Foundation issue 4

« Foundation #4 »
Publisher	IDW Publishing
First published	May 18, 2011
Writer	John Barber
Art	Andrew Griffith
Colors	Priscilla Tramontano
Letters	Chris Mowry
Editor	Andy Schmidt
Cover	Brian Rood Andrew Griffith
Continuity	Live-action film series

Optimus Prime and Megatron have their fated clash... but what events drove the Autobot leader to force this violent showdown? All is finally revealed as the Autobots make their ill-fated push to end the war.

Synopsis

As Optimus Prime faces off with Megatron in the Decepticon leader's citadel, Ironhide is attacked outside by Starscream and Shockwave. Optimus actively forces himself to ignore his friend's plight... Megatron's death must come first... death, for the fate he has damned Cybertron to...

Battle erupts around the temple at Simfur as the Autobots attempting to bring Sentinel Prime's mysterious torch into contact with the AllSpark are confronted by Megatron and boxed in by his Decepticon army, approaching from the rear. With Optimus Prime covering them and holding Megatron off, Elita-One, Chromia and Arcee are able to enter the temple and activate the torch, which Elita then rushes into the hands of Sentinel, waiting far from the battlefield by the two great Arks that have been prepared to carry the Autobots away. Sentinel instructs Wheeljack to take one of the Arks to Tyger Pax and collect the rest of the Autobot forces, while he takes the torch aboard his own Ark and goes to collect Optimus and the warriors battling at Simfur. Upon arrival, however, the Ark is attacked by Starscream, and is unable to match his firepower. A huge fireball consumes the vessel... and then, it is gone, with only a few burning spots indicating it had ever existed. The horrified Autobots fall back, and Optimus Prime embarks on his new mission... to find and kill Megatron for what he has wrought.

Optimus and Megatron begin their battle within the citadel, but after only one blast is exchanged, Prime trumps Megatron's gambit with one of his own. While he has been making his way to the citadel, the other Autobots, led by Wheeljack, have attacked Simfur again, overcoming the battle-wearied Decepticons, and stolen the AllSpark. When the cube is disconnected from the machine that had summoned a sun for Cybertron, the star warming the planet disappears, and Cybertron is plunged into darkness once more. Prime leaves Megatron to fight off the starving hatchlings, which begin to swarm over his body, and goes to Ironhide's aid, downing Starscream and Soundwave and carrying Ironhide in a retreat to safety. Casting the hatchlings off, Megatron stumbles out after them, but they are gone... and Megatron vows the deaths of every Autobot for their infamy.

Prime and Ironhide meet back up with the other Autobots to make preparation for what to do next with the AllSpark. Elita-One can barely look at Prime, their relationship forever broken through the Autobot leader's actions. This is not a surprise to Optimus... he has always known that he can never live up to Sentinel's ideal, because before he can be a great Prime, he must first be a great 'bot in and of himself, and as his lust for vengeance today has proven, that is an ideal he is far from reaching. Somewhere in the universe, Optimus hopes, there is a world of freedom and peace that he can find for his Autobots, leaving Cybertron for Megatron to choke with his reign of fear... and one day, he will find it.

Featured Characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"The future of the Decepticon empire can be very, very cranky when they're hungry."

– Megatron

"I don't know how long Arcee and I will be able to hold them off!"
"How odd...I know exactly how long."

– Megatron makes short work of Arcee and Chromia.

"Optimus, I know what Sentinel meant to you. You need friends now."
"Leave me alone, Elita. All I need is Megatron – dead."

– Elita and Optimus

Notes

• This issue bridges the gap between Defiance and the original Movie Prequel, taking place during the large swathe of time that Defiance #4 glosses over.

Covers (2)

• Cover A: Megatron, Optimus Prime, Cybertron and Earth by Brian Rood
• Cover RI: Megatron by Andrew Griffith and Priscilla Tramontano

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