The Transformers: Escalation
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The Transformers: Escalation is a six-issue comic book miniseries, published by IDW Publishing, based on the Transformers and following on from The Transformers: Infiltration. The series launched in November 2006 and will end in April 2007.
Contents |
[edit] Plot summary
Escalation begins showing the Machination practicing for their strike against the Autobots. At the Autobot base Ratchet tells Verity, Hunter and Jimmy that they have to go home. A furious Hunter believes that Prowl has done this - unaware that Prowl is simply following orders from Optimus Prime himself, who wants the humans gone for their own safety. As Ironhide and Sunstreaker escort the humans home, the Machination attack using robotic drones, seemingly killing Sunstreaker and Hunter, who was riding within him. Elsewhere, Megatron has taken command of the Earth Decepticon unit, warning them there will be no toleration of any more failures, and ordering them to activate the facsimiles.
Issue 2 begins on Capital Hill in flashback, as Runabout acquires an unscrupulous Senator for the Decepticons' own purposes. In the present, Prime, Wheeljack and Jazz attempt to locate Sunstreaker's body. Jazz and Wheeljack are temporarily disabled by the Machination, but Prime stops the truck carrying Sunstreaker's body, simply letting it smash into him. Prime's strength is amazing, as the speeding truck does not even jar him. Back at the Ark, Ratchet reveals that "Sunstreaker" is simply a fake created by the Machination, indicating both he and Hunter may still be alive. Verity and Jimmy are delighted, unaware a news broadcast is showing the same Senator seen at the start as a hopeful for the U.S. Presidency. The Decepticons, meanwhile, have escalated tensions in a disputed area by bombing a power plant, while Megatron, now in his familiar Earthen pistol mode, looks for somewhere to test it.
Issue 3 begins with Megatron, Blitzwing and Skywarp appearing in the disputed breakaway Soviet state of Brasnya, looking to stir up an international confrontation. Using his newly acquired pistol mode (via mass displacement) and a local human facsimile Megatron destroys an oil pipeline and attacks a Russian vehicle convoy, dispatching Blitzwing in his Soviet tank mode to ambush the Brasnyan response. Prime learns of Megatron's involvement and, over Ironhide's protests to go looking for Sunstreaker, elects to lead a team in personally to stop Megatron and capture the facsimile. Ratchet then discovers that Verity and Jimmy have discovered where the manufacturer of the fake Sunstreaker is. Prime's team land in Brasnya, unaware they are heading into the gunsights of Blitzwing. Megatron calls in Skywarp and Astrotrain as the Autobot reinforcements (Nightbeat, Hot Rod and Hardhead) arrive in orbit. Elsewhere Verity, Jimmy and Ratchet are interrupted by Ironhide, who insists on going with them.
Issue 4 begins with Hunter seemingly being prepared for some sort of surgery. Verity's group have tracked down the manufacturer of the fake Sunstreaker. Verity wants to go in, although Ironhide is cautious due to the Machination's habiot of destroying their bases. However, Verity and Jimmy insist on going in. In Brasnya, Prime heads to confront Megatron, with his Roller drone taking out Blitzwing. Prime confronts Megatron, as the rest of his unit open fire. Megatron orders the facsimile to self decommision. The Autobots pursue, but are interrupted by a teleporting Skywarp and Astrotrain. Prowl attempts a suicide run to capture the facsimile, but is saved from Astrotrain by the newly arrived Hardhead. Closing in on the facsimile, he is unintentionally cut off by Hot Rod, allowing the facsimile to escape. Prime is then confronted by Megatron transforming from gun mode, who tells him that it is time to finish it once and for all... Elsewhere, Verity and Jimmy discover that the shop is indeed the right place, only to trigger one of the security systems and be knocked out by gas as a countdown begins.
Issue 5 begins with a mysterious interlude to a Machination compound in Florida, where an unidentified and seemingly badly damaged Decepticon in shadow confers with his human accomplice on their test subject. In Brasnya, Prime and Megatron clash, with Megatron threatening to kill all the human witnesses. Prime destroys his fusion cannon but is severely outmatched in close combat and is eventually taken out. Meanwhile, the Autobots force Skywarp to retreat to bring back reinforcements, and Prowl and Hot Rod manage to co-operate, securing the facsimile and convincing the Russians to leave. Back in Indiana, Ironhide smashes into the building to rescue Verity and Jimmy, finding them unconscious and a countdown under way. Elsewhere in America, an organization called Skywatch, working "in the national interest", has taken over the digsite that uncovered Shockwave and the Dinobots (in #1 of The Transformers: Spotlight)
The story is ongoing.
[edit] Notes
Beyond Escalation, Furman hopes to have the Headmasters and Predacons appear. He also would like to have the Japanese G1 characters appear at some point.[1]
[edit] Trivia
- In issue 4, the name of the garage that the Machination are using is giving as Ideas and Design Works - the full name of Transformers publisher IDW Publishing.
