Battle Lines, Part 5
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| "Battle Lines, Part 5" | |||||||||||||
| Publisher | Fun Publications | ||||||||||||
| Published in | Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club #41 | ||||||||||||
| Story | Pete Sinclair | ||||||||||||
| Writers | Jesse Wittenrich & Pete Sinclair | ||||||||||||
| Pencils | Dan Khanna | ||||||||||||
| Inks | Dan Khanna, Josh Warner | ||||||||||||
| Colors | Evan Gauntt | ||||||||||||
| Letters | Jesse Wittenrich | ||||||||||||
| Managing editor | Pete Sinclair | ||||||||||||
| Continuity | Wings Universe | ||||||||||||
After defeating Deathsaurus, Megatron makes his move on the Autobots.
Synopsis
Having returned to base, the Elite Guardsmen wonder why the Gyronian Sentry Team haven't arrived with the Combaticon prisoners yet. The reason becomes clear when Dion makes an inquiry and they discover the Sentry Team has been AWOL for the last decacycle.
Deathsaurus is chained up in his former throne room, now converted into a gladiatorial area in which Megatron intends to prove he's a worthy Decepticon leader by defeating Deathsaurus in single combat. Despite not even being allowed to have his injuries repaired, Deathsaurus initially puts up a decent fight and points out that most of Megatron's men are brainwashed and therefore won't care who wins. Megatron responds that Deathsaurus's Combaticons weren't even interested in helping their former leader. Moments later, Deathsaurus lies defeated, and a victorious Megatron begins giving orders to his men. Starscream is content to follow Megatron's orders for now, but knows someday he'll take his rightful place as Decepticon leader. Deathsaurus, left lying severely damaged but functional, tells Lyzack that they must flee Cybertron.
A week later, Magnum apologizes to Optimus Prime for his competitive behavior. The two resolve to combine their forces to protect the planet, however just then Dion runs up with the news that the combined Decepticon army has arrived at the edge of the city. Even as the Autobots prepare the defenses, the Decepticons break through the defense shields, thanks to their new secret weapon, Devastator.
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons |
|---|---|
|
Quotes
Notes
- In addition to Hauler and the six Constructicons forming Devastator, an eighth robot in Constructicon purple-and-green can be spotted on the side of the Decepticons in this chapter's final double-page spread. Given the time-frame involved and the use of various Generation 1 cartoon plot points and side characters in "Battle Lines", could this be Gravedigger, the enigmatic eighth Constructicon seen in "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4"?
- Among the audience of Megatron's victory over Deathsaurus is another Skyraider generic, to add to the Wings continuity's pile.
- Megatron mentions he's going to send the Combaticons' personality components to the Decepticon Detention Center, where they'll still be when Starscream needs them in "Starscream's Brigade".
- Megatron's energon mace makes an appearance during his fight against Deathsaurus.
Continuity
- The Wings Universe is described as a "rough" expansion of the original Transformers cartoon, with a few minor (but frequently unidentified) differences. The events of "The Secret of Omega Supreme" tie strongly into this issue and the circumstances surrounding it. In particular, the episode depicted the Robo-Smashing of the Gyronian Sentry and Constructicons, and the chronological debut of Devastator in the cartoon.
- To fit the Wings Universe into cartoon continuity, there must be extensive gaps of time in the story Omega Supreme related in the above episode, most likely between the Robo-Smashing of the Constructicons and the destruction of Crystal City, or the destruction and Omega Supreme's revenge battle with the Constructicons. The latter is a more reasonable place to shoe-horn in the Wings Universe events. Hook was a member of the Decepticon Warlords, a fact which appeared to be publicly known. In Flames of Yesterday, Brawl commented on the Constructicons joining the Decepticons, and in A Team Effort, Magnum indicated the Elite Guard knew the exact number of Warlords and, presumably, their identities. As a Guardian Robot, Omega Supreme would not reasonably have left the care of Crystal City to one of Cybertron's 14 Most Wanted, old friend or not.
- Therefore, events likely unfolded as follows:
- Megatron captures the Constructicons and brainwashes them using the Robo-Smasher.
- The Constructicons betray Omega Supreme and destroy Crystal City.
- As leader of the Constructicons, Hook rises in the Decepticon hierarchy and joins the War Council.
- Hook sits on the council as Megatron's secret pawn, and reveals his loyalty once the War Council is no longer of use to Megatron.
- Deathsaurus is defeated, and his combiner technology used to create Devastator. The Decepticons attack Iacon.
- Omega Supreme finds the Constructicons after Crystal City, and battles Devastator.
