FireStorm

• Writer - Simon Furman
• Penciler - Andrew Wildman
• Inker - Erik Sander
• Inker - Rob Armstrong
• Colorist - Alan Wang
• Colorist - Ramil Sunga
• Lettering - Ben Lee

Summary

  In the Neutral Territories, Grimlock fights The Fallen and his acolytes, but is quickly knocked unconscious when The Fallen drains his energy. Jetfire vaguely recognizes The Fallen from Cybertron's ancient past, a being from before the planet's Golden Age, and is also quickly rendered unconscious. Dragging the two Autobots behind him, the Fallen sends Bludgeon and his team to get "the third," and vows to secure "the fourth" himself -- and as they leave, Shockwave re-awakens...

  Back at the Autobase at Iacon, Prowl's forces are recovering from their battle against Trypticon (see last issue). Prowl notes that things seem to be going out of control, which prompts Trailbreaker to mention Jetfire's theory that someone may be manipulating events. The Autobots then receive a message from Swoop, who tell them about Jetfire's rendezvous with Shockwave and Grimlock's planned ambush -- but now there's no sign of any of them in the Neutral Territories. Both sides agree to investigate further and share their findings. Prowl signs off just as the intruder alarms at Autobase are activated! Hound reports it's an internal alert -- Jazz, Sunstreaker, and Mirage are fighting off the abrupt arrival of The Fallen, who's after an Autobot prisoner in the lower levels...

  Elsewhere, the Protectobots are reviewing their recent battle against Devastator (from issue #3); Defensor was a mindless beast against Devastator, even though the Protectobots were supposedly redesigned to avoid such a problem. First Aid suggests they stop and take a rest, only to be proven wrong a moment later when Bludgeon, Mindwipe, and Bugly attack! The Protectobots are quickly decimated, thanks in part to Hot Spot refusing to have them form Defensor, and the acolytes quickly capture him...

  Back at Autobase, The Fallen easily cuts through Jazz, Sunstreaker, and Mirage, then frees the Autobots' prisoner -- Blitzwing, a twisted new experiment from Shockwave. In the Command/Tactical center, Bumblebee sets up a containment field to keep the intruders from escaping, but The Fallen easily destroys it and leaves. Prowl orders a damage assessment team to clean up the mess, and wonders about Jetfire's involvement...

  At the Well of All Sparks, Jetfire awakens, finding himself -- along with Grimlock, Hot Spot, and Blitzwing -- strapped to platforms around a central pillar. The Fallen activates the pillar, firing a beam of brilliant energy at a mystic artifact below. The Fallen explains that this is a war of the gods, that an eons-old stalemate is now coming to an end, and when the Seal of Primus breaks ... chaos will follow!