Rebirth

« The Transformers: All Hail Megatron #14 »
"Rebirth"
Publisher	IDW Publishing
First published	August 19, 2009
Cover date	August 2009
Written by	Andy Schmidt
Art by	Andrew Griffith
Colors by	Josh Burcham
Letters by	Chris Mowry
Edits by	Denton J. Tipton
Continuity	2005 IDW continuity
Chronology	All Hail Megatron

Remnants of the Dead Universe endure.

Synopsis

In Garrus-9, Galvatron emerges from the solar pool with a scream. The Darkness has consumed him whole, and he tries to endure it...

On Gorlam Prime, Cyclonus, who has managed to survive the events of the Expansion thanks to his Dead Universe regenerative powers, believes that either life or death would be a blessing, as he and the Dead Universe inhabitants have been marooned on the planet for what he thinks is an eternity. Cyclonus and the inhabitants of the Dead Universe were part of the first Ark expedition, which was a scientific voyage that encountered a parallel universe that had no life and no evolution, and it changed them. They returned to Gorlam Prime, but Cyclonus is the lone survivor, having lasted the longest "out here". On reflection, he realizes that he's been away from his home universe for so long that he feels like an outsider. He is now the last Dead Universe inhabitant, as his comrades Scourge and Straxus are dying and Nemesis Prime is now dead. For the survivors, death is a release for the static hell they found. All that remains is recycling his fallen men, even though they, the scientific elite and his warrior brothers, deserved better.

Cyclonus's thoughts are broken by Scourge, who weakly states that he's alive. Cyclonus tries to reassure his teammate that he won't last long. The best gift Cyclonus can offer is recycling him into the solar pools, though he wishes he had more. Suddenly, Galvatron arrives. Now infused with the Darkness, he tells Cyclonus to stop whatever he was doing. Cyclonus tells him that they're no longer alive; with no purpose and no function, they're now little more than illumination units, and that melting them in the solar pool is the only way restore their honor and regain their dignity. Galvatron says that Cyclonus is wrong; he now has the power and the will, and, most importantly, a mission, and he's going to join with Cyclonus to achieve it. Galvatron states that if they wanted a function, he'll now give it to them, then fires into the solar pool, the blast engulfing those Cyclonus had stacked in front of it.

Cyclonus angrily thinks that he's gone insane, but Galvatron asks if that's what he was going to do anyway. Cyclonus disagrees, stating about their honor. Scourge, emerging from the pool, again proclaims that he still functions. Seeing this, Galvatron gives him power to live again, then throws him back to the solar pool, as he needs an army. The pool explodes and does its job as Scourge screams. Cyclonus wonders what Galvatron has done, but Galvatron says that the Darkness, not he, wouldn't let Scourge die. Just then, Scourge bursts out of the solar pool, calling Galvatron's name, restored to full capacity, as the pain has allowed him to live once again. Galvatron explains they all are more than they were before, and that the Darkness that consumed Nova Prime is now with him. Galvatron is no longer the robot they once knew, the Darkness isn't what it was with Nova, and they have become something different and new.

Galvatron then sees his new army approach from the pool, but his anticipation turns to anger when he realizes that his troops have been made in Scourge's image, rather than his own. Galvatron pronounces that Scourge is now in charge of his Sweeps, that they are now bonded to him, and that if he keeps them in line, he will become a warrior king. Cyclonus thinks this is madness, as there is no spark and no honor in being a warrior slave. As a warrior, a patriot, and a Seeker, he won't allow Galvatron to do this to him. Galvatron reassures Cyclonus that such will not be his fate; Cyclonus's cunning and spirit refuse to die, as he is noble and incorruptible, which is what helped him survive longer than the rest in the normal universe. Galvatron wants Cyclonus to trust him, join him, and seek for him.

With his spark restored, Cyclonus feels that he was weak, but Galvatron tells his new lieutenant that he now has strength. Galvatron orders his army to get started, and Cyclonus asks what their mission is. Galvatron says that their mission as explorers, looking to discover the forces of the universe, is over, though they have paid for what they've learned. There is only one constant, universal force: change. They are now a part of that force, a catalyst sparking upheaval, igniting revolution and feeding chaos with every hate-filled action. The universe had their way with them, and now it's their turn. Scourge wonders what that means, and while Cyclonus has no idea, he tells Scourge that their function is to seek and that they follow Galvatron.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"I won't let you do this to me! I was a patriot! I was a warrior! A Seeker!"

—Cyclonus fears the Darkness

"Scourge?"
"Yes?"
"They were supposed to be in my image!"

—Galvatron is unhappy with Scourge's Sweeps

Notes

Continuity notes

• No mention is made of Grindcore, who was last seen with Straxus on Earth.
• This issue retroactively establishes Cyclonus and Scourge as Seekers.
• This is the first time we've seen Scourge in IDW continuity, but by the power of retcon he has always been with the Dead Universe faction.
• The two comrades of Cyclonus that are about to be "put to rest" are two members of the original Ark bridge crew as seen in Galvatron's Spotlight issue.
• First appearances: Scourge (previously mentioned in All Hail Megatron #6.)

Transformers references

• Like last issue, more nods are made to The Transformers: The Movie, with Galvatron now commanding Cyclonus, Scourge and the Sweeps, as well as him being considered insane (as in season 3 of the cartoon).

Trivia

• Andrew Griffith seems to have drawn Scourge with details pulled specifically from his Generations toy, which was released over a year after this comic's publication. Burcham, meanwhile, was apparently working off slightly different reference, as the colors aren't an exact match to the toy.

Errors

• Ark is misspelled "Arc".
• In Revelation, it was Galvatron, not Cyclonus, who could remain in the normal universe for long amounts of time without being destroyed. Writer Andy Schmidt admitted that he misremembered what was established in Revelation.^[1]
• Hey, remember how Starscream referred to Scourge as a Decepticon in All Hail Megatron #6?
• Oh, and remember how Straxus was on Earth when the Autobots closed the Benzuli Expanse in Spotlight: Sideswipe?

Reprints

Other than full or partial collections of All Hail Megatron.

• N/A

References