This Evil Reborn

While Optimus Prime wonders if Unicron is truly gone, the Chaos Bringer takes on a group of Decepticons as his servants.

=This Evil Reborn=

Script: Simon Furman Pencils: Guido Guidi Inks: Elaine To Lettering: Ben Lee Colors: David Gheung Editor: Roger Lee


 * Major characters (in order of appearance): Optimus Prime, Cyclonus, Thrust, Jetfire, Scavenger, Rodimus, Red Alert, Inferno, Prowl, Hot Shot, Avalon, Battle Ravage, Cruellock, Dive Bomb, Tidal Wave, Insecticon, Starscream, Scorponok, Sky Blast, Signal Flare, Over-Run, Unicron, Alpha Quintesson, Ironhide, Alpha Trion, Megatron Rhinox, Cheetor, Terrorsaur, Airazor
 * Originally published: January, 2004

Synopsis
The issue opens with Optimus Prime gazing out over the rebuilt Cyber City, ten years after the defeat of Unicron. He remarks to Hot Shot that he wants to believe the new era of peace will last, but evil doesn't die so easily. He even states as much to Cybertron's High Council, but they do not listen to him, as they feel that the tenuous peace would be destroyed if preparations for war were to be made, even as a precaution.

Elsewhere, Battle Ravage, Tidal Wave, Insecticon, Cruellock, and Dive Bomb are venting their frustrations in an old processing plant. Starscream asks if this is the sum total of those still loyal to the Decepticon cause, remarking that Thrust is happy with his sheriff's badge and Demolisher never even gave them a second thought. Scorponok soon shows up however and, unwilling to listen to Starscream and wondering why Megatron ever did, blasts him into an ore grinder, destroying him. As Starscream's remains are melted down and processed, Scorponok opens a space bridge portal.

In one of the Mini-Con villages, Optimus Prime approaches a strange pyramid that has been built into the surface asking for Over-Run. Sky Blast and Signa Flare, who are standing guard, express doubt as to whether or not he's really Optimus Prime. As he begins to get irritated, the pyramid opens, revealing Over-Run, who is apparently interfaced with Cybertron itself. He dismisses the Omni-Cons, telling Prime that their manners are still underdeveloped and explaining that they are a natural evolution that he been nurturing to fruition. Prime asks Over-Run if Unicron still exists and how long they have before he returns, and Over-Run responds that Prime should be asking the planet itself. With Hot Shot and Ironhide tagging along, Prime goes to a remote uplink platform that Over-Run directed him to and, touching it, finds himself in contact with the spirit of Alpha Trion. He takes Prime's spirit to the ruined surface of Unicron, where he sees Scorponok and the others step through the space bridge portal, presenting Tidal Wave to Alpha Quintesson as their newest recruit. He upgrades Tidal Wave's body and tells him that he must now serve Unicron forever. As Optimus Prime tries to make sense of what he's seen, he suddenly hears the tortured voice of Megatron. He tells Prime that he is imprisoned within the spark core of Unicron, and begs him to free him, in exchange for the knowledge of how to destroy Unicron once and for all. As Prime comes out of his trance, he tells Hot Shot that Earth is rich with Energon, and Unicron has sent his new Decepticon lackeys to claim it. Meanwhile, Airazor, Rhinox, Cheetor, and Terrorsaur, now reformatted as Unicron's four horsemen, ask Alpha Quintesson if he trusts Unicron's new minions. He replies that they will betray him at the earliest possible moment, for they are expendable and will prove useful for a time. As for the horsemen, it is their job to go to Cybertron and usher in the apocalypse...

Errors

 * When Prime first appears on Unicron's surface, he is mistakenly colored in his original Armada colors, rather than his Powerlinx coloration.

Items of note

 * TBA