Transformers #18 or “The Terrance and Phillip Special” is both interesting and infuriating in equal measure as we once again cut away from directly talking about the main plot to focus instead on another completely new batch of characters, as we’re introduced to Arcee, her mentee Gauge, and their friend Greenlight. The three of them are debating leaving Cybertron in the face of the growing violence, and following what happened to poor Bumblebee’s mentee, Rubble.
Their conversation is rudely interrupted by the collapse of the giant tether that had been attached to one of Cybertron’s moons, the one that was under attack by the titan Vigilem in the previous issue. In the devastation and panic that follows Arcee tangles with some looters who made the mistake of shooting at Gauge and makes the decision that yes, it might be time to be anywhere other than on Cybertron right now. Following some impressive heroics they make it to one of the last ships off the planet, hooking up with one of the smaller factions – The Reversionists. We will, it seems, learn more about them and what happens to Arcee and her friends in sister series Transformers: Galaxies.
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This is most definitely the action episode, with there being hardly any downtime from the moment the tether begins to fall to when Arcee and her friends make it aboard the ship. There are also some brief cameos by other Gen 1 Transformers in the shape of Red Alert and Inferno, which is nice to see. Then everything explodes and the story rushes on and leaves them behind.
Whatever happens next, there’s certainly no going back now. Megatron has set the ball rolling on a series of events which will change the planet forever, not just in terms of ideologies but also in terms of the sheer damage being wrought by the collapse of the tether onto the planet. Now there’s just the downward slide into anarchy and war. As Ambassador Kosh once said: “The avalanche has begun, it is too late for the pebbles to vote”. All Orion Pax’s hopes of negotiation and harmony have been crushed beneath Megatron’s feet as he pursues his agenda but there are still so many different little arcs going on.
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What does Cyclonus intend to do, what are the Voin going to do, what action will Sentinel Prime take, what will Orion Pax do, where will Vigilem go next and will Termegax do something when she realises what’s happening outside of her self-imposed exile? So many moving parts, so much story still to unravel over the next few issues. I can’t wait to see where we go from here.
Transformers #18 is out now from IDW Publishing.
