My Little Pony/Transformers Issue 2

Transformers/My Little Pony #2 is the second issue of IDW Publishing's crossover comic miniseries Transformers/My Little Pony: Friendship in Disguise. In the issue, Spike and Grimlock team up against the Constructicons, and Pinkie Pie's baking show with Gauge is interrupted by Shockwave.

Summary

Inspiring

After the events of the first issue, in which the Autobots and Decepticons were accidentally transported to Equestria, Spike is transported to the Autobots' base of operations, the Ark, where he is greeted by the Dinobot Grimlock. Despite being the only Autobot present, Grimlock is confident in his ability to protect the Ark from enemy attacks, and Spike is enamored by his self-confidence and coolness.

The Ark suddenly comes under attack by the Constructicons Scrapper, Bonecrusher, Scavenger, Mixmaster, Hook, and Long Haul. Grimlock appears to confront them while the diminutive Spike stays on the sidelines. Grimlock is able to halt the Constructicons' attack, but when they combine into the gigantic Devastator, they overpower him, compelling Spike to assist.

Returning inside the Ark, Spike reads the instruction manual for the onboard computer Teletraan I and activates the Ark's engines to blast Devastator with heat exhaust. The Constructicons retreat, and Grimlock commends Spike as a "mighty warrior". Spike feels he did not do much to help, but Grimlock disagrees, praising his ability to learn the Cybertronian language and operate Teletraan I in a short time, and his quick thinking to use the Ark's engines as a weapon. When Grimlock calls Spike "inspiring", Spike faints.

They Eat Ponies, Don't They?

Pinkie Pie is hosting a live baking show, and she invites recent Autobot recruit Gauge onto the show in the spirit of Equestria/Cybertron cultural exchange. As the two share their favorite respective recipes, the Decepticon Shockwave suddenly appears via spacebridge, attacking the ponies with the intent of converting them into Energon.

As the ponies in the studio evacuate, Gauge tells Pinkie to get to safety, but Pinkie refuses to abandon Gauge, resolving to fight off Shockwave with her. Working together, Pinkie and Gauge disarm Shockwave, knock him off-balance, and send him back through the spacebridge. With the danger subsided, the ponies still present in the audience applaud, and Pinkie Pie and Gauge are able to conclude their baking show, ending with them sampling the cuisine of each other's cultures.

Quotes

Inspiring

Grimlock: Does tiny Spike have any questions for Grimlock?

Spike: How did you get to be so cool?!

Grimlock: Grimlock already strongest Autobot. Make sense to also be greatest dinosaur.

Spike: Aaaaaah! So! Cool!

Spike: Must be nice having so much confidence in yourself...

Grimlock: Puny Decepticons! Even together you no match for Grimlock?!

Devastator: Prepare for EXTINCTION, Dinobot!

Grimlock: Spike mighty warrior!

Spike: Aww, I didn't do much. You fought six enemies at once-- and a giant! I wouldn't have lasted six seconds. All I did was some speed-reading and pressed a few buttons.

Grimlock: Spike learn new language and operating system in short time. Spike think of using busted engines as cannons. Spike use pronouns! Spike inventive and smart. Spike still little and will grow more big, more smart! Grimlock will always be Grimlock. Spike full of potential.

Spike: He called me... me... inspiring...

They Eat Ponies, Don't They?

Pinkie Pie: To represent Equestria, I thought we would make one of my all-time favorites... multiple cupcakes!

Pinkie Pie: Just pretend they're all in their underwear! Wait... Do Autobots wear underwear?

Gauge: I have brought, all the way from across the spacebridge... iron filing casserole! Topped with my favorite Energon reduction!

Shockwave: I believe, in your vulgar parlance, you would say I am here to... spice things up.

Shockwave: Your cultural exchange is logical. I am here to take advantage of the opportunity for ideal scientific experimentation. Specifically... discovering how much pony it takes to fuel one Decepticon!

Pinkie Pie: Thank you, folks, for joining us here on Preppin' with Pinkie! It was a little more exciting than we anticipated, but that's never bad for ratings!

Trivia

Inspiring

• In his letter to Twilight Sparkle, Spike alludes to the recent "whatever-it-was-that-happened"; presumably, he's referring to Queen Chrysalis casting the spell that opened up a portal between Equestria and Cybertron in "Transformation Is Magic"...although Spike didn't actually appear in that story.
• However, this issue is set on Earth, not Cybertron, and the pair operate out of the crashed Ark. Grimlock appeared on Cybertron in "Transformation Is Magic", as the only Autobot not teleported to Equestria, so it's sort of unclear how he and Spike got there. Believe it or not, this isn't actually Spike's first visit to an Earth—he and Twilight visited a human world a couple times in the Equestria Girls movies.
• Spike has wings in this story, which would set the crossover at some point after the season eight episode "Molt Down".
• It probably goes without saying that the Autobots operating out of the crashed Ark wedged in the side of Mount St. Hilary, and the Teletraan I computer Spike uses, are all elements lifted from the first two seasons of the original Transformers cartoon.

They Eat Ponies, Don't They?

• Pinkie introduces Gauge as the "newest and freshest of all Autobots", evoking her history in the 2019 IDW continuity, which depicted her as the last new Cybertronian life to emerge from the Pyramid responsible for forging all new Transformers.
• Shockwave's plan to use ponies to fuel Decepticons might be a reference to pink alchemy.
• The story's title references the 1935 novel They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

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