Transformers Comic issue 4.8

The Mind Trap!
Optimus Prime is exploring a scrap-metal facility in Zhejiang Province, China, but as his communications with Ratchet break up, he becomes clued in to the fact he's walked into a trap. Knock Out activates the neuron refractor, zapping Optimus. In moments, the Autobot leader's consciousness is transplanted into a nearby human!
 * Script: Chris Cooper
 * Art: Horacio Domingues
 * Colours: Nestor Pereyra
 * Lettering: Comicraft
 * Continuity: Transformers: Prime

Back at base, Ratchet registers the fact that Optimus's signal has gone flatline. Bulkhead and Arcee are ready to go, but the closest Ratchet can put them to the site with the Ground Bridge is ten kilometers to the south.

Back at the site, Knock Out gloats over his victory and instructs some nearby Vehicons to dump Optimus's former body into the crusher. Though unable to operate the human body he's now in, Optimus focuses his mind and contacts the body's real owner, Lin-Che, who has been driven half-crazed and assumes the giant talking robot is a figment of his imagination. Optimus shares his knowledge with the man, who realizes it's all real. Lin-Che is soon up and running, heading for The Claw, a piece of giant scrap-yard machinery.

As the Vehicons load Optimus's robot form onto the crusher conveyor belt, Bulkhead and Arcee finally arrive and start bashing Decepticons. Lin-Che, with Optimus's guidance, uses The Claw to finish off the jet Vehicons attacking him. As Lin-Che heads for the neuron refractor, he sees that Bulkhead and Arcee have been overcome by the Vehicons, and Optimus's body is about to move into the crusher. As Lin-Che operates the refractor, he and Optimus realize there's no way for the human to operate the machine and lie on the bench at the same time, so despite Optimus's protests, Lin-Che throws himself over the side of the machine and into the main beam.

Knock Out listens to the sounds the crusher makes as it snacks on Optimus, but then Optimus punches his way through the top of the machine and socks Knock Out. After the Decepticons have fled, Optimus and the Autobots return Lin-Che home, where he is reunited with his family.

Autobots

 * Optimus Prime
 * Ratchet
 * Arcee
 * Bulkhead

Decepticons

 * Knock Out
 * Vehicons

Humans

 * Lin-Che
 * Miko Nakadai
 * Lin-Che's children

Quotes
"What about the human mind that was already in here?" "Who cares?!"
 * —Optimus Prime and Knock Out

"All too easy. Who needs Megatron when you've got brains like mine running the show?"
 * —Knock Out

"Knock Out, you have something on your chin." "Huh?" "My fist!"
 * —Optimus Prime reminds Knock Out who gets the best lines

Errors

 * The Vehicons' jet modes all resemble Starscream.

Trivia

 * Among the knowledge shared with Lin-Che are memories of Orion Pax and Cybertron.
 * Though China has a one-child policy, Lin-Che has two children. This isn't actually an error, as he appears to live in a rural area and is thus exempt.
 * Lin-Che's son is blond! It is a little suspicious, eh?
 * Megatron would probably not be happy if he knew Knock Out was trying to crush Optimus without first appropriating the Matrix of Leadership and any other knick knacks Prime might have on his person.

Articles and features

 * Use Raf's codebreaker to crack the Cybertronian codes in this comic!
 * Wheeljack Lowdown
 * Episode Guide #8: Con Job
 * Epic Transformers: Prime Quiz
 * Art of Bulkhead and Ratchet by Augusto Barranco and Jose Lopez. Originally the cover of IDW Publishing's Transformers: Prime #2.
 * The Mind Trap ...Maze!
 * Starscream's Stumpers
 * Competition: Win a Bot Shot and launcher!
 * Mega-Mouth: Megatron and Arcee answer letters and critique art.
 * Ratchet's Joke Page: Ratchet and some terrible, terrible "doctor doctor" jokes.

Free Gift!

 * Ballistic Blaster!

Mega-Mouth
"Hey, Megatron, what do you call a dinosaur mechanic?" "Dare I ask, foolish Autobot?" "Jurassic sparks!"


 * —Arcee and Megatron

"Raximus Prime, eh? Pah, I could crush him with one pinky toe if I wanted. NEXT!!!"


 * —Megatron

"He looks like a moron. As usual. Next time there better be more terror! I demand more terror!!!"


 * —Megatron on a reader's drawing of Bulkhead.

Ratchet's Joke Page
Patient: Doctor, doctor, I feel terrible. Dr. Ratchet: What are the symptoms! Patient: It's a cartoon show with yellow people.

Errors

 * Wheeljack Lowdown notes that Wheeljack's "massive bulk makes him a formidable opponent", suggesting he's Bulkhead sized.
 * Decepticon is misspelled "Depecepticon" in the answer to question 15 in the Epic Quiz.
 * One of the potential answers for question 20 in the Epic Quiz is "Dues ex Machina".

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