#rabid multishipper

This is seriously image heavy. <3 And so very, very shippy. Not sorry.

Let’s start with that cover, shall we? I adore what so many Dratchet fans have cooed over, yes, I do. I mean, it’s beautiful! Look!

I can stare and blubber over that for hours! Seriously. This was not, however, the highlight of the cover for me. Let me redirect the attention a little.

Look this way instead. In particular, look here:

My little Rodimus/Drift loving heart has gone into overdrive. *__* The look Drift is sharing with Ratchet is a deep and abiding love, yes. That little touch on Roddy’s shoulder? Drift is a mech of more than one love, though he keeps himself to one at a time. <3

I will go on about this at a bit more length through this commentary, no worries. *lol*

Anyway, we start this last issue with the reveal of Ratchet’s death. AND that he spent a good long time married to Drift. So, it’s sad, yes, but it’s not as if they had no time together at all---we just didn’t get to see it.

And damn. Jack Lawrence has such an amazing hand at displaying emotion in his work. I mean, look! I believe Drift’s pain. I feel it.

Also, all that gorgeous scrollwork carved into his plating. <333 Would this a better comparable to Earth tattoos than intricate paint, maybe? It’s a lot more permanent, after all.

Then, we travel back in time to just after the events of LL 24. Rodimus is again meeting with Prowl, harkening back to even earlier days. Prowl is still as much of an aft as he was then. Turns out Rung lit up a whole bunch of super-sparks when he ignited the fields of Luna 1. Point one percenters aren’t quite so rare, anymore, now.

Prowl is also hell-bent on controlling the amount of sparks brought to term because resources. Understandable, yes, but Roddy---in the beauty that is Rodimus---is not impressed. More to the point, Prowl’s real reason for being there:

This is where we either remember or have it pointed out to us (again) that Megatron at this juncture in time (and actually for quite a good while beforehand) is very aware and more than willing to subject himself to whatever punishment is coming his way. This is Megatron’s redemption. Not him getting away with everything and being accepted as a free mech or whatever. Redemption comes in many flavors. Megatron’s happens to be in him coming to terms with his role as the major villain and ultimately not running away from what his actions have earned him.

This is a very submissive Megatron. One that’s seeking atonement, following the path that Drift walked. His path, however, is not as forgiving, but he very much understands that and bows to the hand fate has dealt him. IDW!Megatron is my favorite Megatron, hands down.

Also, why I love IDW!Prowl:

He straight up literal shooshes Roddy with a finger over his mouth before Roddy can get started. Prowl is so done and has been for so very long. I love it. Prowl with No Holds Barred is excellent. <3

Rodimus, though? Rodimus is... well. He’s getting his first big jolt of sad reality now that the Lost Light’s adventures are over.

This? I think this is where’s Roddy’s utter disillusionment that we see so far down the road at Ratchet’s memorial service starts. Megatron, of all mechs, is backing down. Megatron, the Great Adversary, is saying “no more.”

Prowl, logical Prowl, simply takes is all in stride. Of course. And it continues when Prowl next threatens the Lost Light---their home, Roddy’s home.

Rodimus does ultimately understand and give in on that, though, once Prowl plays the Billion Sparks on Luna 1 card. He’s not entirely happy, though.

Then we get a lovely, cackle-worthy little aside by way of Megatron. XD

*CACKLE* Poor Prowl. Nobody wants him. XD

Rodimus ends this scene attempting to sweet talk Prowl into letting him and the crew take the ship on a lap of honor.

Then we head back to the future, wherein we learn that First Aid might have slowed Ratchet’s degeneration if it had been caught earlier.

The keyword here is “delayed.” Yes, Ratchet would have been around longer, but the burnout still would have caught up to him. Drift would still ultimately find himself alone. Maybe Aid or some other medic could have find something more permanent during this delaying of the inevitable, but chances of that were likely not strong.

And I really like the other thing we see in this particular panel:

There is such a gentle emotion in Whirl here. This is a Sad!Whirl. ;_; It’s beautiful.

We get a rundown of the basics on a few of the other members of the Rod Squad. Nautica has written her memoir of the journey. Swerve had a big franchise of bars, but went bust but for one. Rewind and Chromedome.

Well, Rewind is stuck in alt mode, his memory corrupted, but Chromedome is there for him. Chromedome, we learn, has also become a grief counselor.

Domey’s got you, Drift. <3 *...adds to fic notes*

Rewind, though? Rewind, because of his blending of memories from two universes, is the only one to still remember Rung in this future of rather stark realism.

Then we fall back to the past again, where Rodimus has successfully talked Prowl into that last jaunt with the Lost Light. <3

Magnus is trying to keep them all on schedule, as usual, of course. At the same time Rodimus is scoffing and calling Magnus a clock watcher, we have this going on in the background. XD

Whatever Brainstorm has created this time, it looks like a mini Perceptor. *lol* Oh, Brainstorm, you lovesick fool. <3

*grabs chest* My heart. ;_; Ratchet. So astute, such foreshadowing for his and Drift’s life in the main universe timeline.

And probably the best look at who Megatron has truly become at this point in the series. <3 He is become a mech of Peace. <3

At this point, we also learn Rewind hasn’t remembered Rung yet, before his delving into all the information New Cybertron has.

And the crew discusses the incoming end planned for the ship---their home. Even without the quantum engines, Rodimus declares Prowl would snatch it up to use. He’s right, honestly. And turning it into a monument? That’s just disaster waiting to happen.

As the plotting hatches, they all retire to Swerve’s. <3

Let’s highlight a couple of particularly lovely bits of that big panel, shall we?

Megatron watches fondly as Cyclonus serenades Tailgate. (Still don’t like Tailgate, sorry, but Cyclonus. <3)

They are not forgotten. <333

And, finally:

Drift, you are so far gone. *lol* That face. XD The only thing that would have made this better would have been it being Ratchet’s hand on Drift’s thigh, not Drift’s own hand. <3

And thus we learn last minute that IDW!Bluestreak is a smooth bastard. *lol* <333 I am so here for this. XD Of course, he’ll likely strike out with Anode and Lug, but hey! He’s trying.

Next!

I hereby dub them A Roll of Nickels! Or Two Dollars, if you prefer. *lol* So, who’s writing it? (Not it! Sorry. XD )

Also, adore Fort Max apologizing to the Scavengers for trying to kill them. <3 Even better, though? Misfire under the table. *lol*

Is it considered rude to play with a mech’s leg guns like this? *cackle!*

Then we move on to Drift explaining a theory that maybe he wasn’t having visions, but instead being fed information from the future by the telepaths on Mederi. Only it’s not Drift’s theory, but Ratchet’s, as farfetched as it might sound. Ratchet, the soppy old fart, calls it Meeting Half Way.

D’awwww! Ratch. You’re such a softy! Drift has completely decimated your hard and crusty exterior. <3

Yes, Roddy, he sure is. And there’s just enough of it showing on your face that it crushes you that it’s not someone say that to you. Rodimus, you’re such a good mech. Anything to for the mech that holds his spark, whether Drift knows it or not. <3

Then in comes Thunderclash with Rodimus’ desk and the memories of the good times (that we never got to see on the page) flow. <3 And we learn that Megatron wrote Minimus’ favorite poem. :) Which shoves back in a dark moment to remind us that times are not all good.

If I’m ever going to ship Minimus with anyone, it is Megatron. There’s such a deep connection that grows between them over the course of the story. These panels just sock me hard in the gut. So much pain and the empathy on Magnus’ face? Guh. It’s heartrending.

This prompts a speech and a toast from Magnus wherein he ruminates on the quest, how he thought it would be something good for him in an entirely different way than it ended up being. And he gives up and admits that he views them all as friends, not colleagues.

Yeah. I could ship it. :)

This is followed by Swerve panicking and locking them in because he just can’t give up this found family of theirs. Unfortunately, his action is completely blown out of the water as the quantum engines are simply completely ripped from the ship moments later. The journey is over. The range of emotion is fantastic. We’ve got bots that are shocked, bots that are sad, bots that are disappointed, and bots that are resigned. A feel-good moment turned to ruin as reality steps in and takes over again.

And the Scavengers take their leave:

Time to go pick up the baby from the sitter, you know. XD But, what’s this? Dammit. Swerve forgot to get Misfire’s number. This saddens me. They got along so scarily well and for them to lose contact? ;_; At least Misfire’s still got Grim, though. <3

There’s more promises to keep in touch as the rest of the crew heads out. We know from the scenes set in the future that doesn’t turn out as planned. Does it ever, though?

And let us never forget how Cyclonus says thank you.

<333

And then... Prowl comes for Megatron. TT_TT This is some deep stuff for Rodimus. It only furthers his disillusionment with returning to life after the adventures are over.

The way Megatron uses these few moments to soothe Rodimus are rather special. He calls him “captain” again, like he did back on the Necroworld when acknowledging he thinks highly of Rodimus. Rodimus sends Magnus with them because Rodimus? His world is falling apart again and he’s not quite capable of dealing with it as well as one would hope. (He wasn’t really capable the first time around, either, though. I mean, escaping from it was part of why he leaped at the quest in the first place.)

There’s another return to the future, wherein we learn around half the ignited sparks have been harvested so far. All the young bots are having no trouble blending right on in with the rest of society, don’tcha know? And we see Drift give one last gift to Whirl from Ratchet. Whirl of the Easy Day Release from Garrus 10 because he’s Low Risk. <3

This is also the first usage of Ratty as Drift’s pet name for Ratchet. I am entirely of the mind that the first time Drift ever used it, he did it entirely to annoy Ratchet because that’s just the way the two of them are. *lol* Then, like things do, he kept using it until it just stuck. <3 I’m sure Ratchet had a pet name for Drift that was just as terrible to use in response. :D

There’s some stuff with Brainstorm and Tailgate. Brainstorm damn near did himself in.

...Rodimus. You amazing bot. You lied for Megatron. <3 And then Megatron reveals he kept the Rodimus Star, the one thing that connected him to his best life---his time aboard the Lost Light. *WAILS*

*WAILS MORE!* Oh, the feels! TT__TT Megatron, you’ve come so very far.

Welp, I may not have been right in my sleuthing regarding the retirement of the Magnus Armor being the big “death” reveal at the beginning, but I’m not being entirely denied. :) <3 Also, swoon?

Back to the future again! Rodimus finally shows up to the service, after it’s over. Oh, Roddy.

You’ve got Drift all worried about you now, Rodders. You’re so dinged up and dull, too. ;_;

Quick scene switch! Cyclonus offers Whirl a place to stay with him and Tailgate when he gets out again. Whirl is very enthusiatic. :) *smooshes them together*

And back to Drift and Roddy. Rodimus leaves Megatron’s Rodimus Star on the plinth among the bottle of innermost energon. He’s been carrying it around a long time. *...adds to fic notes* Drift approaches him regarding what they’ve become. Rodimus takes it the wrong way because he’s a disillusioned drunkard.

Perhaps even worse? He’s basically an errand bot for Thunderclash.

Quick scene switch! Whirl asks the funeralbot---who reveals himself to look an awful lot like Rung, like probably most of the Lunarians, I betcha---to return the gift of Ratchet’s hands to Drift. He doesn’t need them. <3 Whirl definitely came out the better end of the journey, all things considered.

Then we get our first hint that something weird might have happened when Drift catches Rodimus again, just before he leaves.

It? What is it, Drift? Honestly, I guessed it was an alternate universe before it was revealed. It was the only way they were going to get a happy fairy tail ending somewhere in this. :) But, yeah. I rather like the realistic universe, too. So much to chew on.

For me. For me! *lol* Drift! For you, indeed. <3

This is followed by my favorite panel in the entire issue.

(Edited to include Drift’s response from the next panel.) This panel says so much to me. <333 The way Rodimus is holding Drift’s hand? My shippy heart beat like a drum for the air of love that radiates off this panel.

Ratchet was Drift’s great love. The fairy tail romance.

Rodimus? Rodimus is Drift’s best friend. He is the one that’s been in love with Drift for longer than he can remember and knowingly stepped aside to let him be happy with Ratchet. Rodimus is Drift’s next great love. (It’s already there. It just needs time to find its feet again.) *happily continues ficcing*

Then we get a splash of the plaque across the front of Ratchet’s memorial plinth:

And then we’re plunged back into the past again, during the last jaunt aboard the Lost Light.

Swerve finds the Nightmare Fuel and Roddy offers up to buy the first round! And asides to Drift he might need to borrow some money. *lol* Drift is so indulgent of the guy. <3 But wait! Here come Nautica with word of a Magic Trick she and the other science bots want to talk to him about! (They totally have him figured, yeah.)

The science bots proceeds to instantly kill Rodimus’ brain with talk of Infinite Universes and duplicate ships. *lol* The original duplicate ship canceled out because it was forced into the same universe as the original original ship, though. What does this mean?

How does Roddy respond?

As if there’s any doubt they would all agree. XD But, still, this does give those that don’t want to go the option to leave. Can you imagine being the one that chooses not to go, though? Forever wondering if it worked, but knowing that even if it did, you weren’t there? Ouch.

Also:

Of course it works. :D

This gives us a love little spot with Brainstorm and Perceptor. <333

*squeak!*

EEEEEEEEE! <333

There’s a beautiful panel of Megatron and Rodimus both sat in captain’s chairs with several crew members around them. Misfire is curious about the new universe. Drift explains it could be anything from fairly similar to fantastically different. Chromedome, he’s all about settling for fantastic. Rodimus?

<3 Absolutely, Roddy. :D

We end this joyous series with a rough guesstimate that it will probably take about forever to explore this new universe. And, guess what? Everybody’s all on board for that. <3

Seriously. This ending has it all. Especially for us of a creative bent. Want a stark and sadly realistic universe to play in? We’ve got it. Want something where literally anything is possible? We’ve got that, too.

Overall, I think the only thing that would have made it better would have been simply for the series to have run longer. For it to be able to fill in some gaps. I’ll take the fact that we actually got an ending over that, though. We’ve achieved what so many comic series don’t with this. I’ll be forever thankful for that.

We’ve got an ending that begs for us to keep playing in the sandbox, friends! Let’s do so.

So... how many Dratchet fans are laying comatose in the field right now?

ME: My dearest Brain, I know we’re a multishipper, but we don’t actually have to ship Sideswipe with anyone and everyone.

BRAIN: YES WE DO!!! ARCEE/SIDESWIPE! MAKE IT HAPPEN! MAKE IT HAPPEN NOW!

ME: *sigh* But we have to go to work in less than an hour. It’s not going to happen Now.

BRAIN: NOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW!