Desperate Times
From Transformers Wiki
| |||||||||||||
 Not a good time to lose one's head. | |||||||||||||
| "Desperate Times" | |||||||||||||
| Publisher | IDW Publishing | ||||||||||||
| First published | December 28, 2016 | ||||||||||||
| Cover date | December 2016 | ||||||||||||
| Written by | Mairghread Scott | ||||||||||||
| Art by | Sara Pitre-Durocher | ||||||||||||
| Colors by | Joana Lafuente | ||||||||||||
| Letters by | Tom B. Long | ||||||||||||
| Editor | Carlos Guzman | ||||||||||||
| Continuity | 2005 IDW continuity | ||||||||||||
| Chronology | Current era | ||||||||||||
As the Titan assault on Cybertron worsens, Windblade is forced to take desperate steps.
Contents |
Synopsis
Iacon is devastated as the battle against the undead Titans continues. While Windblade helps the fallen Metroplex get back to his feet to continue the fight, Lightbright and Sparkstalker race across the battlefield in an attempt to get to Windblade's side, so Lightbright can add her cityspeaker abilities to Windblade's in hopes of improving Metroplex's chances. The pair are forced to separate when Sparkstalker is almost smashed flat by a Titan—a fate that Blurr and Knock Out also narrowly avoid, though Knock Out's righteous anger at his scuffed paintjob only inspires him to fight harder. Elsewhere, Vanquish is badly hurt as he and his brother Fireshot do some explosive damage to another Titan, but both tiny 'bots are safely caught by Moonracer as they fall from the sky. Tigatron and Airazor, however, are not so lucky, as the Titan they are attacking smacks them out of the air when they try to leap to safety. Soon, Lightbright reaches Windblade's side, but the situation has deteriorated to the point where Metroplex is clearly not going to prevail. To save Metroplex's life, Windblade proposes that they do something drastic- disconnecting his brain module from his body so that he will no longer be able to move and the zombie Titans will cease to attack him, thinking him dead. Lightbright protests, saying it's a dangerous maneuver, but Windblade sees no other choice, and apologizes profusely to a confused Metroplex as she uses her sword to disconnect his brain, taking him offline.
From the Spire, Starscream watches as Metroplex collapses, and tries again to convince Elita One to transform Carcer, but she still refuses—though her subordinates Greenlight and Lancer feel pangs of guilt over the decision, even if they understand their leader's secret reasons for it. Starscream contacts all the council representatives out on the battlefield and summons them back to the Spire to regroup, where he reveals Elita's refusal to help. Left with no option, Starscream orders Ironhide's security forces to begin the evacuation of Cybertron. Ironhide's men manage to keep order among a panicky populace of 'bots desperate to escape, including one particular pushy 'bot who tries to board a fully-occupied escape ship. As the security forces begin to load prisoners aboard a transport, Chromia breaks from the other prisoners and urges Ironhide to go to Windblade's aid, fearing that the desperate situation will make her do something foolish.
Chromia is, in fact, entirely correct: back at the Spire, knowing that Elita has always been hiding something about Carcer, Windblade announces her intent to take a strike team to invade Carcer and seize control of the Titan away from Elita One. A small unit consisting of Moonracer, Lightbright, Fireshot, Sparkstalker, Blurr, Tigatron, Airazor, and Breakdown is quickly assembled; as they move to depart, Sparkstalker slips Windblade a small device that she has requested, though he is unsure of how it will help their mission.
To provide cover for the insertion of Windblade's team, Starscream directs a contingent of Cybertronian ships to open fire on Carcer, and Devastator is deployed to strike the Titan's hull directly. Obsidian proposes that the Carcerians try to explain the truth behind their decision to their comrades before irreparable harm is inflicted on their alliance, but Elita One sternly reminds him of his place and orders a counterattack...
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | Others | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Quotes
"No one scuffs... my... FINISH!"
- —Knock Out has his priorities...
"We swore an oath! We can't risk a Titan"
"We're way past risk, Lightbright. Pray for us."
- —Lightbright and Windblade debate how to save Metroplex
"I am not accustomed to repeating myself, Starscream. But I wish to make myself clear. You can die. I can die. The galaxy itself can burn in flame and darkness. But Carcer will never transform."
- —...and so does Elita One
"Elita doesn't want to help us. But maybe Carcer does."
"When did you get to be so ruthless?"
"I've given up everything for this world. Now she can, too."
- —Windblade and Starscream
"Anyone wanna think up a team name?"
"OOH! I—I mean, that's an interesting idea, commander. For another time, obviously."
- —Blurr and Lightbright
"Starscream, we're reading a large number of ships off our bow. Do you really want to waste time and resources you don't have fighting your friends?"
"I think you underestimate the depth of my pettiness."
- —Elita One learns something about Starscream the Cybertronians have known for aeons.
"Forgive me, Elita. But we should try explaining things to them. They are still our allies."
"There is only one First on this ship, Obsidian. And you are not it."
- —Obsidian is reminded who the boss is by Elita One
Notes
Continuity notes
- As Windblade prepares to separate Metroplex's brain from his body, she notes that the same thing was done to Caminus. That fits with what we learned of that Titan in Windblade vol. 1 #4, when he willingly allowed his body to be taken apart and spread around the planet he had settled on.
- Windblade knows that Elita One is hiding something about Carcer, which she originally deduced not long after meeting her back in Windblade vol. 2 #7, when Elita claimed that "Carcer" and "Tempo"—which Windblade knew were two separate Titans—were one and the same.
- Devastator notes that he "failed the Chosen One once," referring to the events of The Transformers #50, in which his overly destructive attempt to put down a riot resulted in several fugitives escaping.
Errors
- Windblade and Lightbright are distraught about disconnecting Metroplex's brain, but this isn't actually the first time Windblade has had to do this to him: she, Chromia, and Nautica did it before during Dark Cybertron, with little to no apprehension or guilt about doing so. Perhaps that's because they just moved it to his shoulder and quickly hooked it back up.
- Devastator is drawn with his Decepticon insignia back, intact, after spending Combiner Wars without it, and the previous year of The Transformers as part of the Autobot forces, with it partially scratched out. As Scoop (the dominating personality in Devastator's psyche) is loyal to his "Chosen One" and both he and Starscream are factionless, it doesn't make sense that the combiner would have any logo at this point.
Other trivia
- Though hers and Lancer's identities were confirmed by writer Mairghread Scott on Twitter following their first appearance in Windblade vol. 2 #7, this is the first time that Greenlight is referred to by name in-story.
- Devastator's right leg, aka Scoop, is drawn to match his Generations toy very closely, from the rounded shape of the shovel to the textured panels behind his cabin. He's colored like his Constructicon allies, of course, as he has been since Starscream drafted him to replace Prowl in the combiner.
Covers (3)
- Regular cover: A fallen Titan, by Sara Pitre-Durocher
- Subscription cover: Metroplex gets choke-slammed, by Priscilla Tramontano
- Retailer incentive cover: Windblade by Zoner Siyi Hemu
Advertisements
- Till All Are One #7
- "The Hasbro Tribune" editorial page promoting December's Hasbro Universe Reconstruction titles, including G.I. Joe #1, M.A.S.K. #2, Lost Light #1, Optimus Prime #2, this issue, Revolutionaries #1, Micronauts #8, and ROM #6. The cover of Lost Light #2 is mistakenly used instead of #1.
- Lost Light #1
- IDW on Comixology Unlimited
Reprints
- The Transformers: Till All Are One, Volume 2 (July 19, 2017) ISBN 1631409247 / ISBN 978-1631409240
- Collects Till All Are One: Revolution #1 and issues #5–8.
- Bonus material includes art from most covers.
- Trade paperback format.
- Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 76: Titans Return, Part 2 (July 25, 2018)
- Collects Till All Are One issues #5–11.
- Bonus material includes an article on Revolution.
- Hardcover format.
- The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Three: Volume 1 (November 17, 2021) ISBN 1684058422 / ISBN 978-1684058426
- Collects Revolution issues #0–5, Till All Are One: Revolution #1 & issues #5–8, The Transformers (2012): Revolution #1, Action Man: Revolution #1, More than Meets the Eye: Revolution #1, and Revolutionaries issues #1–4.
- Hardcover format.
Till All Are One, Volume 2 – cover art by Sara Pitre-Durocher
The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 76: Titans Return, Part 2 – cover art by Don Figueroa (Metroplex) and Sara Pitre-Durocher (retro)
The IDW Collection Phase Three: Volume 1 – cover art by Sara Pitre-Durocher
