

	; Looks like the Void Rivals are under attack!
Publisher	Image Comics; Skybound Entertainment
First published	July 23, 2025
Cover date	July 2025
Written by	Robert Kirkman
Art by	Conor Hughes
Colors by	Patricio Delpeche
Letters by	Rus Wooton
Editor	Ben Abernathy
Continuity	Energon Universe

Zalilak returns from his trials and prepares to lead his people into Unity with Agorria... by force.

Synopsis

The scarred Skuxxoid awakens in a barrack full of other Skuxxoids. When he demands to be let out, the rest tell the newbie that they are only sent out on missions and suggest he fall in line lest he be sent to “the Divider.” Scarred Skuxxoid balks at the idea of being part of their rabble, and soon a fight breaks out between him and the others. After a few minutes, he stands victorious over the rest of the Skuxxoids, but he gets little time to rest before a robot enters to tell him he has been summoned. Brought before Skuxxoid Alpha, he is ordered to kneel. Reluctantly, he does so.

In Zertonia, Proximus sits on the throne when Ultum enters, telling Proximus that he has a visitor and that, as his attendant, it's his job to announce Proximus's various titles... except he doesn't actually know what those titles are supposed to be. But the visitor, Zalilak, tells the young boy that he has no need for false titles and orders Proximus to vacate his throne. Proximus prepares to attack Zalilak, but Zalilak just blasts him with pink energy and rips off his helmet, revealing his cyborg visage. Using his newly formed connection to Zerta Trion, he forces Proximus to hear the words of Zerta herself as pink energy fills his eyes. Proximus then falls to his knees and pledges his loyalty to Zalilak. Reclaiming his place as leader of Zertonia, Zalilak orders his troops to prepare for an assault on Agorria!

In Agorria, Solila's bout with Darak and the Agorrian guard has shown her that unity will not be achieved through fighting, and she beseeches Minister Dulin to let her stay in Agorria and work with them, offering to learn their ways and earn their trust. Though Dulin is incredulous at the offer, he acquiesces since he'd be unable to remove her against her will if he tried. As Dulin leaves, Solila convenes with Darak, offering him his Handroid back. Darak counteroffers that she can keep him since he already got a replacement, but Solila is insistent, as Handroid talks way too much. When Darak comments that his new one only speaks on request, they decide to swap.

Suddenly, an alarm goes off: something is approaching Agorrian airspace. Darak asks Solila if this is part of her attack, but she's just as surprised as him. Running outside, they meet up with Springer and Hot Rod. The Autobots and Solila play catch up with each other while Darak beholds what caused the alert: a fleet of Zertonian ships coming in for the attack. Darak orders Handroid to alert his jump jet squadron and have them readied to fight back. As Darak takes to the skies, Solila and the Autobots are left to take on the attack from the ground as a new wave of troops appear, with Proximus leading the charge!

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Agorrians	Zertonians	Others
Hot Rod (14) Springer (15)	Darak (9) Dulin (10) Guards (11) Gamut (17) Krint (18) Manzo (19) Garad (20)	Proximus (4) Ultum (5) Zalilak (6) Attendant (7) Solila (8) Pilots (21) Soldiers (22)	Scarred Skuxxoid (1) Other Skuxxoids (2) Mysterious robots (3) Red Handroid (12) Blue Handroid (13) Skuxxoid Alpha (16)

Quotes

Hot Rod: "Who's the horned lady?"
Springer: "That's Solila. I saved her life a while back. She's all right."
Hot Rod: "Nice to meet you, Solila. I'm Hot Rod."
Solila: "I don't think we have time for this."
Hot Rod: "Okay. Rude."

Notes

Continuity notes

Proximus was seen taking over as Premier while Zalilak underwent his trials in issue #18.
While not stated outright, the pink energy blast that Zalilak uses calls to mind the pink of Energon. Perhaps his new status has given him some sort of control over the substance?
- However, the previous and following panels show it might be him catching Proximus's shot in his hand.
Proximus mentioned that he had read the Sacred Texts in issue #7.
The gravitational effects of the black hole on launching jump jet pilots, requiring the necessity of the reviver, was first established in issue #2.
Dulin questions Darak on if the Zertonians could have gotten ahold of Energon technology before the Agorrians. Readers will remember Darak ensured the Zertonians had schematics to build an Energon well akin to Springer’s issue #11.

G.I. Joe references

The Zertonian pilots having energy gliders that allow them to bail out of their fighters safely is a tongue-in-cheek reference to how, in the original G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero cartoon, Cobra Troopers would always be seen bailing out of any destroyed planes and parachuting safely to the ground, reassuring kids (and their parents) that the heroes of G.I. Joe are definitely not killing any of their foes.

Other notes

Energon Experience: Presented by Skybound Publisher Sean Mackiewicz.
- Character Spotlight: The Handroids
- Universal Greeting: A highlight on the robot hunter that first started trailing the Skuxxoid back in the Void Rivals Energon Universe 2024 Special story.
- Creator Q&A: Which Void Rivals character would be Conor Hughes’s best friend and worst enemy? According to Hughes, Skuxxoid would certainly make a great frenemy.

Covers (5)

Cover A: Zalilak stands triumphant, by Lorenzo De Felici.
Cover B: Zertonian fighters descend on Darak and Agorria, by Conor Hughes.
Cover C (1:10 Copy Incentive): Connecting cover, by Martín Morazzo and Patricio Delpeche.
Cover D (1:25 Copy Incentive): Solila stands between the Agorrians and the Zertonians, by Luigi Formisano.
Cover E (1:50 Copy Incentive): Hot Rod and Darak, by Hayden Sherman.