Devastation issue 5

	; Holy crap, I have Pat Lee legs!
Publisher	IDW Publishing
First published	February 6, 2008
Cover date	January 2008
Written by	Simon Furman
Art by	E. J. Su
Colors by	Zac Atkinson
Color assist by	Josh Burcham and Kris Carter
Letters by	Robbie Robbins
Edits by	Andrew Steven Harris and Chris Ryall
Continuity	2005 IDW continuity
Chronology	Devastation

The Reapers take on the Decepticons while Starscream makes his move.

Synopsis

Long before the war made it to Earth, Starscream discusses with Megatron about how the newly created Sixshot may be too powerful—what would happen if he turned on Megatron? Megatron, however, is not worried—he had the smarts to prepare an "off switch" for Sixshot, should he ever need it.

In the present, the Reapers attack the Decepticon Command Bunker in Oregon. Megatron demands information from Blitzwing, who gives him obvious observations. Megatron is not impressed. He asks where Astrotrain is, and Blitzwing makes up a quick lie to hide the truth, as Astrotrain is scheming with Starscream. Sixshot arrives and blasts a hole in the Reapers' ship. The Deathbringer observes his arrival, and converses with another Reaper, saying that Sixshot will be given another chance to join him, or be destroyed with the other Decepticons.

On the Ark-32, Jazz, still missing his right arm, is watching as Ratchet attempts to zap Jimmy Pink and Verity Carlo back to life. At this point, they have been technically dead for 5.62 Earth minutes and even if they are revived, "there's every chance that they'll have sustained critical brain damage". Ratchet manages to get their hearts beating again, but their brain status is unknown. On the bridge, Prowl tells Hardhead that they're the only ones available, as Ratchet has to tend to Bumblebee and Jazz, while Nightbeat works on information from Hound's unit. Optimus Prime also has a conversation with Jetfire, who mentions Jhiaxus.

Wheeljack and Hot Rod are at the junkyard searching for Ironhide, but the Machination Headmasters find them and take Wheeljack out by knocking some junk cars on top of him. Hot Rod then responds by playing chicken with the Headmaster (in vehicle mode), easily and effectively taking the "amateur" out of commission. But as soon as he does, two more Sunstreaker clones enter the scene.

Holy sound effects, Batman!

At the Machination headquarters in Tampa, Hunter O'Nion emerges from the Headmaster process in pain. When a scientist sees him and sounds the alarm, Hunter punches him through the door with newfound strength. He makes his way to the "factory floor" and prepares to take one of the Sunstreaker clone bodies for a spin.

As the Reapers attack Decepticon headquarters, Sixshot, assuming this is another invitation, tells them he isn't interested. The Deathbringer explains that if doesn't join them, then he will be destroyed—if not by the Reapers, then by his own isolation, which will drive him to madness. The Deathbringer offers him one more chance, if only to save his sanity. Sixshot appears conflicted, and Megatron is shocked and angered by this. It's completely replaced with shock when the siege armor opens, and out comes Starscream, calling out Sixshot. This apparently pushes Sixshot to side with the Reapers, as he thanks Starscream for "making this decision that much easier". It's a short fight, though. Starscream utters Megatron's failsafe—"Reset: Pi-Orion-Actual-Orbit. Enable."—and Sixshot crashes violently to the ground. Starscream then proceeds to bomb the Reapers heavily. Having witnessed Starscream's return, Megatron informs Astrotrain and the others that he "sees everything so very clearly now". But putting all that aside, Megatron sees the matter at hand and orders the Decepticons to attack the Reapers.

On Ark-32, Optimus Prime informs Prowl that they need to retrieve Wheeljack and Hot Rod. They are pulling out to see to one of those other crises Prowl mentioned earlier: The secure facility on Garrus-9 has been breached, and Prime and company need to make sure that some of the "recent inmates" there don't end up in enemy hands. Earth is going to have to deal with the Decepticons and Reapers on its own.

However, a Skywatch bigwig gives the order to "take whichever of the Eureka-six is most advanced and get them prepped for combat"—it is Grimlock.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons	Humans	Others
Ratchet (14) Jazz (15) Hardhead (18) Prowl (19) Nightbeat (20) Optimus Prime (21) Jetfire (22) Wheeljack (23) Hot Rod (24) Sunstreaker (26) Grimlock (28)	Megatron (1) Sixshot (2) Starscream (3) Blitzwing (4) Thundercracker (5) Skywarp (8) Runabout (9) Runamuck (12) Astrotrain (13)	Verity Carlo (16) Jimmy Pink (17) Hunter O'Nion (27)	Ravenous Reaper (6) Other Reapers (7) Deathbringer (10) Klaxa (11) Sunstreaker clones (25)

Quotes

Megatron: "Who are they?"
Blitzwing: "We don't know, Megatron."
Megatron: "What do they want?"
Blitzwing: "Er, ditto."
Megatron: "Tell me something, Blitzwing, or so help me, I'll eviscerate you as thoroughly as I did Starscream!"
Blitzwing: "Um. They're...alien. A mishmash of species. And they're, er...HOSTILE!"
Megatron: "You don't say."

—Megatron doesn't buy Blitzwing's bluffing.

Notes

Continuity notes

The Eureka Six are Shockwave and the Dynobots.

Transformers references

Real-life references

Hunter fires off a couple of '60s song references as he makes his getaway, commenting that "I gotta get outta this place" and that his new Sunstreaker clone body will be his "ticket to ride".
On page 3, panel 1, one of the silhouetted Reapers appears to be based on recurring Ultraman series antagonist Alien Baltan, distinguished by its V-shaped head crest and upwards-held pincers.
Similarly, a three-headed dragon Reaper silhouetted on page 20, panel 6, closely resembles Godzilla's enduring nemesis King Ghidorah.

Errors

Thundercracker is colored purple in 2 frames. This is corrected in the trade.
Ratchet's head and chevron color are again colored differently than usual. This is also corrected in the trade.
Runamuck and Runabout's colors are switched in the second panel of page 4. An attempt is made to correct this in the trade...but the Battlechargers' colors are switched in the FIRST panel this time, making it so now BOTH panels have the wrong colors for the duo. Uhm, it's the thought that counts?

Other trivia

In the Decepticomments section, editor Andrew Steven Harris answers mail and reminds readers about a contest to give him a Transformers name.
On the inner rear cover, Transformers: Mosaic issue "The Curse" is featured.