Things Fall Apart, Part 5: "Earthworks"

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« The Transformers #6 »
File:Transformers 6-A.jpg
"Earthworks"
Publisher IDW Publishing
First published April 28, 2010
Cover date April 2010
Written by Mike Costa
Art by Don Figueroa
Colors by James Brown and Andrew Dalhouse
Letters by Chris Mowry
Editor Andy Schmidt
Associate editor Denton J. Tipton
Continuity IDW continuity
Chronology Current era (2010)

Major Witwicky and Optimus Prime come to terms with each other, while the giant gestalt, Menasor, wreaks havoc in the desert.

Synopsis

Having been retrieved from his close encounter with the Stunticons, Spike Witwicky is on his way back to base aboard a Skywatch gunship when the craft receives word of an altercation nearby. Heading to investigate, they find Ultra Magnus's Autobots locked in battle with a gestalt Decepticon. Lacking the ordnance to take out the monster themselves, Spike has the ship return to base, where he is able to convince Optimus Prime to help end the fight before human populations become endangered. Despite the mission not being officially sanctioned, Spike, Prime and a team of Skywatch troops set out for the battle site in a transport plane.

Meanwhile, the mentally fragmented Menasor has apparently defeated Ultra Magnus, and a smug Swindle gives a gloating monologue to his long-time adversary. The speech is interrupted, however, when Optimus airdrops in and lands directly onto the Decepticon. Whilst the former Autobot leader engages Menasor, Bumblebee is saved from Scrapper by Thundercracker, who has no desire to see the war continue.

The Seeker leaves to help Rodimus, as Bumblebee notices that Menasor's components are failing to work together. With this realization, he has the Autobots focus on each Stunticon in turn until their increasing arguments leaves the combiner completely incapacitated. As Spike's forces move in to clean up, Bumblebee orders that the Autobots do not flee, tired of living like fugitives.

After a short conversation, Spike and Bumblebee reach an agreement: the Autobots will work together with Skywatch to hunt Decepticons, and in return will be given accommodation and energy resources. A barely-recovered Ultra Magnus storms up to the two leaders, demanding to know what became of Swindle after the battle, but at that moment they notice Rodimus, who is sitting and moping about the failure of his plan to leave the planet. Magnus attempts to arrest him for colluding with Decepticons, but Bumblebee takes issue with the law enforcer undermining his position as Autobot leader. Whilst Bumblebee asserts his authority, Rodimus slips off... and steals Magnus's ship, fleeing the planet!

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots Decepticons Humans

Quotes

"No. I turned myself in because there had to be a change, and my people would not have been able to enact it if I had told them what I was doing."

—Optimus Prime


"Everyone wants to focus on the big guy. Just 'cuz we have a new combiner."

—Scrapper envies Menasor for taking the spotlight.


"Listen. Both of us can expend resources chiseling away at each other. Or we can work together to neutralize actual threats, like the one today."

—Spike Witwicky sounding a lot like someone else that made a similar proposal.


"So you will listen to me. And you will obey. No Autobot is being arrested today while I'm here, regardless of their mistakes."

—Bumblebee tells Ultra Magnus to shut up and deal with it now.

Notes

  • The cover showing the Autobots fighting Menasor was originally advertised as a wraparound cover. However, this was changed into cover A and cover B being two halves of that wraparound cover. [1]
  • Additionally, the cover erroneously depicts Bumblebee in his pre-upgrade body, and Sideswipe, who didn't actually participate in the battle.

Errors

Covers (3)

  • Cover A: Close up of Menasor attacking Rodimus and Bumblebee; art by Don Figueroa and colors by James Brown.
  • Cover B: Close up of Optimus Prime; art by Don Figueroa and colors by James Brown.
  • Cover RI: Optimus Prime admiring the forest scenery; art by Andrew Wildman.

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