What Lies Beneath

• Writer - Simon Furman
• Penciler - Joe Ng
• Inker - Elaine To
• Colorist - David Cheung
• Colorist - Jong-Im Lee
• Lettering - Ben Lee

Worlds Collide

Summary

  Cybertron is under attack by the Four Horsemen, who easily decimate all who oppose them. Optimus Prime recognizes them as twisted forms of Rhinox, Cheetor, Airrazor, and Terrorsaur, and recognizes Unicron's machinations at work. Even a direct charge from Optimus Prime does little more than to annoy Rhinox, who batters him about without effort.

  Meanwhile, on Earth, Scorponok fends off impatience as Divebomb performs the delicate task of setting up the energon collectors. Scorponok is eager to see how energon affects their new modes, a deliberate show of defiance against Unicron. Nearby, Battle Ravage continues to pursue the fleeing Kicker and Alexis. Despite her best efforts, however, Alexis upends their motorbike, allowing Battle Ravage enough time to catch up and pounce...!

  Optimus Prime is about to be killed by Rhinox when the cavalry arrives -- in the form of the Omnicons! Weilding weapons of pure energon, Skyblast, Arcee, Signal Flare, and Strongarm manage to temporarily batter back the Horsemen. Skyblast delivers a message from Over-run to Optimus Prime, to make contact with Cybertron once more (see issue #19); to Prime's surprise, he immediately contacts the Hub, and is instantly repaired and upgraded! With their new powers of combination, Optimus Prime, Hot Shot, Inferno, Jetfire, and Ironhide join the fray and quickly repel the Horsemen. As their foes retreat, Prime prepares to head for Earth, a move now supported by the Autobot High Council.

  Back on Earth, Battle Ravage delivers Kicker and Alexis to a puzzled Scorponok. His curiousity is quickly answered when he scans the humans -- and discovers that Kicker is radiating energy!