Transformers (2023) issue 24
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| Publisher | Image Comics Skybound Entertainment | ||||||||||||
| First published | September 10, 2025 | ||||||||||||
| Cover date | September 2025 | ||||||||||||
| Written by | Daniel Warren Johnson | ||||||||||||
| Art by | Jorge Corona | ||||||||||||
| Colors by | Mike Spicer | ||||||||||||
| Letters by | Rus Wooton | ||||||||||||
| Editor | Ben Abernathy | ||||||||||||
| Continuity | Energon Universe | ||||||||||||
One shall stand. One shall fall.
Synopsis
Optimus Prime and Megatron clash in a furious exchange of unrelenting blows. Optimus affirms that even though he cares for the innocent, that won't stop him from giving Megatron the beating he deserves. However, Megatron quickly turns that around on him and begins targeting the civilians in the area, taunting Prime that he's never been able to make the hard choices that were necessary to save Cybertron. He wails on Prime all the while, rendering him nearly unconscious. Starscream congratulates the Decepticon leader on his victory, but Megatron is not yet finished. Megatron transforms into gun mode and orders Starscream to drop Optimus onto a set of antennae atop a skyscraper, impaling Prime and keeping him stationary as Megatron prepares his final lesson. Starscream then collects Spike, Carly, and Beachcomber and brings them before Optimus. Megatron presents his mortal enemy with an ultimatum: choose which he will execute, his human friends or the pure-hearted Autobot. Optimus refuses to play this sick game, but Megatron says that if he doesn't choose, he will simply kill them both! Beachcomber begs Optimus to choose him, but still Prime rejects the idea. Under the influence of Megatron, Starscream takes aim at Spike and Carly, ready to pull Megatron's trigger...
Suddenly, from out of the ground erupts Omega Supreme! Optimus and Starscream both look up in awe at the ancient Transformer. As they fly over, they look down and wave at Starscream - just as they did all those millennia ago. Starscream, speechless, waves back. As Omega flies off, Megatron orders Starscream to obey his will. However, seeing Omega has reminded the Seeker of his true name: Ulchtar.
A beam of energy fires into the sky from Megatron's fusion cannon, blasting off Ulchtar's face as he returns to robot mode. As Ulchtar's body falls to the ground below, Megatron turns his cannon on Carly and Spike, but they are saved by the timely intervention of Shredhead, who tells Carly - noticeably surprised to see her van is now a Transformer - that Cliffjumper says hello. He then cuts down from the antennae keeping Optimus pinned. Megatron begs Optimus to stop, but Optimus has lost any patience with his enemy, pulling the remaining antenna from his torso and using it to knock Megatron off the skyscraper. His body is caught by Devastator, and he orders the Decepticons to retreat.
Still reeling from the battle, Optimus holds Spike in his hands, relieved to see that the boy is okay. As Optimus, Spike, Carly, and Cliffjumper collect themselves in the aftermath, Carly notices that the light in the Matrix of Leadership has returned, with Prime realizing that he has been cured of Megatron's infection. Carly remarks that its light is so small. As Optimus looks over the dark and destroyed remnants of Chicago, he tells her that it is small, but still mighty.
Featured characters
Characters in italic text appear only in flashbacks.
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | Humans | Others |
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Quotes
"You think I am weak. But just because I care for the innocent... doesn't mean I can't beat you into submission!"
- —Optimus Prime
"Who are you?"
"A new friend. Sent by an old friend."
- —Optimus Prime meets Shredhead
Notes
Continuity notes
- Omega Supreme was first seen in the flashback story in issue #13, the same story that revealed Starscream's origins as Ulchtar. How are they here on Earth? We'll just have to wait and find out.
- Shredhead was sent to Earth by Cliffjumper in issue #22 to protect Carly.
- The flashback of Sparky holding little baby Spike for the first time has been glimpsed before in the visions Optimus had after Sparky entered the Matrix.
- The final line of the issue calls back to what Prime said to Sparky in issue #4.
Transformers references
- Continuing the trend of this arc featuring quotes from The Transformers: The Movie, Optimus delivers his iconic “I thought you were made of sterner stuff” line to a pleading Megatron.
Other notes
- Energon Experience: Presented by Skybound Brand VP Arune Singh.
- Character Spotlight: Beachcomber.
- You've Got The Touch: Spotlight on the F cover homaging The Transformers: The Movie (see below).
- Creator Q&A: Arune asks Sean Mackiewicz what his favorite memory from Daniel Warren Johnson's run was. Sean shares that he visited Johnson's home before San Diego Comic-Con 2023 and was blown away seeing the physical copies of the pages Johnson drew for the first issue of the series.
Covers
- Cover A: Optimus stands over a defeated Megatron, by Daniel Warren Johnson and Mike Spicer.
- Cover B: Megatron stands over a beaten Optimus Prime, by Jorge Corona and Mike Spicer.
- Cover C: Connecting cover by David Nakayama.
- Cover D: Optimus Prime versus Megatron, by Jeff Spokes.
- Cover E: Optimus in truck mode drives over a chalk drawing of Megatron, by Pye Parr.
- Cover F: Wraparound cover of Optimus transforming and leaping into the air to fire his Ion cannon at Megatron in an homage to his famous intro in The Transformers: The Movie, by Daniel Warren Johnson and Mike Spicer.
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
