Void Rivals issue 14

« Void Rivals #14 »
Looks like the Void Rivals are in for a dogfight!
Publisher	Image Comics Skybound Entertainment
First published	November 27, 2024
Cover date	November 2024
Written by	Robert Kirkman
Art by	Lorenzo De Felici
Colors by	Patricio Delpeche
Letters by	Rus Wooton
Editor	Ben Abernathy
Continuity	Energon Universe

Darak tries to reason with his father about making peace with the Zertonians. Unfortunately, his efforts may be in peril as new forces descend on the Sacred Ring.

Synopsis

Zalilak kneels before Mistress Vill, who berates him as a pretender to the throne of Zertonia, not chosen by Zerta. Zalilak admits that his decisions have brought Zertonia close to ruin and agrees to walk the Path of Light.

Meanwhile, in Agorria, Minister Dulin tells Darak that unity with Zertonia will lead to the awakening of Goliant, much to Darak’s confusion. His father apologizes for not telling Darak about the burden that is their legacy, as he worried he wasn't ready to learn the truth. However, his story is interrupted by the news of an alien vessel approaching Aggoria. Dulin tells Darak they will finish their conversation another time, but Darak insists on going with him, a request to which Dulin acquiesces.

In deep space, aboard his Rockeroid, Skuxxoid sits alone in his depression. However, he then snaps out of it, remembering he has a wife and kids to support. Elsewhere, Pythona and the Royal Guards of Cobra-La have encountered interference tracking the non-energon signature thanks to a piece of debris caught in the eye of their Leviathan bioship. Two of the Royal Guard, Bola and Grakula, venture out to remove it. Bola is nervous about whether their "second skin" armor will protect them from deep space, but Grakula assures them it will be fine. Garkula locates the piece of debris: a small green crystal. As they pull it free, it radiates some kid of energy, knocking Grakula back and off the Leviathan. Thankfully, they are saved by Bola. Neither notice a number of small growths appearing where the crystal was.

Solila and Handroid continue their journey into the depths of the Sacred Ring. Handroid informs Solila that he doesn't read anything ahead, but Solila feels the light of Zerta guiding her. When they come across three corridors, Solila uses the key Vill gave her to lead her to the right path.

Back in Agorria, Dulin speculates that the object moving towards them could be some new Zertonian weapon, but Darak insists that such an attack is impossible given their current lack of resources. Dulin allows Darak to go out and investigate, with Elander giving Darak a new blue Handroid to replace his lost one. As he prepares to take off in his Jump Jet, he orders his Handroid to revive him as soon as they cross the event horizon of the Sacred Ring’s black hole. As they do so, the Handroid confirms it is administering a reviver. But Darak remains unconscious...

Darak finds himself in a void and believes himself to be once again experiencing a vision until he sees the astral figure of Solila floating above him. Though neither knows how or why they've become linked, they use the opportunity to catch up, with Solila asking if Darak was able to make contact with Kanela's allies. Darak says no, but realizes no one asked him for it, meaning it was likely already found by the Agorrian Unifiers. Darak then informs Solila about Dulin and Zalilak knowing the true nature of their conflict, much to Solila’s shock, but both wake up before they can talk more. And just in time for Darak, as he is almost hit by a Cybertronian shuttle piloted by Hot Rod! Believing Darak was trying to hit him, Hot Rod fires a series of warning shots at the Jump Jet, but Darak quickly sends out a message to make his peaceful intentions known. Hot Rod responds in kind, apologizing and introducing himself as being "Hot Rod from Cybertron," the mention of which immediately gets Darak’s attention.

Solila tells Handroid about her mental meeting with Darak, and while she doesn't understand how, she accepts it as something Zerta wanted. When the pair reach a dead end on their path, Handroid suggests using the key again, but the floor opens up beneath them before she can, dropping them into a pitch-dark space.

Outside the Sacred Ring, the Quintessons arrive. The Quintesson Judge is shocked to see that the Ring of Zerta is, in fact, real. The Quintessons will finally have their revenge!

Featured characters

Characters in italic text appear only in flashbacks.
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"This lunatic trying to ram me?! Not the kind of welcome I'd prefer, but okay. I can repay the favor. Jerk."

—Hot Rod

Notes

Continuity notes

• Darak and Solila now know Dulin and Zalilak have been working together to prevent unity, something readers have known since issue #4.
• Goliant was first mentioned in Darak's vision in issue #2, and briefly glimpsed at the end of issue #12.
• Skuxxoid first mentioned his wife and kids way back in issue #3, but we learned in issue #9 that they aren't exactly around anymore, something Skuxxoid "forgot." Is there something wrong with his memory, or is he just delusional?
• Solila received the mysterious key from Mistress Vill in issue #5.
• Darak blacks out after taking his Jump Jet past the event horizon of the Sacred Ring's black hole and experiences a vision from Zerta, just as happened in the flashback in issue #2.The liminal space he shares with Solila was previously seen when Solila received her own vision from Zerta after getting her first energon in issue #10.
• Hot Rod has been following the trail of his lost friend Springer since the Energon Universe Special. And the Quintessons have been following him to the Sacred Ring since issue #11.
• Zerta's name being forbidden from being spoken by the Quintessons was first established in issue #9.
• Kanela gave Solila a data packet to be delivered to the Unifiers' counterparts on Agorria in issue #6, a mission which Darak agreed to complete in her stead as she began her search for Zerta Trion in issue #12. Unfortunately, it was taken from him off-panel between last issue and this one.

Transformers references

• Hot Rod’s shuttle, originally colored plain grey, has now taken on the proper colors that it had in The Transformers: The Movie.

Covers (7)

• Cover A: Darak’s jump jet takes fire from Hot Rod’s shuttle, by Lorenzo De Felici.
• Cover B: Solila, by Chuma Hill.
• Cover C (1:10 Copy Incentive): Connecting cover, by Leonardo Romero.
• Cover D (1:25 Copy Incentive): Darak preparing to board his Jump Jet, by E. J. Su.
• Cover E (1:50 Copy Incentive): Hot Rod, by Sylain Repos.
• Big Time Collectibles Cover: by Kael Ngu.
• Big Time Collectibles / Scott's Collectables Cover: by John Giang.

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Reprints

• Void Rivals Volume 3: The Key to Vector Theta (June 11, 2025) ISBN 153432691X / ISBN 978-1534328242
  • Collects issues #13–18.
  • Trade paperback format.

• 

  Volume 3: The Key to Vector Theta – cover art by Lorenzo De Felici

External links

References