Spotlight: Sideswipe

Hound's team arrives on Earth to attack Grindcore and Straxus. Sideswipe postulates to himself that everyone thinks he wanted to come to Earth for Sunstreaker. This is true, but not for the reason they think... Sideswipe reveals that Sunstreaker has treated him like a rookie all his life, and he sees rescuing him from whatever trouble he's gotten himself into as a way of stepping out of his shadow. He seems more than happy to kick Grindcore's skidplate while the others secure the space bridge, and Ultra Magnus gives them all a convenient rundown of what is going on.

At the Benzuli Expanse, the crew of the Mirror-Manifold is about to be destroyed by Cyclonus, but they are beamed out seconds before their ship explodes by the Technobots in the Nightbird. The Autobot scientists waste no time in presenting them with their own personal Pretender carapaces. They exit the cargo ship, wanting to take on Cyclonus personally.

Meanwhile, Jetfire works at Garrus-9 with an axis cradle to subdue the enslaved Thunderwing on Corata-Vaz, giving Springer and his crew the chance to get to the Nega-Core. Unfortunately, the plan suffers a minor setback when Bludgeon (under the control of Jhiaxus) cuts through the wall, distracting Jetfire enough to reactivate the monstrosity.

Upstairs, things take an unexpected turn for Nemesis Prime. The so-called "Darkness" he covets seems more interested in the new Prime, reaching out to Optimus Prime. It seems the Darkness is not so different from the Matrix, seeking to be passed on to a successor. Nemesis is no longer in charge of the power, but will not take it lying down. He unleashes an attack on Optimus, keeping him at a distance to keep in control. Optimus tries to reason with him, but Nemesis is not swayed, convinced that it is the next evolutionary step and that the Cybertronians will serve as a template for a new species. Optimus is determined to stop him, as someone watches from the shadows...

On Earth, Sideswipe tells Hound and the others to leave the Cybertronians to him, to which Hound responds it was an honor to serve with him. The group splits up, the majority of them going to grab the Nega-Cores while Skram fetches Arcee from beating on Monstructor. The young Autobot realizes it is a losing battle, but he regards it as a good way to die; he feels his rivalry with Sunstreaker is nothing compared to what is going on, and if anything, he has proven to himself what he is capable of doing.

Things seem to be falling apart for Jhiaxus. He stops himself from killing Jetfire, and the Autobot knows there is too much for him to handle all at once, what with the Pretenders breaching the Benzuli Expanse and the Nega-Cores being removed from their locations. Just as Hot Rod reports that the fourth space bridge leads to Gorlam Prime, Arcee is already there, slicing off the Cybertronian's arm before he can do anything else.

Meanwhile, things look bleak for Optimus Prime, but he is determined to stop Nemesis Prime. But just as the fallen Prime counts his victory, Galvatron blasts his leader in the back. Nemesis falls over dead, while the Darkness finally enters Optimus. Prime resists as best he can, but it is a losing battle...until Galvatron offers him a choice: kill himself in the nearby solar pool, or willingly pass on the Darkness to the one who has desired it for so long. It was the reason he plunged the first Ark into the Dead Universe, and he wants what he feels is rightfully his. Optimus seems to relent, reaching out to Galvatron... but at the last minute, just as he passes on the power, he hurls the surprised bot into the pool. Optimus looks over the body of Nemesis, telling himself that he can't mourn him because, in truth, Nova Prime died a long time ago.

The Pretenders successfully push the stasis-trapped Nega-Cores into the Expanse, getting out just before they explode and cause the anomaly to close. The effect is felt all over the galaxy; Sideswipe turns to see Straxus and Grindcore dead, cut off from the power of the Dead Universe. He beams himself back to his ship, finding after all he went through, he just doesn't care about Sunstreaker anymore, and perhaps never did in the end...

Ya know, maybe I shouldn't have experimented on her.

Meanwhile, Jhiaxus flees the rampaging Arcee, who is cutting through his Micromasters, and heads for the gateway below. He is sure she will not cross over and sacrifice her life in this universe... but reckons without the reappearance of Hardhead—now a permanent resident of the Dead Universe—who distracts the ancient Cybertronian long enough for Arcee to tear him to pieces. Arcee comments on Jhiaxus's inability to die, to which Hardhead remarks that while the amoral scientist is on the border of the two universes, he is practically immortal. This seems to suit Arcee fine, and she decides simply to kill Jhiaxus again. And again. And again...

Some time later, Jetfire muses on what has happened. He has been keeping an eye on Gorlam Prime, the residents out of their chrysalis period, evolving into something very different. In fact, the planet is no longer called Gorlam Prime. The locals now call it Cybertron. For the Autobots, it has not been an easy time; certain events have driven them to the brink. But at least for the fallen Cybertronians, it is finally ended. The Expansion is over.

But not quite. Back on Garrus-9, someone has survived...

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots

Decepticons

Others

Sandstorm (29)
Whirl (30)
Optimus Prime (33)
Arcee (39)
Hot Rod (44)
Fastlane (45)
Cloudraker (46)
Hardhead (51)

Sixshot (10)
Thunderwing (28)
Bludgeon (31)
Banzaitron (35)
Vortex (36)
Gutcruncher (38)
Brawl (40)
Onslaught (41)
Blast Off (42)
Axer (43)

Quotes

"Earth -- At last! The others think it's all about Sunstreaker. And it is. Just not in the way they think. All I want is to save his sorry hide and step out of his shadow forever!"

—Sideswipe, full of angst.

"Congratulations, Jetfire, you have graduated from an irritation to a full blown nuisance. And in doing so... You merit an untidy death."

—Jhiaxus thinks a mere spanking is too lenient.

"I command The Darkness, Optimus Prime, not you."
"It... commands you!"

—Nemesis Prime refuses to believe Optimus Prime's assertion that he's yesterday's Prime.

"What's the matter, Jhiaxus...things not quite going to plan? Can't quite manage Bludgeon and...be aware of what's happening on other fronts? Maybe you're worried, maybe you're wondering just how much we all ready know..and how much more we'll find out? Question is, can you afford the time and effort to kill me...with your entire strategy about to fall apart?"

—Jetfire mocks Jhiaxus' inability to multi-task.

"Cold. Ancient. Terrible. Wonderful. Heart of darkness, it speaks to me. Please no, let me be strong."

—Optimus Prime, member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

"I wish I could find it within me to mourn your passing, Nova Prime, but in truth you died a long time ago. The part of you that mattered, the part of you that was a Prime, was lost as soon as you turned away from the light...and embraced the Darkness."

—Optimus Prime will not mourn Nova Prime, but he will eulogize him.

"In the calm after the storm, I think of Sunstreaker. Maybe alive, maybe dead, certainly in some kind of purgatory... Possibly of his own making! And I find I just don't care. Maybe I never did. I trigger my Orbital Jump recall... And don't look back."

—Sideswipe.

"Yeah? Hm. Actually, that suits me fine. Means I can keep killing him... Again... And again... And again... And again..."

—Arcee finally gets her happy ending. Jhiaxus has had better days.

Notes

Continuity notes

Due to the truncated nature of Revelation, several threads are left hanging, most notably the fates of Monstructor and Sixshot. Due to the existence of Decepticon gestalts a year later, Furman has said we should assume the Decepticons got hold of Monstructor and that he likes the idea that the Autobots executed an offline Thunderwing and Sixshot (He would like the idea of killing more characters off).^[1] However, Sixshot would later reappear in Spotlight: Metroplex and explain that the Decepticons revived him in exchange for Jhiaxus's technology. Bludgeon and Monstructor show up later as well, leaving Thunderwing as the only one "officially" unaccounted for.
In closing, Jetfire makes references to other miniseries: All Hail Megatron, and the then-upcoming Maximum Dinobots.
Due to the truncated nature of the series, the outcome of the fight between Banzaitron's team and Monstructor is not revealed. It will later be confirmed that Monstructor was captured and that Axer, Gutcruncher, and the Combaticons survived but the fate of Banzaitron himself is unknown.
The Autobot Pretender shells are different from the Decepticon ones seen previously in IDW's storyline; there's no indication these could transform, and they resemble armored suits rather than organic horrors. Unlike the toys, the armor does not make them look like 50-foot-tall humans.

Trivia

E. J. Su handled full art duties on this issue; penciling, inking, and coloring the entire issue. The result is beautiful.
The original plan was for Sideswipe actually to catch up with Sunstreaker and realize "he's no longer just Sunstreaker!" The story would also delve into what a "brother" was for a Transformer, whereas in the printed version, there's no mention of brotherhood at all.^[2] The printed version clearly features a darker and less brotherly version of Sideswipe and Sunstreaker's relationship.
Despite this being Sideswipe's Spotlight issue, the titular character only appears on a mere 7 out of 22 pages.
In a reply on his blog before Spotlight: Sideswipe was released, Simon Furman warned in advance, "I know for a fact not everyone's going to be happy with the way Revelation plays out" due to the sheer amount of stuff that had to be crammed into a final issue.^[3]
The final transformation of Gorlam Prime into a new Cybertron is similar to the backstory of the GoBots; it also calls back to Spotlight: Nightbeat, in which Nightbeat wondered if the original Cybertron had once been an organic world, only for everyone to "upgrade" themselves.
Arcee is freaking terrifying.
Originally (the differently plotted) Revelation would have led into the six-issue miniseries Expansion, until the latter was canceled in favor of All Hail Megatron.

Errors

"A" for effort, E.J.

Both Cover A and Cover B have an errant extra Autobot symbol floating around. On Cover A, it is located on Sideswipe's right forearm, and on Cover B, it is located in Sideswipe's armpit. Darn you, Photoshop layers!
As seen at right, Blast Off is portrayed as being extremely large in robot mode as compared to the other Combaticons in the one scene in which he appears. This might have been an attempt on E.J. Su's part to justify Blast Off's usual space shuttle alt-mode without resorting to size changing. This makes sense, until you consider that the Combaticons haven't taken Earth vehicle modes at this point in the continuity. Also consider that Blast Off has appeared twice before, in Stormbringer and Spotlight: Arcee and both times he was depicted as being normal or average-sized as compared to his comrades.
When Galvatron asks for the Darkness, he forgets to use the word "to".

Covers

Cover A: Sideswipe amongst rubble, fourth part of 4-issue image by E. J. Su.
Cover B: Sideswipe doing an uppercut, surrounded by the series' major players; art by Nick Roche. This cover art was reused for the TPB cover.
Cover RI Front-to-back cover of Doubledealer and Sideswipe, parts 3 and 4 of a 4-issue image by E. J. Su.

Round 1... FIGHT!
SHINRYUKEN!
Final Battle!

Beast Wars Sourcebook
The Dreamland Chronicles figurines
The Dreamland Chronicles comic
All Hail Megatron
Transformers Animated comics
Nightwings
Star Trek: Romulans: The Hollow Crown
Igor Movie Prequel
Adventures in Oz
Comics Grading Corporation
Presidential Material comics and merchandise (back cover)

Reprints

The Transformers: Spotlight Volume 4: Revelation (February 4, 2009) ISBN 1600104215 / ISBN 978-1600104213
The Transformers: The Premiere Collection Volume 2 (June 17, 2009) ISBN 1600104371 / ISBN 978-1600104374
The Transformers: The IDW Collection Volume Four (May 25, 2011) ISBN 978-1600109386
The Transformers: Spotlight Omnibus Volume 2 (September 9, 2015) ISBN 1613779429 / ISBN 978-1613779422
Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 42: Revelation (October 17, 2018)

Spotlight Volume 4: Revelation – cover art by Nick Roche
The Premiere Collection Volume 2 – cover art by Nick Roche & Josh Burcham
The IDW Collection Volume Four – cover art by E. J. Su
Spotlight Omnibus Volume 2 – cover art by Jeffrey Veregge
The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 42: Revelation – cover art by Don Figueroa and Nick Roche