With Optimus Prime missing, the Autobots must fend for themselves against a powerful new enemy.

Synopsis[]

On Cybertron, a dimensional portal opens up just outside the Decepticon Command Headquarters. From the portal steps Galvatron, along with four lieutenants: Thunderwing, Dirge, Bludgeon, and Scourge. Galvatron tells them to go about their tasks, and that soon, "This reality will be consumed."

Meanwhile, on Earth, Hot Shot steps through a space bridge portal into Autobase: Earth, asking why they opened one, as it is only to be used in emergencies. Smokescreen tells him that the situation qualifies, as they've found Optimus Prime. However, it is not their Optimus Prime, merely an Optimus Prime, and an almost-dead one at that. Apparently he was just lying there when Smokescreen and Scavenger got back from Death Valley. Astroscope speculates that it might possibly be an alternate Optimus Prime, from a parallel dimension. They had tried tinkering with dimensional travel back on Cybertron, but had never gotten it to work. Suddenly the Optimus Prime on the table wakes up. He utters a cryptic warning about the walls crumbling and chaos coming, and dies.

At Silver Ridge, the Decepticons are having trouble activating their own space bridge portal. Leader-1 tells him that there is some outside interference that's stressing the network. Megatron, suspecting an Autobot attack, orders Starscream and Demolishor to monitor all satellites and transmission frequencies to find out what the Autobots are doing.

Hot Shot, meanwhile, is contacting Jetfire about the situation, but Jetfire doesn't know what to do either. He says he'll keep monitoring the Decepticons and ends the transmission. Sparkplug tells him that they've done a scan and picked up a residual energy trace in California. Hot Shot says that it's better than nothing, and announces that they're heading to check it out.

In San Francisco, Over-Run is frantically sending out a signal pulse, trying to get the attention of the Autobots. The Autobots find the probe he arrived in and Astroscope identifies it as a trans-dimensional vessel, then picks up the signal that Over-Run has been sending out. As the Autobots arrive to rescue him, they are shot down by Starscream. He reaches down to claim Over-Run, and the Mini-Con screams in terror. Starscream says he likes the terror in his eyes, but is shortly dispatched by Galvatron, who has sneaked up behind him. As Galvatron is about to destroy Over-Run, Hot Shot tells him to stop, and gets blasted himself for his troubles. Galvatron demands that Over-Run give him the Matrix. Just then, Thrust flies down and fires at Galvatron, but is harmlessly swatted aside. When Galvatron turns around, though, he sees that Over-Run has gone, then tears open a portal and steps through, the rift closing behind him.

Turns out that Mirage has thrown up an invisibility shield over himself and Over-Run. He tells him that it's safe now, but Over-Run is inconsolable: if Galvatron has arrived, it means that the end of everything has begun.

On Cybertron—a Cybertron, anyway—Optimus Prime picks through the wreckage, wondering how such devastation could have happened. He stumbles upon Spinister, who babbles insanely about how whatever did this said it would come back and devour Cybertron...

Featured characters[]

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes[]

• None yet identified

Errors[]

• None yet identified

Items of note[]

• Cameos: Scavenger, Spiral, Dune Runner, Longarm, Payload, Skyblast, Blurr, Side Swipe, Jolt
• The Galvatron and Optimus Prime who appear in this issue are not exactly like their Generation One counterparts. Don tweaked the designs a bit to make them look more like alternate reality versions of themselves. Galvatron's crown, for instance, strongly resembles Armada Megatron's horns, and Optimus Prime is a fusion between his G1 and The War Within modes — he was actually previously designed as the character "Maraudimus Prime" for Don's Macromasters unofficial comic series.
• None of the G1 Decepticons are named, or have faction symbols, hence their placement in the 'other' category above.
• Starscream gives Megatron the finger — that's awesome!
• When Galvatron teleports into San Francisco, a car license plate is "1984," the year the Transformers toyline began.
• The Wavelengths page advertises Megaman and contains an article from the desk of Don Figueroa.
• On the new DW Letters page, readers' mail is answered by Matt Moylan and includes fan art.

Covers (1)[]

• Galvatron looms behind Starscream and Over-Run, art by Guido Guidi.

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