Transformers: Lost Light #17 - "The Everlasting Voices [2]: The God War"

[laughing_tree]

This issue it’s all about mood; heart-swelling, happy-sad and sweetly elegiac. Enjoy. -- James Roberts

Comments

[owlbrigade1]

I do love Anode and Lug, those precocious little reprobates. I just wish we could get an Anode toy at least, that sci-fi biplane design rocks.

[kamino_neko]

I'm just hoping they appear in the post-Unicron universe.

[scorntx]

-"Because that's where everyone's happiest [...] it's my job."-
Rodimus, buddy... if that was your job, you forking sucked at it, man.

I mean, he didn't have anyone reduced to a brain in a pickle jar to feed a serial killer but... he just sucked, and still sucks, at leading.
When Megatron does a better job at being likeable than you, that's usually a sign you should not be trying to lead any expedition more complicated than a coffee run.

(And presumably this definition of "everyone" does not include all the people died horrible and / or pointlessly, or Red Alert and Fortress Maximus, who were distinctly not happy during their stay on-board...)

[icon_uk]

He might suck at leading, but that doesn't mean that his crew aren't happy.

A leaders job isn't necessarily to be likeable, that's just a nice bonus, it's to maximise the chance of happiness for those he leads.

[daningram.insanejournal.com]

In Rodimus' defense, they're on a quest of Hot Rod's making, not a military mission with a clear goal and objective. So him slacking off is not him shirking his duty so much as it is he just enjoying the journey.

When things get dangerous, Rodimus 'bots up, takes command and is at the forefront, dealing with it.

[matrix_dragon]

More than the quest for the Knights of Cybertron, the true purpose of the Lost Light could be summed up by the recruitment speech Rodimus gave back in issue 1 of MTMTE. "You deserve to see the galaxy without a gun in your hand." It was the Autobots heading in a vague direction and having fun while doing it.

[q99]

Also the slacking off is often legit mercy and heroic missions.

When Getaway took over, he was so focused on the big objective that others had issues with that.

[scorntx]

-he was so focused on the big objective-
Plus, y'know, having people's brains torn out to feed the serial killer he let loose solely to fudge their memories of his misdeeds and screw ups, like fudging their memories.

(And even the big objective wasn't being followed for any noble reasons, he just wants to do it to prove he's the coolest and most importantest.)

[kamino_neko]

Plus, y'know, having people's brains torn out to feed the serial killer he let loose solely to fudge their memories of his misdeeds and screw ups, like fudging their memories.

The only other bots who know that are his accomplices and the guy too dumb to mindwipe, though...the actual complaining about his leadership is mostly from people who don't like his prioritizing the Quest over the mercy sidequests.

[scorntx]

He let Sunder out to A: put Thunderclash in a coma, and B: Erase everyone's memories of Rodimus saying "we're about to die and this is Getaway's fault. Somebody kill him for me." (and probably also those memories of him telling Rodimus he wiped a lot of people's memories with the nudge gun)

Which he wouldn't needed to have done if he'd just explained that he did lure Team Rodimus into a trap, but he hadn't actually intended for anyone but Megatron to die. Only in a more positive way that didn't make him look treacherous and incompetent.
... or wouldn't have needed to do if he wasn't a moral black hole who lied and manipulated to accomplish something he could've probably accomplished without manipulation or memory fudging, but, hey.

[shakalooloo]

The people that died horrible or pointless deaths were happy while they lived - Pipes was cheerful until the end. Red Alert would have made himself miserable wherever he was - he's like Huffer in that way. Fortress Maximus was miserable due to the years of torture he'd endured, nothing caused by his time on the ship.

[tripodeca113]

Other things which happen this issue.

Those unconscious organics start chanting "Prepare, Confront, Repel".

Nightbeat figures out Rungs' alt-mode, solving the last of the Big Three mysteries, thus fulfilling his life long goal, allowing him to ascended, before he tells any of the other characters or the readers.

Brainstorm and Nautica continue exploring, Quark appears and tells Brainstorm he always loved him as well, which causes Brainstorm to give up the search. Next Skids appears but because Nautica removed her emotional attachment to him, this makes no impact on her. Skids then flickers and disperses.

Nautica opens a door marked "Danger: Do Not Enter" and finds the Scavengers!

It's all coming together now.