Shattered Glass issue 5

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Publisher	IDW Publishing}}
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First published	December 22, 2021}}
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Cover date	December 2021}}
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Written by	Danny Lore}}
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Art by	Guido Guidi}}
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Letters by	Neil Uyetake}}
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Editor	David Mariotte and Riley Farmer}}
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{{#switch:{{#sub:xx|2|14}}|dark cybertron=}}

Megatron and his forces fight to liberate Gold City—but amidst the chaos, a tragedy forces Jetfire to reevaluate his divided loyalties.

Synopsis

Jetfire has always prided strength above all else—physical strength, strength of convictions, strength of ideals. Although it was initially mere desperation that led him into the evil Autobots, he soon grew to appreciate their desire for order in a chaotic world and helped them achieve victory over the disorganized Decepticon rabble... but as their war took them from Cybertron to Earth and back, Jetfire could never escape his past with Starscream. Now, fate has brought the two together once more—but with a furious Goldbug ready to execute Starscream, this encounter might be their last. Jetfire does his best to talk down Goldbug, but the little Autobot warlord is tired of his excuses. As he releases Starscream from his shackles, he orders Jetfire to do his job and get the information he needs by any means necessary—but the sight of a helpless Starscream causes Jetfire to remember their last conversation before the fall of the Senate and the outbreak of war. Defeated, weakened, but still defiant, Starscream has just enough fight left in him to tell Goldbug that Jetfire always cared about him; even his decision to join the Autobots was born out of a fear of losing Starscream, a misplaced desire to protect him from the impending conflict. Furious, Goldbug kicks Starscream's prone body and screams that he won't be leaving Gold City alive: either Jetfire kills him, or Goldbug kills the both of them.

At that moment, however, a distant explosion rocks the entire complex—Starscream quickly realizes that Megatron has returned, bringing with him a veritable army of Decepticons... and as Goldbug momentarily panics, Jetfire, determined to put things right between him and Starscream, lashes out without thinking, swinging one massive fist right into Goldbug's face. With Goldbug momentarily stunned, Jetfire helps Starscream to his feet, confident that he's done the right thing... and isn't aware that Goldbug's regained his bearings until he blasts Starscream in the back! Wounded but still alive, Starscream has just enough strength to point out that Goldbug missed his spark... which is exactly what Goldbug wanted—with one motion, the Autobot wraps his hand around Starscream's exposed spark, then rips it from his body to instantly kill the Decepticon flier!

The subsequent scream of anguish echoes across the battlefield, causing Autobots and Decepticons alike to stop and search for the source of the noise. For the first time since the start of the war, Jetfire allowed himself a moment of weakness... and that weakness has cost him dearly. Starscream was always there for him—even when the war drove them apart, Starscream never stopped trying to convince his old friend to return to the light. But Jetfire was always too scared, too weak, to take his hand and see that offer for what it truly was... until it was too late to accept. As Goldbug wraps his hands around the precious spark, he callously tells his former lieutenant that Starscream was never going to walk out of this alive... as armed Autobots pour into the room, whatever happens to Jetfire next is his own fault. As Goldbug walks away, Jetfire's grief turns to rage... and the huge Autobot lunges on the first of Goldbug's goons and rips him apart. For so long, the Autobots claimed to have championed efficient order over destructive chaos—but what kind of ordered society would allow 'bots like Goldbug to backslide into petty tyranny, or allowed a chaotic Decepticon rebellion to flourish underneath their noses? No matter what Goldbug says, the war is not his fault. By the time that Soundwave and a team of Decepticons blast their way into the building, they find Jetfire cradling Starscream's dead body, but the newly disillusioned Jetfire has no love for the Decepticons either. All he wants is to be alone, away from war and hatred and death, and as Megatron watches, Jetfire blasts off, taking Starscream's body into the sky with him.

Believing that Jetfire is the one responsible for killing Starscream, Megatron gives chase in his own aircraft mode and shouts for him to surrender Starscream's body. When Megatron tries to ram him, he sends both Jetfire and Starscream's body tumbling to the ground—and in that moment, Jetfire remembers why he and Starscream went their separate ways. A furious Jetfire screams that Megatron turned Starscream against him, forced him to take up arms and become a soldier... but instead of fighting him, Megatron simply restrains him, and holds him back long enough that he finally reaches the dark epiphany that he was the one who drove Starscream away all those years ago. Megatron quietly tells him that this is not what Starscream would want, and Jetfire realizes that it was Megatron and the other Decepticons who took him in after his betrayal, who looked after him when he had nowhere else to go. With Goldbug missing, his followers in retreat, and the Decepticons on the cusp of retaking Gold City, Megatron tells Jetfire that they'll erect a memorial to honor their departed comrade and suggests teaming up with the Decepticons to find Goldbug and retrieve Starscream's stolen spark, but Jetfire just tells him he'll think about it. As he transforms and flies off, Jetfire has one last request for Megatron: when they make that memorial, make it dramatic.

The Decepticons are not the only parties interested in the recent liberation of Gold City—some time after the takeover, a hooded figure sneaks into a nearby manhole to contact his leader. That 'bot is none other than Goldbug's former lieutenant Slicer... who is, in reality, a double agent for the ambitious Ultra Magnus! Slicer informs his leader that Goldbug has been deposed and fled the city. Goldbug still has Starscream's spark, and only time will tell if he actually knows how to use this power. Magnus knows that the fall of Gold City marks the start of a new chapter of Cybertronian history: Prowl and Optimus Prime have coveted the power of the Titans for megacycles, and even now they will surely be drawing up plans to seize the spark. Whoever controls that spark will control the Titans... and although he's lost everything, Goldbug is surely aware of this: even now, at his command, Metroplex slowly awakens from his long slumber...

Featured characters

{{#if:* Starscream (2)

Soundwave (3)
Megatron (6)
Barricade (10)
Reflector (12)
Dirge (13)
Astrotrain (14)|

{{#if:* Starscream (2)

Soundwave (3)
Megatron (6)
Barricade (10)
Reflector (12)
Dirge (13)
Astrotrain (14)|| style="background:#ffdddd;" valign="top" |
Starscream (2)
Soundwave (3)
Megatron (6)
Barricade (10)
Reflector (12)
Dirge (13)
Astrotrain (14) }}{{#if:* Jetfire (1)
Blaster (4)
Slicer (5)
Goldbug (7)
Chromedome (8)
Ratchet (9)
Jazz (11)
Ultra Magnus (15)
Prowl (16)
Optimus Prime (17)|

Decepticons }}{{#if:* Jetfire (1) Blaster (4) Slicer (5) Goldbug (7) Chromedome (8) Ratchet (9) Jazz (11) Ultra Magnus (15) Prowl (16) Optimus Prime (17)\|	Autobots }}{{#if:\|	Humans }}{{#if:* Metroplex (18)\|	Others }}{{#if:\|	Misc }}{{#if:\|	Misc }}
Jetfire (1) Blaster (4) Slicer (5) Goldbug (7) Chromedome (8) Ratchet (9) Jazz (11) Ultra Magnus (15) Prowl (16) Optimus Prime (17) }}{{#if:\|	}}{{#if:* Metroplex (18)\|	Metroplex (18) }}{{#if:\|	}}{{#if:\|	}}

Quotes

"Heh. Think he missed... my spark..."
"Good."

—Starscream's last words at the hands of Goldbug.

"Even in your last moments, you forgave me for my weakness. And all you asked is that I believe in your dream. Again and again, you gave me a chance to believe, to live and fight for that dream. And I was always too scared to take your hand. Until it was too late."

—Jetfire

"They fight in Goldbug's name. In Optimus Prime's. In Megatron's. They fight for ridiculous causes. Freedom. Power. I've had enough. I would rather have his voice than these causes."

—Jetfire

"You were not the only spy in Goldbug's ranks. Word has travelled across Cybertron of his new... prize. If Goldbug does not work quickly, Prowl is waiting in the wilds to snatch it from him. And Prime has had plans for the key in that spark for a megacycle. For the Autobot that controls the spark, controls the Titans. And the one that controls the Titans? Controls Cybertron!"

—Ultra Magnus

Notes

Continuity notes

A brief flashback in this issue ties in with the events of issue #3, which showed Jetfire's decision to join the Autobots from his point of view and his falling-out with Starscream. A second flashback documenting a scuffle between the pair is set on Earth, presumably at some point before the Decepticons evacuated the planet after Megatron's defeat in issue #2.
Reflector makes an appearance as one of the many Decepticons roused to action by Megatron. Issue #1 showed him as a victim of the Autobot bodyscrappers—it's possible that this version of Reflector operates in a trio like his traditional "Generation 1" incarnation, or he might've found a way to escape off-panel.
Goldbug's lieutenant Slicer is revealed to be a double agent in the employ of Ultra Magnus. While his cameo appearance in issue #1 led us into thinking that he was just one of the many amoral bodyscrappers making a quick buck by hunting Decepticons, this issue reveals that he's got some ambitions of his own.

Transformers references

Returning Fun Publications characters in this issue include the sunshine-yellow Dirge and a just barely-visible Astrotrain, using the purple and yellow livery that originated with Cybertron Astrotrain.
Among the many Autobots and Decepticons on page eight is a lone Decepticon using what appears to be the Siege Prowl mold. It's likely that this is meant to be a Shattered Glass version of Barricade, who was redecoed from Prowl in both the Siege and Earthrise toylines.
Ultra Magnus was a key figure in the latter years of the original Shattered Glass comics and prose stories: most notably, he was the main antagonist in 2012's "Invasion" crossover, which saw him and his followers invade another dimension. That version of Ultra Magnus was a noted wildcard, an Autobot rogue who'd previously attempted to depose Optimus Prime, and it seems like his treacherous behaviour and willingness to play all sides against one another have carried over into this new universe...

Errors

On page six of panel fourteen, Megatron's wings are white instead of blue, and he's missing the red highlights on his cockpit and wings.

Other trivia

Originally solicited for a December 29th release date, the final issue of Shattered Glass was pushed up one week to the 22nd.

Covers (4)

Cover A: Jetfire and Starscream's severed head homage Derek Yaniger's cover to Transformers: Generation 2 issue #5, by Alex Milne
Cover B: Megatron and Optimus Prime, by Guido Guidi
Retailer incentive cover: Jetfire, by Sara Pitre-Durocher
Hasbro Pulse exclusive cover: Jetfire takes flight, by Casey Coller. Included with orders of Shattered Glass Jetfire.

Reprints

Transformers: Shattered Glass (July 27, 2022) ISBN 168405902X / ISBN 978-1684059027
- Collects Shattered Glass issues #1–5.
- Bonus material includes alternate covers.
- Trade paperback format.

Shattered Glass – cover art by Alex Milne

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