The War Within issue 3

« Transformers: The War Within #3 »
Never play hide and seek with Ravage. He plays for keeps.
Publisher	Dreamwave Productions
First published	December 11, 2002
Cover date	December 2002
Story	Simon Furman
Pencils	Don Figueroa
Inks	Elaine To
Colors	Rob Ruffolo
Letters	Dreamer Design
Assistant editor	Matt Moylan
Graphic design	Kevin Lee
Editor-in-chief	Roger Lee
Continuity	Dreamwave continuity
Chronology	Early war

Decepticons attack Iacon, Optimus hallucinates, Megatron explains his plan to Starscream who does what you can expect.

Synopsis

After being defeated at Sector Zero-Six due to information Starscream thought was a good idea to leak to Grimlock, Starscream questions the sadism of Megatron's operation. Skywarp and Thundercracker leave, blaming the incident on Starscream.

On Megatron's orders, Soundwave, Ravage, and the three Insecticons hunt Optimus Prime through caves deep beneath the surface of Cybertron.

Alone, wandering the tunnels, a translucent image of Optimus Prime emerges from a yellow pool. The mysterious mirror Optimus tells the real Optimus that there is something greater going on, greater forces at play. Before vanishing, the image points out that Prime is about to be attacked by Ravage. Optimus quickly overpowers Ravage into a retreat—but now his location is known to his enemies.

Has Iacon ever appeared in a Transformers comic and not been attacked?

Shockwave continues to lead the Decepticon army against Iacon. From the High Council Pavilions, Jazz and the other Autobots manage the defensive efforts—questioning why the Decepticons are attacking the Autobots at their strongest location. Prowl suspects it's part of a greater strategy.

Starscream approaches Megatron, asking for an explanation. Megatron answers by revealing his vision of a mobile Cybertron and that the war to disguise Megatron's plan to re-start the planet's engines. Also, the attack on Iacon was to disguise the effort to capture Optimus Prime, and acquire the key to knowing the truth behind Cybertron's history and destiny, ...the Matrix. As Megatron explains the plan to the skeptical Starscream, Prime fights off the Decepticons sent to capture him. When Starscream points out how Prime evades containment, Megatron departs, leaving Starscream with a warning to remember his place.

Grimlock receives a radio message from Prowl with a new mission. While the Autobot army regroups away from Iacon, Grimlock is to assemble his regular team and recover Optimus Prime.

Optimus Prime, having escaped Soundwave, comes face to face with Megatron for the first time. The two meet on a bridge across a hole deep into Cybertron. But before they can begin combat with each other, Starscream blasts the bridge, sending Optimus and Megatron falling even deeper within.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Notes

• During Shockwave's attack on Iacon, "Are All Dead" is burned into the wall in a similar manner to the iconic cover of "The New Order".
• During the final confrontation in the issue, Megatron brandishes the sword from his Japanese toy release.

Errors

• Blitzwing's triple changing ability was later written off as an art error since later in the Dreamwave continuity he did not possess the ability to do so.
• Shockwave's troops are said to be attacking the "Border Reigns" instead of the "Border Regions".
• During Prowl and Grimlock's communication, "siege" is misspelled as "seige".

Covers (1)

• Prime vs Ravage by Don Figueroa and Gary Yeung

Advertisements

• The War Within #4
• Transformers posters
• Armada #8
• Titan Books collections.
• Transformers Profiles, Book Two (back cover)

Reprints

In addition to collections of the full series.

• N/A