Saturday, March 3, 2018

The Transformers, Issue 74: Final Conflict, Chapter One

   All right, we're finally in the home stretch. The last thirteen issues. Here we go.
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
   (Recap: The Fallen vs. Necros; Optimus Minor and his Autobots up against the Decepticons; and Starscream and Noisemaze have two Cyber Keys. How does it all go down?)

   (Some guy flips a switch and everyone gets alien-abducted by Unicron)

    (Boy, we're off to a great start)

    (On Cybertron, which is now a wasteland, bots are getting pulled up left and right)

    Starscream: All right, what happened?

    Noisemaze: I... I don't know. This abduction wasn't supposed to happen until we found all of the Cyber Keys!

    Starscream: So... now what?

    Noisemaze: We must return to... my place, I guess you would call it... and find out what's going on! [Nice save, 'maze. Come on, tell Starscream how you really feel....]

    (Elsewhere, Optimus Minor awakes in the care of Ratchet)

    Ratchet: Hey, buddy! Wake up! It's me, Ratchet. You're in Iacon... or what's left of it.

    Optimus Minor: R-Ratchet? Where's my team?

    Ratchet: They're here, but still in stasis lock. We're still trying to wake them up.

    Optimus Minor: What about Primal and Lio Convoy? And Omega Prime?

    Ratchet: They've all vanished. There is a handful of us still here though.

    Optimus Minor: Like who?

    Ratchet: Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Hoist, Jazz....

    Optimus Minor: And Ironhide?

    Ratchet: He's dead. (He take him to where the others are) Here's everyone. Well, mostly. I'm still fixing the bots in the medbay....

    Wheeljack: And spark knows who else is out there.

    Prowl: And besides, does it matter? Whatever's abducting Transformers is probably unstoppable! [Well, actually you've stopped him before...]

    Optimus Minor: So... we're giving up?

    Prowl: Well, yeah.

    Optimus Minor: THIS IS OUR HOME! OUR HOME! AND YOU'RE GIVING UP?!

    Jazz: Kid's gotta point, Prowl. We must do somethin'.

    Wheeljack: I am so glad you said that, Jazz. Why else would I've made these upgrades?

    Jazz: Upgrades?! Dude! Why didn't you tell us?

    Wheeljack: Omega Prime told me to keep it secret. No idea why.... but I'm sure they'll come in handy.

    (Elsewhere, the Fallen crawls on the ground)

    Necros Prime: Still standing?

    The Fallen: Wh-who--?

    Necros Prime: Good. (He blasts the Fallen away while laughing)

    The Fallen: Cyclonus, Scourge, help me!

    Necros Prime: They've left you, brother. And now, you shall die!

    The Fallen: Not if I can help it.... RARGH! (They lung at each other, shooting out energy, and go kablooey!)

    (Nearby, Cyclonus, Scourge, and Soundwave rejoin Megastorm)

    Megastorm: And just what made you abandon him?

    Soundwave: I could tell he was planning to abandon or destroy us.

    Megastorm: So what's the plan now?

    Cyclonus: I've signaled all remaining Decepticons to Chaar. We'll discuss further plans later.

    Megastorm: To Chaar it is, then. Spinblade, ready our ship.

    (Back on Cybertron, some Elite Guardsmen are huddling in an abandoned building)

    Thunder Clash: Well?

    Kup: Powerflash is dead. I found his body near Polyhex. Face it, Thunder Clash. Whoever's killing our men out there must be unstoppable.

    ???: Sir, I see someone approaching!

    (The Autobots storm out with guns ready)

    Ultra Trion: Wait! It's me! Ultra Trion!

    Thunder Clash: Ultra Trion? Well, I'm glad to see you here, sir.

    Ultra Trion: Likewise, do you know what's going on?

    Thunder Clash: No, unfortunately. We were hoping you knew.

    Ultra Trion: Unfortunately, I don't have the answer, Thunder Clash. I had just enough time to run as this... beam abducted Omega Prime and Avalon. I kept running until I saw Kup. I knew then there was an Autobot post here.

    Blurr: It's great that you're here, but we need some sort of plan or we're all doomed!

    Ultra Trion: Hmm... I might have an idea.

    (Back in Iacon, the upgraded Autobots step out in Movie -- or Movie-esque -- forms, while Optimus Minor gets his dad's Cybertron form)

    Wheeljack: And done! Now, once the others wake up, I'll up grade them, but for now, we can use these.

    Jazz: "MT?"

    Wheeljack: Mech Tech. Highly upgraded weapons. They should prove useful.

    Jazz: Well, if only we had somethin to use them on....

    (Suddenly, someone blasts into the base)

    Razorclaw (the Universe dude, not G1): Allow us to serve that purpose... though I doubt you can defeat us!

    (In space, Noisemaze and Starscream arrive at Unicron)

    Noisemaze: Master! What is going on?! The abduction wasn't supposed to happen until--

    Unicron: I was growing impatient, Sideways--

    Starscream: "Sideways?"

    Unicron: Anyway, I believe I can do without the keys. Besides... (we then see Thunderwing standing over Omega Prime's corpse, the Matrix in hand) Now that we have the Matrix, the Autobots -- and Cybertron -- don't stand a chance!

    To be continued

FEATURED CHARACTERS
    Autobots: Avalon, Bluestreak, Blurr, Heavypunch, Hoist, Jazz, Kup, Omega Prime, Optimus Minor, Prowl, Ratchet, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Thunderclash, Trailbreaker, Turborun, Ultra Trion, Wheeljack
   Decepticons: Cyclonus, The Fallen, Megastorm, Scourge, Soundwave, Thunderwing
   Others: Guiltaur, Necros Prime, Noisemaze/Sideways, Razorclaw, Starscream, Unicron

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