Previously: Long ago, on the planet Cybertron … as dissident Decepticons rise up to battle the Autobot leadership, ORION PAX leads a counter-terror strike team. On orders from ZETA PRIME, Orion and his team hunt down the Decepticon SOUNDWAVE — but upon the renegade’s capture, the team is outnumbered and taken to face the Decepticon’s leader…

Description

12 CHAPTER DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE SERIES! ORION PAX — Prisoner!? Forced into meeting with the Decepticon leader, MEGATRON, Pax — the ‘bot who will someday be Optimus Prime — finds himself outnumbered… but the real threat may not be wearing a Decepticon badge.

Story: Chris Metzen & Flint Dille
Art: Livio Ramondelli
Letters: Robbie Robbins
Editors: John Barber & Carlos Guzman

Review

Issue # 2: Soundwave records the conversation between Zeta Prime and Starscream. Zeta will install the Vamparc Ribbon weapon on the gigantic Omega Destructors to wipe the rebels. Catch is the weapon siphons the spark of innocent citizens throughout Nyon district to power up.

Soundwave escapes and Zeta Prime sends Orion Pax and his team to hunt for him.

Issue # 3: This was an action-packed issue devoted to the hunt of Soundwave — who uses most of his cassette minions to thwart the hunt.

The cliffhanger was so delicious, everyone just wants to pick up issue # 4 — on sale today. The cliffhanger had Orion Pax surrounded by Decepticons at the border of the Kaon District. The Decepticons surprisingly do not attack. They ask Orion Pax to come with them to have a one-on-one chat with their leader MEGATRON. Considering Soundwave’s recording, one could foresee interesting things might happen in the next part of the story if Orion Pax learns what Zeta Prime plans are.

In issue # 4, Megatron and Orion Pax talk. Megatron shows him Soundwave’s recording revealing Zeta’s plans. Megatron tells Orion that Zeta sent him to Nyon on purpose to be annihilated by the insurgents as an excuse to launch an invasion.

This Zeta guy seems like a calculating Mr. Evil willing to sacrifice his very own best officer in order to have free reign to eradicate the Cybertronian rebellion.

There’s a lot of dialogue in the initial pages revealing what’s truly going on with Zeta Prime, and what really transpired in the first three-parts of this 12-part series.

The seeds of self-doubt and rebellion has been sown into Orion Pax’s mind. He’s the top cop of Iacon — the Autobot Control Center. Yet, his leader Zeta Prime is the heart of corruption, and he works for him. Implications here are mind-shattering for Orion. His world has been flushed down the drain.

Will Orion take Megatron’s offer to join the Decepticons? We might have to find out later throughout the series.

Due to the 8-pages format, we probably missed a good portion of what could have been the Autobots escape from Decepticon-occupied territory. Issue # 3 was all about the hunt for Soundwave. This time we only get about two-pages for the Autobots to escape Kyon. Not an easy feat considering the lengthy way back to the Iacon border — which deserved more screen time with a heck of a chase.
Rant aside, the thrilling pre-Civil War of Cybertron story continues, fast-paced with good dialogues, humor, revelations, and some ass-kicking action.

As usual, Transformers: Autocracy # 4 ends with yet another cliffhanger. The revelation of who was the bomber who attacked the Autobots in Nyon. Zeta Prime orders Orion Pax to take this new “capture” mission.

Grab your copy of Transformers: Autocracy # 4 via your browser (here), iPad or iPhone. The internet browser version only requires Adobe Flash Player (no other software installation). After visiting the link, click the PUBLISHERS arrow and search for IDW. Browse the page all the way down and look up Transformers: Autocracy.

Check out our recent interview with Chris Metzen concerning Transformers: Autocracy # 3.

Characters

Orion Pax
Megatron
Bumblebee
Skylinx
Ironhide
Hot Rod
Zeta Prime

Video Teaser

More Interviews

Scott Johnson from the Morning Stream interviewed Chris Metzen about Transformers: Autocracy # 4. It’s one of the most awesome interviews I have found so far. Chris Metzen talks his heart out about his love for The Transformers franchise since childhood. You can find his interview one-third into the MP3.