Balancing Act, Pt 5

Sentinel Maximus and Vector Prime fight Ramjet and Nemesis Prime in the spark chamber core of Cybertron, trying to stop them from destroying the multiverse.

Synopsis

Vector Prime and Sentinel Maximus stand in the way of Ramjet and Nemesis Prime, ready to stop them from reaching Primus' spark at the center of Cybertron. Vector and Ramjet unsheathe their swords as Sentinel Maximus unsuccessfully attempts to goad Nemesis Prime into a fight to delay him before giving chase instead. Meanwhile, Skyfall, shocked by the destruction caused by Ramjet, helps Downshift remove the scythe sticking him to the wall.

Above ground, Quickslinger is wondering how she managed to get a splinter when her ordinary day is suddenly interrupted by Vector Prime and Ramjet breaking through the service. Ramjet insists that he is right that in order for the balance to be preserved Primus must die. Back below ground, Nemesis Prime continues to shrug off Sentinel Maximus' digital autoguns and missiles and is informed by Vector Prime that if he fails everything will die. Sentinel Maximus transforms back into robot mode as Nemesis releases his arsenal on him, sarcastically remarking "no pressure."

Ramjet insists that both he and Vector serve the same master: balance. He offers to spare Primus if he helps restore Unicron, but the ancient Transformer shouts that as long as he functions Unicron will remain dead, knocking Ramjet back. Ramjet retorts that Vector Prime is blinded, that Primus' own plan to contain him failed, and that if he continues along this path he will sacrifice all of reality since without chaos order cannot hold. Still, Vector insists balance can be restored without Unicron while beating back Ramjet. All the while, Skyfall follows the two battling mechs in jet mode.

Meanwhile, at the core, Nemesis Prime enters and blasts the doorway shut, sealing Sentinel Maximus off. Nemesis remarks at how weary life has made him and, unleashing the Dead Matrix, prepares to drown out the light.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Notes

• Characters mentioned but who do not appear include: Primus and Unicron.
• This installment is seven pages long, instead of the usual six.

Continuity notes

• Ramjet, in dialogue with Vector Prime, attributes Primus's failed attempts at burning Unicron away in a newborn star as the cause of the black hole, referring to the ending of the Energon animated series. He even goes as far as to comment that a half-dozen planets paid the price for this mistake. Sorry, Alpha Q.

Transformers references

• Quickslinger, Shawn D. Tessmann's original character who is a redeco of Cybertron Ransack, gets a two-panel cameo. Tune in next issue to find out how to customize your very own!
• Sentinel Maximus once again uses digital versions of Apelinq's dual impact maces.

Reprints

• 2007 — Transformers: Cybertron: Balancing Act