Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #53 - "The Dying of the Light, Part 4: At Close of Day"

[laughing_tree]

Later:

Comments

[q99]

This was a great issue/reveal. Finally find Rewind's old love, only for.... this.


And Chromedome's sense of inferiority/rush to give himself so Rewind can have Dominus back....

[owlbrigade1]

I will never not laugh at Rodimus being socked for being "an enabler". I realise that things keep getting darker, but dammit that was hilarious!

[matrix_dragon]

And awesome. Rodimus has had that coming since issue three.

The Dying of the Light

[sir_razorback]

After reading #55, all I can say without giving anything away is that I can't wait for the next arc to get rolling now! This has been one of my favorite arcs, I think, of any comic series.

Re: The Dying of the Light

[sir_razorback]

Ravage being drawn so.. emotively, was probably one of my biggest personal highlights of the run.

[dustbunny105]

Rewind jump-punching Rodimus is one of the highlights of this arc for me. Which isn't saying much because this is easily my least favorite arc in the series, but at least it gave me that.

I feel like Dominus as the Pet-- heck, Dominus as an undercover agent working for Prowl-- should've been better foreshadowed. That said, it was neat to see certain things come together in this reveal.

Chromedome's edge of death experience here falls flat for me. It's emotional as it's happening, but is detrimental to the proceedings when given more thought. I mean, dude comes out of coma, comes within seconds of death and then... just kinda keeps on keeping on. Despite the constant talk of how much harder it's getting for him to bounce back after these procedures, despite the on-page evidence of this talk, he's up and ready to join the fight a few hours later.

Speaking of running off into the fight in question, that stomped all over my tolerance for this story, which was already worn down from the dismantling of the teleportation chamber (I know they decided not to run, but that they removed it as even a last resort... ugh). The shield at least gives them an opportunity to further plan, possibly to wear down enemy resources. Heck, if they hadn't dismantled the teleporter, they could use it to go around the Decepticons and steal a ship. They could lead the DJD and company away from or even come back for those pod people they're allegedly so worried about (never mind that dropping the shield and running off into a losing battle does nothing to defend those pod people). Plus it just strikes me as a really jerk move that they drop the shield and run off with Rung and Nightbeat still off investigating, thinking they have a safety net.

[q99]

-Despite the constant talk of how much harder it's getting for him to bounce back after these procedures, despite the on-page evidence of this talk, he's up and ready to join the fight a few hours later.-

In his defense, that literally involved a spark supercharge.

-Heck, if they hadn't dismantled the teleporter, they could use it to go around the Decepticons and steal a ship. -

It was only in-system, and the only ships would either be the Decepticon's two big ships (DJD warship or Deathsaurus's warworld), or ones easily interceptable by one of the same.

I mean, they have a small ship, they used a stolen one to get back to base with Dominus, but it's no escape.

[dustbunny105]

In his defense, that literally involved a spark supercharge.

Even before the supercharge, he's up and about, ready to go out and fight with the others. There's no sense of the bad shape he should rightly be in by that point.

the only ships would either be the Decepticon's two big ships (DJD warship or Deathsaurus's warworld)

Yes, and all or at least most of the Decepticons that might otherwise have stopped them from taking either of those ships are at the front door. Whoever's left on guard, assuming there is anyone, would surely be easier to deal than a hundreds-strong army.

[q99]

-
Even before the supercharge, he's up and about, ready to go out and fight with the others. There's no sense of the bad shape he should rightly be in by that point.-

Enough time has passed for Ratchet to actually re-attach his arm and treat him, and until the supercharge, all he has to do is stand around.


-Yes, and all or at least most of the Decepticons that might otherwise have stopped them from taking either of those ships are at the front door. Whoever's left on guard, assuming there is anyone, would surely be easier to deal than a hundreds-strong army.-

Could they actually hope to take control before the rest returned, though? It's not like the cons are that far from their ships.

I mean, there's *two* big ships, not just one, and one's a War*world*, very huge. And I don't think they have the coordinates for either. Dunno if their defenses would prevent teleportation for that matter.

This isn't a space bridge after all, it's a one-at-a-time teleporter that there's no way, say, Maximum Ambus could fit through (Minimus, sure, maybe the Magnus armor, but not his huge armor). Also, simply having the other ship disable the engines of the bordered ones results in them being trapped in a Decepticon ship. Or one crewmember to shoot the controls.

There's hundreds of Decepticons, and even after all the ones deployed were sent forward at one point, we saw Deathsaurus still has a lot at the end of the story. All those ones need to do is last until heavy hitters return- and Overlord can fly.

[dustbunny105]

He still came within seconds of death immediately after being in a coma and it's been only a few hours. The coma in question was a result of procedures he did months ago. Something this serious, he shouldn't even be standing around, never mind even considering going outside.

If the teleporter can't work with the shield activated, it should be established in-story. If it can be, there's no reason they can't send Ravage out again to locate the ships while the Decepticons are busy. Sabotage one, see what kind of resistance, if any, they're looking at from the other. Get a few people over to take it, if necessary, just get everyone on board if not. The Maximus armor isn't necessary if there's not a direct fight, but if Minimus really insist on taking it along, they can just swing back for him. It'd still be way less risky than less than twenty people, some of them non-fighters, running headlong into a fight against hundreds of soldiers. Which is a ridiculous plan plus or minus the ability to steal an escape vehicle, frankly.

(Sorry for lack of quoting in this response, I'm on my phone.)

[q99]

Chromedome wasn't in a coma from the previous time, he was just weakened/not at full.

Injecting seems to leave him sick/weak for increasingly prolonged times, but still able to function.

-
If the teleporter can't work with the shield activated, it should be established in-story.-

If a teleporter can go straight to the enemy ships, it should also be established in-story.

You're assuming something possible without it being established. If you're going off track like that to begin with, it's not up to the writer to close off doors on things we haven't had indication is a reasonable plan to begin with.

If you're being generous on what they can do unmentioned, it's only fair to note various possible responses without them being specifically brought up. Maybe it can go through shields, maybe it can't- point is, we don't know one way or another.

- If it can be, there's no reason they can't send Ravage out again to locate the ships while the Decepticons are busy. -

Lack of time, Ravage specifically using Ten as a distraction the first attempt just to scout out their base....

Also, the Warworld at least would still be in space, so he can't get there.

-Get a few people over to take it, if necessary, just get everyone on board if not. The Maximus armor isn't necessary if there's not a direct fight, but if Minimus really insist on taking it along, they can just swing back for him.-

Two big ships, take the Peaceful Tyranny and the Warworld'll blow it up while they're trying to swing around. Try and take the Warworld and, well, that's the one with the large population to begin with and a much more significant fight to take over.


And they have to swing back regardless, in order to pick up the 'organics.' In other words, take one, and then they need to fly over back to the enemy, giving them plenty of time to respond and re-board and turn it into a big fight in the ship corridors.

-It'd still be way less risky than less than twenty people, some of them non-fighters, running headlong into a fight against hundreds of soldiers. -

I kinda consider going onto the very home turf of those hundreds, and having only until the enemy can get back onboard, to not be low-risk. That means rather than being in a defensive position with guns and a very intense shield (as the Necrobot's place had), or going out on attack with a limited-use spark surge before retreating back into that shield, they'd be in a position without those advantages, which the enemy knows well, and which they have only a *very* limited time to seize control of before the enemy is on board and/or the other enemy space asset takes action.

[dustbunny105]

I misremembered his little nap there as a coma then, but my incredulity stands. He's laid out and having very little or no response to efforts to help him back onto his feet. That he goes from that to literal seconds away from death to walking around normally defies reason.

My thinking isn't that it can get them directly to an enemy ship straight out of the gate, it's that it can at least get them closer. Nothing off-track about that. Teleporting in general was never dismissed as an option, only teleporting off-planet and leaving the pod people defenseless (also silly; Brainstorm can make a fusion cannon out of it but can't widen the door?). That the potential use of the teleporter as anything other than spare parts is dismissed out of hand after that is mind-boggling. At least use the thing to flank your enemies.

Those are good reasons it might not have worked, yeah, but I personally would've been much more credulous reading it. And fighting ultimately doesn't amount to a hill of beans either, so.

And all the reasons in the world why stealing a ship might not work or why it would be risky doesn't change my main quibble: Rushing out to fight like they do is a bad plan, and not even a logically bad plan.

[q99]

-My thinking isn't that it can get them directly to an enemy ship straight out of the gate, it's that it can at least get them closer. Nothing off-track about that.-

Still, that's not a win. That gets one into an internal ship battle on one front while there's another active enemy ship, and which lasts until the enemy pulls back- which, having full mobility of shuttles and such, won't be long.

Even if it's a plan that'd cause the enemy a fair amount of pain, it's not one that prevents things from turning into full, doomed combat.

-
Those are good reasons it might not have worked, yeah, but I personally would've been much more credulous reading it. And fighting ultimately doesn't amount to a hill of beans either, so.

And all the reasons in the world why stealing a ship might not work or why it would be risky doesn't change my main quibble: Rushing out to fight like they do is a bad plan, and not even a logically bad plan.-

Note, we didn't even get through the full plan. The plan was basically, Spark Supercharge, run out and do damage, retreat behind storm shield, *then* they'd have time to recover and repair and prepare again.

The supercharge thing + shield means they were able to inflict heavy casualties in exchange for light casualties, and then reset the situation so the enemy still isn't closer to coming in. Maybe they'd try the supercharge again, maybe something else, but it wasn't an all-or-nothing plan. The damage they dealt means it'd be easier to enact future plans- fewer foes to stop them.

[dustbunny105]

Well, yes, either way puts them in danger and presents complications. My reading of the situation is that trying to steal a ship, which has an actual end goal beyond "avoid dying for as long as possible," is still potentially the better way to go. It's definitely the plan that would have been more engaging to me as a reader.

As it is, the light casualties felt cheap to me and not worth the damage they dealt in return. I just was not, am not and probably never will by convinced by the writing that the decision to fight as they do is something all involved would agree is the best way to go. The losses fall flat for me because I don't feel they should've been in position to suffer those losses.

The plan was basically, Spark Supercharge, run out and do damage, retreat behind storm shield, *then* they'd have time to recover and repair and prepare again.

It really wasn't, though? The supercharge only even came up after they'd decided to go outside, for starters. And the fight is treated as a last stand. Even when the power-up wears off, they don't retreat to regroup; Rodimus calls for "bright ideas" as they all stand and keep shooting. They only go back inside because Megatron orders them to, and Rodimus tries to argue against it at first.

[q99]

-
Well, yes, either way puts them in danger and presents complications. My reading of the situation is that trying to steal a ship, which has an actual end goal beyond "avoid dying for as long as possible," is still potentially the better way to go. It's definitely the plan that would have been more engaging to me as a reader.-

It doesn't have a realistic chance of success of rescuing the organics, though. Come back to the Necrobot base- right where the enemy is- and load 'em? Even if they somehow managed to steal a ship, which I don't feel is doable, it still pretty much requires "beat all the enemies," with the added complications of "on their turf."


With the supercharge, maybe they could beat enough of the enemy bosses to convince the others to retreat (they weren't counting on it ending so soon), and they definitely have the option to buy more time- which, as Autobot history has shown, results in plenty of last-minute rescues.

[dustbunny105]

Rushing out to fight doesn't stand a realistic chance either. They die there, the pod people are at best stuck in stasis on a planet that, until this arc, everyone ignored. And Megatron is still inside when the rest go out, which means that someone would be going in after them. Going into battle after he refuses to join them actually puts the pod people in more danger. Stealing a ship-- which would be tricky, but still doable, imo-- at least leads the Decepticons away from the fortress and also means that, if nothing else, the group has a chance to alert someone. And if they'd suffered losses in that scenario, I'd have been able to roll with it a lot better. Which is to say, at all.

The supercharge isn't part of the original plan and that's a major sticking point for me. Until Velocity gets the idea, they're intending to go out as they are. It's not a good plan or even a plan I can believe they would all agree to with hardly a moment's discussion. And then when the supercharge idea does come up, I still can't get into it because a) the fact that it can be reliably replicated at all makes me roll my eyes just thinking about it and b) there's still no appreciable change to their strategy (such as it is).

[q99]

One thing I strongly get the impression of- heck, that Prowl has outright complained about in the past- is the Autobots are *used* to daring last-minute ideas and heroics turning the tide.

They don't have a plan, but Rodimus has pulled out enough rabbits from his hat, and the other Autobots have seen Optimus and similar do the same, that on some level they're assuming some brilliant move will save them, especially with such an extraordinary crew as they have with them.

[dustbunny105]

I don't disagree that Autobots seem to tend to rely on last minute miracles to some degree, but I don't at all get the impression that that's what's happening in this scenario. And it isn't what I'd expect all the characters involved to fall back on either, general attitude notwithstanding. Heck, that could've been a perfect chance to spotlight Nautica and especially Velocity's outsider status, for instance.

[q99]

Yea, missed opportunity there. With Nautica, she's got the reason of her ring of very close friends. With Velocity, there's staying with Nautica, but are they that close? If she is, that'd be worth noting.

[dustbunny105]

Well, Velocity is among Nautica's amica circle, so they are presumably that close (though I wouldn't have thought so before that scene, tbh). But both of them, Velocity especially, are still getting used to the weirdness and danger. Even if they stayed, it's weird to me they wouldn't object to or even seem reluctant about going out into such a lopsided battle when it isn't necessary yet. Then there's Brainstorm, who's a committed coward and reluctant to use a weapon himself. Ultra Magnus and Skids should both have a better appreciation for considered strategy than they display. Rewind and Chromedome were previously said to be giving each other the cold shoulder over both remaining in danger. I'm still scratching my head that Ravage not only went out into the battle without Megatroin but also actually stuck around to fight.

Honestly, it isn't even just that they go out to fight that gets me, it's that they settle so quickly on doing so. Like they're beholden to Tarn's time limit despite having found a way to hold the DJD and company at bay. They could give Chromedome more time to recover, have Brainstorm make some more weapons, wait for Rung and Nightbeat to get back, try to convince Megatron to join the fight, come up with an actual battlefield strategy since they were relying on the shield right up until the last minute, see if the enemy will waste energy and ammo on the shield and force them to rethink their own strategy. Idk, I'd think the opportunity to say, "Screw you, we'll come out and fight when we feel like it," at least would be appealing. Like, I harp on about the shipjacking because it's my personal favorite alternative to the way the story went, but the base level is that I can't get into the way the story went.

[q99]

Yea, things did seem a bit crammed and in need of more time (or perceived time at least) deciding on it.

Ravage I get- The DJD is there, they'll kill every con with Megatron, period. And he's no coward, he fights pretty often, so he'd rather go down swinging- which is part of why Megatron's not was so disappointing to him.

The shield thing? Waiting til a more surprising time to strike would make sense, I'm with you there.

[dustbunny105]

Fair point about Ravage. I think what was throwing me off where he's concerned is that, by the time of the battle, he's kind of faded in with the rest of the group since he's not a big focus (disappointment in Megatron notwithstanding) and so I was reading it as him fighting with them, not fighting for his own life.