War and Peace

Chapter 6

Revelation

• Writer - Brad Mick
• Penciler - Pat Lee
• Inker - Rob Armstrong
• Colorist - Espen Grundet Jern
• Colorist - Alan Wang
• Colorist - Rob Ruffolo
• Colorist - Ramil Sunga
• Colorist - Pat Lee
• Lettering - Ben Lee

Summary

  Heady with the activation of Vector Sigma, Shockwave recaps for Optimus Prime the history of Cybertron. After the Ark left eight million years ago, the war raged on, stopping only when the planet's energy supplies ran out. The planet fell into dormancy for five million years, whereupon Shockwave was reawakened, the sole inhabitant of a dead planet. Through careful study, he learned that the shutdown was a natural replenishing stage for Cybertron, then made plans to resurrect the other Transformers. With the help of the Autobots, Shockwave led the rebuilding of Cybertron, then manipulated the leaderless Autobots into accepting him as the new authority of their united world.

  As Shockwave continues his explainations, the corpse of Ultra Magnus rises again, slowly shedding his armor as he marches towards the chamber. Elsewhere on Cybertron, the Autobot Council resigns themselves to the end of the peace and the resumption of war, while Peerceptor informs them that Grimlock has already left to resume the battle. Meanwhile, Starscream has gathered a handful of Decepticons -- and the Combaticons' protoforms -- and loaded them onto a shuttle. He plans to conquer Earth, but is surprised when the shuttle reveals itself as Sky Lynx, and flies off on its own will!

  Back in the Vector Sigma chamber, Shockwave notes that he had anticipated Starscream's plans, but allowed them to leave so they can prepare Earth for his conquest. He explains to Optimus that Vector Sigma has archived eveery experience of every Transformer that ever lived, and is somehow responsible for guilding the evolution of their planet and their race. Shockwave further explains that accessing this knowledge requires the Matrix, and that he has been manipulating events so he could take it from Optimus Prime.

  Outside of Shockwave's tower, the remaining Autobots are on the verge of defeat when they are joined by Grimlock and the Autobot Council. Working together, they quickly overwhelm the remaining Decepticons and the last Sentinel robot.

  As the Autobots draw closer, Shockwave smugly explains how he plans to escape, then use the knowledge of Vector Sigma to turn Cybertron into a planetary warship and conquer Earth. His theory is that the Transformers were originally manufactured as a unified race of conquerers, and the identify of their creator is hidden on Earth.

  Shockwave is suddenly interrupted by the arrival of an armor-stripped Ultra Magnus, who quickly charges to attack. Shockwave quickly gets the upper hand -- thanks to the energy transfer modules which keep him at full strength -- but is distracted by Optimus Prime, then thrown by Ultra Magnus into the chamber's central energy pit. Optimus strains to rescue Magnus, but both are rescued by Grimlock, who drags them out of the tower and returns the Matrix to Optimus Prime. Outside, as the Autobots celebrate their victory, the two commanders wonder if this is truly the end, or if there is truth to Shockwave's wild theories.

  Afterlogue: In the void of space, the Junkion Wreck-Gar searches for scrap in his personal shuttle. He lucks out with a prize find -- the weakened but functional form of Megatron...!