Warning, many spoilers incoming.
Many spoilers.
It definitely felt like a backs-against-the-wall and doing everything imaginable to survive story, because this was the end of something for sure. Big fight feel. But I’ll be honest, not a big fight finish. Not the outcome I was expecting, and it didn’t entirely satisfy me. But let’s start with some real though-provoking moments, and something I’ve said since 1995.
The notion of Cybertronians, Transformers, whatever you want to call them, the notion they are a war-like race designed or programmed to conquer and expand their empire. Even the old school story begins telling us of a millions-year-long war between Autobots and Decepticons. The latter, want conquest. This premise in IDW has shown us a side, a very sinister side of both Decepticons and the Autobots when ruled by a dictator. Early IDW comics showed how other planets were experimented on by Shockwave or colonized by other Transformers. This leads into what brought “Unicron” into this universe. Not some god-like evil being, but a machine of revenge.
1995, I said Beast Wars was an evil abomination and is a blemish on Transformers. Having been integrated into different continuities allows some forgiveness on my part, but overall, the notion of complete organic-like beast transformers disgusted me. In IDW, all beastformers, dubbed only as “Maximals” are revealed to be an evil army serving Unicron. In other words, I was right, they are all evil and are destroyed en masse in this issue.
Glad to see they finally are treated the way they deserve.
But wait! Didn’t IDW do a Beast Wars series? Yes, but this was set in the original Beast Wars animated series continuity and has nothing to do with their ongoing series.
I expected some big culmination and epic finish, but in the end, it came down to asking forgiveness and a hug. Which was presented as a major major moment, but it didn’t do it for.
See, in this IDW Universe, Unicron is not the brother of Primus. Not some demon-god planet. Unicron is the machination of an alien race hell-bent on revenge for Transformers coming to their world and occupying it. One of the big Titans crashed and the Transformers living in it felt the residents were of no importance, so they killed the opposition, enslaved the rest and took over the planet. The Decepticon Shockwave knew of its existence, after all, we have been told Shockwave essentially went back in time, writing or re-writing the history of Cybertron and the Saga of the Primes all for some big endgame. What I never understood, is how it went unexplained Shockwave took over the identity of a “Prime” which he then later said he invented. Wouldn’t this mean he had to kill himself to carry out his four million year scheme? Or did the Primes already exist and he manipulated them?
Answers notwithstanding, the final result is what we expected. Optimus Prime goes all Optimus Prime and appears to have sacrificed himself to end the destruction.
There was a lot of destruction. The death toll skyrockets in this issue, but we get some good ol’ fashioned combiners brawling it out. Betrayal happens, because it always happens among villains.
The sacrifice of characters seemed a bit too rushed and with little attention. I warned you, spoilers incoming. Starscream in all of two panels without any fanfare or attention-seeking antics, winds up sacrificing himself. No build, just, “Hey, I guess this is a one way trip…” and ka-boom. Which on the one hand does stun the characters bearing witness, as this is not Starscream at all, but then it feels very trope-like to suddenly have a character so self-absorbed to suddenly go out with a whimper and no bang, it’s a bit disappointing. Some other pages with similar sacrifices, as though there was a mentality of “we’re going to die anyway, right?”
This review seems harsh, but I was afraid of this. The past issues of Unicron and Optimus Prime were good, but nothing wowed me or kept my glued like Lost Light. Geez, the final issue, Lost Light #25 was a graceful swan song of all its stories. Unicron/Optimus Prime did build the epic battle, but fizzled out towards the end. Maybe I expected too much?
Much of the old guard is dead, a few panels of crossover with ROM the SpaceKnight, GI Joe, and MASK, but overall it focused on the survival of Earth, and the Transformers as the last line of defense. The good guys won, but the price was high. While not the issue I expected, it’s likely the one we deserved. Maybe I’ll re-re-read it and feel differently.
Up next is Optimus Prime #25, which I expect to be a eulogy of sorts for the fallen heroes.
Unicron #6 gets a 7-out-of-10
