The Transformers: Devastation
Encyclopedia
The Transformers: Devastation is a six-issue comic book
miniseries
, published by IDW Publishing
, based on the Transformers and following on from The Transformers: Escalation
. Issue 1 of Devastation was released on October 3, 2007, with issue 2 following on the 24th of October and was published monthly until February 2008. A follow-up entitled The Transformers: Revelation
then followed.
puzzling out the Machination events of both The Transformers: Infiltration
and The Transformers: Escalation
to Optimus Prime
and Prowl
. Prime attempts to get proactive by moving the Ark-19
to the Gulf of Mexico
. Megatron has called Sixshot
to Earth, and his blatant disregard for protocol forces the other Decepticons to awaken Starscream
. Sixshot nevertheless shoots down the Ark as it leaves Lake Michigan. Narrowly missing Knoxville it crashes in the sea, but not before jettisoning an escape pod with Ratchet
, Verity and Jimmy. After a long cross-country chase, the three are saved from Sixshot by the arrival of the rest of the Ark's crew emerging from the water. The subsequent battle exposes the Transformers to the world at large thanks to news footage. The Autobots pull out due to a human carpet bombing strike, but the humans are killed in the process by the teleport used. Ratchet manages to revive the humans, but Prime makes the decision to pull out of Earth due to the events of Spotlight: Arcee.
Elsewhere Hot Rod (after talking with Dealer
) and Wheeljack
have been sent to recover Ironhide
, but are ambushed by a group of Sunstreaker
clones. Despite outwitting them and escaping several, they are confronted by more - who reveal themselves as Headmasters
, though the two use Wheeljack's gadgets to escape. At the Machination compound, a surgically altered Hunter escapes captivity, and finds the decapitated head of the real Sunstreaker, who begs Hunter to kill him, revealing his mind is being used as the hub of the Machination army. A defiant Hunter decides to fight back by learning how to be a Headmaster. Elsewhere the Reapers arrive and attack the Decepticon base, forcing Megatron to recall Sixshot, while in the Dead Universe Nova Prime
(now known as Nemesis Prime
) dispatches Galvatron
to Earth.
The reappearance of the Reapers allows Sixshot to defect to their side, but he is taken out by Starscream, who uses an "off" code learned during his time as Megatron's bodyguard. A full scale battle ensues, with the other Decepticons (including Megatron) coming to Starscream's aid. They eventually win, with aid from Galvatron
who disappears with Sixshot's body, while the Decepticons' location is exposed to the US military. In the Machination compound Hunter escapes and locates a Sunstreaker copy body. He is attacked by Scorponok
(the "head" of the Machination seen in Escalation, now bonded with a human), but successfully bonds with the body and the real Sunstreaker's personality and escapes. The Headmasters catch up to Hot Rod and Wheeljack, immobilizing the latter. Hot Rod is saved by Hardhead
, but vows to stay on Earth to find out what's happened to Sunstreaker. Skywatch, having lost control of Ravage
and Laserbeak
due to interference from Soundwave
, reactivate Grimlock
to use against the increasing Transformer activity as the Ark leaves orbit, with Nightbeat
beginning to suspect someone has tampered with his memory. The final page has Galvatron, Nemesis Prime
and Jhiaxus
promising that the endgame is about to begin.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
, published by IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
, based on the Transformers and following on from The Transformers: Escalation
The Transformers: Escalation
The Transformers: Escalation is a six-issue comic book mini-series, published by IDW Publishing, based on the Transformers and following on from The Transformers: Infiltration. The series launched in November 2006 and ended in April 2007....
. Issue 1 of Devastation was released on October 3, 2007, with issue 2 following on the 24th of October and was published monthly until February 2008. A follow-up entitled The Transformers: Revelation
The Transformers: Revelation
The Transformers: Revelation is a comic book miniseries, published by IDW Publishing, based on the Generation One Transformers and following on from The Transformers: Devastation...
then followed.
Plot
The story begins with NightbeatNightbeat (Transformers)
-Transformers: Generation 1:Nightbeat is described as a tough, street-hardened detective who is not above resorting to dirty tricks in order to further his investigations...
puzzling out the Machination events of both The Transformers: Infiltration
The Transformers: Infiltration
The Transformers: Infiltration is a six-issue comic book mini-series, published by IDW Publishing, based on the Transformers. The series was previewed with a #0 in October, 2005, formally launched with #1 in January 2006 and ended with #6 in July....
and The Transformers: Escalation
The Transformers: Escalation
The Transformers: Escalation is a six-issue comic book mini-series, published by IDW Publishing, based on the Transformers and following on from The Transformers: Infiltration. The series launched in November 2006 and ended in April 2007....
to Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. Prime is the leader of the autobots, a faction of transforming robots from the planet Cybertron. The autobots are constantly waging war against a rival faction of transforming robots called Decepticons...
and Prowl
Prowl (Transformers)
Prowl is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers series. "Prowl" is one of the most re-used American names in the assorted Transformers series, and its use has become almost synonymous with Autobots who possess a police car alternate mode...
. Prime attempts to get proactive by moving the Ark-19
Ark (Transformers)
The Ark is an Autobot spacecraft in the Transformers Universe. It has appeared as a central fixture of the Transformers storyline ever since its creation, as the Autobots main method of transport to Earth and as a base once they arrive....
to the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. Megatron has called Sixshot
Sixshot
Sixshot is the name of two fictional characters from the various Transformers series. Introduced in 1987, Sixshot appeared in the last few episodes of the original US Transformers animated series, voiced by Neil Ross. His defining gimmick was that he had six different forms, not two like a normal...
to Earth, and his blatant disregard for protocol forces the other Decepticons to awaken Starscream
Starscream (Transformers)
Starscream is a fictional character in the Transformers franchise. He is one of the most prolific characters in the Transformers fictional work, appearing in almost all incarnations of the story. Starscream is usually portrayed with the same characterization...
. Sixshot nevertheless shoots down the Ark as it leaves Lake Michigan. Narrowly missing Knoxville it crashes in the sea, but not before jettisoning an escape pod with Ratchet
Ratchet (Transformers)
Ratchet is the name of several characters in the Transformers universes. According to the original creator of the Transformers names, Bob Budiansky, Ratchet was named after the character of Nurse Ratched from the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The name Ratchet is almost always portrayed as...
, Verity and Jimmy. After a long cross-country chase, the three are saved from Sixshot by the arrival of the rest of the Ark's crew emerging from the water. The subsequent battle exposes the Transformers to the world at large thanks to news footage. The Autobots pull out due to a human carpet bombing strike, but the humans are killed in the process by the teleport used. Ratchet manages to revive the humans, but Prime makes the decision to pull out of Earth due to the events of Spotlight: Arcee.
Elsewhere Hot Rod (after talking with Dealer
Doubledealer
Doubledealer is a fictional character from the Transformers series. He is a Decepticon Powermaster who can disguise himself as an Autobot. He should not be confused with Doubleclouder.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
) and Wheeljack
Wheeljack
Wheeljack is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Wheeljack is the mechanical engineer and scientist of the Autobots in the Transformers television and comic series based on the popular toy line produced by Takara and Hasbro. His...
have been sent to recover Ironhide
Ironhide
Ironhide is the name of several different fictional characters in the Transformers universes. According to the original creator of the Transformers names, Bob Budiansky, Ironhide was named after the television series Ironside.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
, but are ambushed by a group of Sunstreaker
Sunstreaker
Sunstreaker is the name of two fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. The first is one of the main Autobot cars from the original Transformers series...
clones. Despite outwitting them and escaping several, they are confronted by more - who reveal themselves as Headmasters
Headmaster (Transformers)
Headmasters are a sub-group of characters from the Transformers meta-series, distinguished by their ability to detach their heads when transforming into their alternate modes, with the heads then transforming themselves into a humanoid form...
, though the two use Wheeljack's gadgets to escape. At the Machination compound, a surgically altered Hunter escapes captivity, and finds the decapitated head of the real Sunstreaker, who begs Hunter to kill him, revealing his mind is being used as the hub of the Machination army. A defiant Hunter decides to fight back by learning how to be a Headmaster. Elsewhere the Reapers arrive and attack the Decepticon base, forcing Megatron to recall Sixshot, while in the Dead Universe Nova Prime
Prime Nova
Prime Nova is the name of a fictional character in the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation One:-Marvel Comics:In the Transformers universe, Prime Nova is regarded as the third holder of the Autobot Matrix of Leadership. Not much is known about Prime Nova, only that he was given...
(now known as Nemesis Prime
Nemesis Prime
Nemesis Prime is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers storyline. He is often depicted as an evil incarnation of Optimus Prime.-Transformers: Armada:...
) dispatches Galvatron
Galvatron
Galvatron is the name of several fictional Transformers, most often the recreated version of Megatron, the Decepticon leader. He was voiced by Leonard Nimoy in the 1986 Transformers movie, and then by Frank Welker in season 3 and 4 of the animated television series. Since then, other Transformers...
to Earth.
The reappearance of the Reapers allows Sixshot to defect to their side, but he is taken out by Starscream, who uses an "off" code learned during his time as Megatron's bodyguard. A full scale battle ensues, with the other Decepticons (including Megatron) coming to Starscream's aid. They eventually win, with aid from Galvatron
Galvatron
Galvatron is the name of several fictional Transformers, most often the recreated version of Megatron, the Decepticon leader. He was voiced by Leonard Nimoy in the 1986 Transformers movie, and then by Frank Welker in season 3 and 4 of the animated television series. Since then, other Transformers...
who disappears with Sixshot's body, while the Decepticons' location is exposed to the US military. In the Machination compound Hunter escapes and locates a Sunstreaker copy body. He is attacked by Scorponok
Scorponok
Scorponok is the name shared by several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. All are Decepticons that turn into Scorpoins.- Transformers: Generation 1:...
(the "head" of the Machination seen in Escalation, now bonded with a human), but successfully bonds with the body and the real Sunstreaker's personality and escapes. The Headmasters catch up to Hot Rod and Wheeljack, immobilizing the latter. Hot Rod is saved by Hardhead
Hardhead (Transformers)
Hardhead is the name of two fictional characters in the Transformers universes. The first is a stubborn Autobot tank, the second a simple minded Predacon dinosaur.- Transformers: Generation 1 :...
, but vows to stay on Earth to find out what's happened to Sunstreaker. Skywatch, having lost control of Ravage
Ravage (Transformers)
Ravage is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers universes. Due to the inability to trademark the common word "ravage", he is sometimes called Battle Ravage, Command Ravage or Tripredacus Agent...
and Laserbeak
Laserbeak
Laserbeak is the name given to several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. He is almost always a mechanical bird, and is partnered with Soundwave.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
due to interference from Soundwave
Soundwave (Transformers)
Soundwave is the name of several characters in the various series Transformers series. His most famous disguise is that of a microcassette recorder and has an iconic voice done by a vocoder.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
, reactivate Grimlock
Grimlock
Grimlock is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers universes. He is usually portrayed as a tough leader who turns into a mechanical dinosaur...
to use against the increasing Transformer activity as the Ark leaves orbit, with Nightbeat
Nightbeat (Transformers)
-Transformers: Generation 1:Nightbeat is described as a tough, street-hardened detective who is not above resorting to dirty tricks in order to further his investigations...
beginning to suspect someone has tampered with his memory. The final page has Galvatron, Nemesis Prime
Nemesis Prime
Nemesis Prime is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers storyline. He is often depicted as an evil incarnation of Optimus Prime.-Transformers: Armada:...
and Jhiaxus
Jhiaxus
Jhiaxus is a fictional character in the Transformers universes. He is an evil Decepticon jet.-Transformers: Generation 2:Unlike most of the notable characters in the Transformers comics, Jhiaxus is not based on a toy...
promising that the endgame is about to begin.
In relation to The Transformers: Spotlight
- Scorponok, here revealed as the "Head" of the Machination, was introduced in Spotlight: Ultra MagnusUltra MagnusUltra Magnus is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers storylines.-Transformers: Generation 1:The greatest Transformer of them all. A commander could want no finer a soldier than Ultra Magnus...
. Likewise, the concept of "transformable men" was also introduced in that story, which here evolves into the Headmaster process. - Soundwave was trapped in his alt-mode by BludgeonBludgeon (Transformers)Bludgeon is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers universes. For trademark reasons, he is now marketed by Hasbro as Decepticon Bludgeon. They are all Decepticon warriors who turn into tanks.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
in Spotlight: Soundwave. This is his first in-continuity appearance since. - The story of Sixshot and the Reapers was first explored in Spotlight: Sixshot.
- The Dead Universe storyline has been referred to Spotlight one-shots focusing on Nightbeat, Galvatron, Optimus Prime, and Arcee. Nightbeat had his memory tampered with in his own Spotlight and was asked to investigate LeadfootLeadfoot (Transformers)Leadfoot is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers series. First introduced in 1994, all the characters named Leadfoot have been heroic Autobots who turn into cars...
's death in Galvatron. Nova/Nemesis PrimeNemesis PrimeNemesis Prime is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers storyline. He is often depicted as an evil incarnation of Optimus Prime.-Transformers: Armada:...
's background was detailed in Optimus Prime, as was that of Jhiaxus. - Dealer/Doubledealer was introduced in Spotlight: Hot Rod as a Decepticon spy tasked to retrieve a powerful object called the Magnificence from Hot Rod.
- The events that cause Prime to pull out of Earth are detailed in Spotlight: Arcee, where the Decepticons take the MonstructorMonster PretendersThe Monster Pretenders are a group of fictional Decepticons in the Transformers franchise. The team is the last of the traditional combiners from the Generation 1 series and is one of the few non-Micromaster combiner teams to have six members .-Transformers: Generation...
components from Garrus-9.
In relation to The Transformers: Escalation
- The DinobotsDinobotsDinobots is the name of several teams of characters in the fictional Transformers Universe. The groups are made up of several robots, each of whose transformed mode is that of a dinosaur or similar prehistoric animal. They are called Dinotrons in the Japanese version; and ' in the Japanese dub of...
and ShockwaveShockwave (Transformers)Shockwave is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers series. Throughout his incarnations, he is usually distinguished by a laser cannon in lieu of one of his hands and his distinctive face, which is featureless save a single robotic eye...
were taken by Skywatch in issue 5 of Escalation, and are still being excavated as Grimlock is reactivated here. - Sunstreaker and Hunter were abducted by the Machination in issue 1 of Escalation, but their overall fate was not expanded on until Devastation.
In relation to The Transformers: Infiltration
- In issue 1, Nightbeat explains the events of the first three issues of Infiltration as a plot by the Machination to acquire a Transformer, locating them via a homing device in the computer from that story.
- Starscream's return here marks his first appearances since issue 6 of Infiltration, where he was blown almost in half after a failed power play against Megatron.