The War Within issue 6

Prime and Megatron see visions of The Matrix, while Starscream begins his destructive hijack of Megatron's plan.

Writer: Simon Furman Pencils: Don Figueroa Inks: Elaine To Lettering: Dreamer Design Colors: Rob Ruffolo Color assists: David Cheung & Elliot Kravchik


 * Preceded by: The War Within, Part 5
 * Followed by: The Dark Ages, Part 1
 * Release date: March 12, 2003
 * Characters (in order of appearance): Megatron, Optimus Prime, Ironhide, Kup, Wheeljack, Starscream, Scrapper, Shockwave, Prowl, Motormaster, Grimlock, Soundwave
 * Chronology: Early War

Synopsis
With plasma pumped from Cybertron's core shot upwards through the city, Iacon disintegrates in flame and metal. Both Shockwave and Prowl order their respective armies to evacuate from the carnage.

Optimus, armed with a weapon and advice from Grimlock, hunts Megatron. An attempt an an ambush fails, and Prime has the upper-hand against his rival, powered by a new resolve.

Ironhide, Wheeljack, and Kup fight against the Decepticons, trying to stop Starscream's destruction of the surface. Starscream ignores the combat, too preoccupied savoring the demolition of his rivals. Motormaster tries to get the drop on the Autobots, but Grimlock interupts. Prime follows after Grimlock.

With the machines overloading and Autobots attacking, Prime orders his soldiers to get clear. He sends a radio message to Wheeljack with the command for Wheeljack to use his make-planetary-turbines-stop-working missile on the planetary turbines. Wheeljack fires the missile and ruins the Decepticon's plans.

The underground Autobots take Megatron's drill-elevator to the surface to reunite with their surviving comrades. With the city gone, the Autobots agree to Prime's plan to leave the planet, but Prime announces that his experiences within Cybertron have convinced him that the planet has a greater purpose that can't be abandoned.

Within the tunnels, Soundwave finds Megatron, who has a few gaps in his memory.



In private, Optimus relates to Grimlock about their battles with their respective dark sides. Prime shows Grimlock a golden disc he received from Gravitas, but Prime decides that it's best to toss the disc away.

Quotes
Autobots-- Gone! Shockwave-- Gone! Iacon-- Gone!
 * -Happy Starscream

"You don't understand Megatron-- --I'm playing by your rules now! No limits, no consequences, no quarter asked or given. I welcome it, this dark part, the twisted ugly thing within. Whatever it takes... ...to get the job done"
 * -Optimus Prime

"Sixteen cycles of hard graft in advanced nano-mechanics. A sustained cluster of symposiums with the finest techno-theoretical minds on Cybertron... ...and it all comes down to this!"
 * -Wheeljack

You live, that is all that matters, we survive... ...to fight 'another day.
 * -Soundwave

Items of Note

 * This issue was available with one cover
 * A regular cover by Don Figueroa
 * Not a rarer incentive version by Pat Lee


 * Scavenger has tread-arms. At the same time as this comic was being published, another Scavenger was sporting a similar look as he stomped faces in the Armada universes.


 * The unreleased Diaclone triple-changer is visible in the explosions of Iacon.


 * Optimus Prime's lobotomy of Megatron apparently made Megatron forget why he started the war in the first place (leaving only Starscream knowing close to the whole truth?). This lobotomy would last until Wreck-Gar repairs Megatron in Generation 1, Issue Zero.


 * This issue contained advertisements for:
 * Dreamwave Armada issue 11
 * Transformers: Generation 1 volume 2 (double page)
 * Commemorative Series
 * More Than Meets The Eye #2 (back cover)