Kill Your Darlings #6: We get some answers here but, as usual, they only raise more questions.
In 1977, the Girl Who Wouldn't Burn watches her daughter play with her grandson, Alex. Later, after murdering her daughter (we see the flesh on the right side of her face is missing), the Girl contemplates Alex's innocence and ponders letting her long life end, a life she clearly prolonged through her children's deaths (as we saw in issue #3). She alludes that she did it to keep alive a legacy, but, before we can learn more, her dream ends when Rose's mother (whose name is Andrea, according to the intro) kills Alex, as seen last issue.
Shortly after Alex's death, the Girl summons the Great and Terrible Evil (I think) in the woods. Other than a glimpse of Andrea at the crime scene, the ritual doesn't directly connect Evil to Andrea — in fact, Evil disappears once summoned. (If you're wondering about the Latin the Girl uses, she tells her servant to ensure the "firstborn" — meaning Rose — suffers and dies.) The Girl then returns to her house and dies on the porch.
In the present (such as it is), we see the now-abandoned, dilapidated house with the Girl's corpse still on the porch. She awakens and heads to the video store, and we pick up the scene where we ended last issue. The Girl is stunned at Evil's presence, and he informs her that he's able to do a lot more thanks to Rose. The Girl reads Rose's mind and discovers that she's the Firstborn. The Girl mutters, "And she's..." but then demands Evil take her "to it" before finishing the thought. Evil agrees and opens a portal to Rosewood, warning her that it isn't as much fun as it was.
In Rosewood, Wallace wants to follow Rose into the portal but Spikes tries to convince him they need to rally forces. The Girl and Evil arrive, and the Girl marvels at how lifelike the friends Rose manifested are. The Girl kills Spikes, and Wallace attacks, only for Evil to backhand him. The Girl stops him from attacking Wallace further, telling Evil that he'll have his blood in time. Wallace escapes back to the Refuge where he tells them that Spikes is dead (we see his widow grieve). Meanwhile, Evil drags Rose's body towards a dilapidated Castle Greyskull-style building.
Star Wars: Darth Vader #43: This issue's impact depends on remembering minutiae of previous issues. You need to remember who Corleque is (because he apparently survived the assault on the Executor that his former mentor, Admiral Piett, launched when the Scourge invaded in issue #38), why exactly the Emperor thought Governor Tauntaza colluding with Crimson Dawn (in issue #27) would expose Vader, or how the men Vader "saved" the last time he was on this planet were connected to the energy-draining device (in issue #24) that Administrator Moore and Vader seize here.
I'm sure I'm missing more — I don't even mention Agent Fabarian or Council Member Santo, who Moore "interviews" here — but tracking down all the references is beside the point. All these characters, save Moore, are only here as NPCs for whatever new scheme Vader has to undermine the Emperor. If Pak put some effort into making these characters memorable, maybe I'd care, but he doesn't so I don't. Oof.
Transformers #5: This issue is fucking awesome.
We begin with Sparky and Optimus recalling their times at war, Sparky in Korea (I think) and Optimus in the present. Johnson gives us a panel of Sparky in one position and then Optimus in the same position in the next panel, emphasizing their experiences' similarities.
In the present, Optimus asks Sparky, "How long was your war?" (Of note, the two of them appears to be in some sort of garret that also contains antiquated communications equipment.) Sparky replies, "Just one tour. It was enough." He asks Optimus how long his war was, and Optimus poignantly responds, "Years. Years and years and years. I've lost count. It's still going." Just as poignantly, Sparky notes how much more experienced Optimus is at war than he is and asks whether he understands why it has to be this way. A sad Optimus tells him that he asks himself the same question every day.
On the Ark, I didn't notice initially that, when Soundwave alludes to Skywarp's "sacrifice," his (Skywarp's) head and torso are part of the Ark itself. Soundwave decides to resurrect Ravage first, but Starscream (hilariously) punts Ravage's body and instead resurrects Thundercracker, who quietly asks Skywarp's lifeless head and torso, "What evil Autobot did this to you?" (It's another moment of the Decepticons - or, at least, the Seekers - treating each other with affection.) Starscream lies and tells Thundercracker that Skywarp sacrificed himself for the common good.
Before they can continue, Soundwave announces that Laserbeak reports the Autobots found their source of energy. Frenzy declares they need to stop them, and Starscream seems surprised to see him and Reflector, as if Teletraan-1 resurrected them without his approval. Reflector begins to ask Starscream where Megatron is, and Starscream ignores the question, instead telling them all to rally against the Autobots, who they can eliminate for good. (Johnson really kills it with the image of them all transforming as they leave for the dam.)
At the dam, Ratchet is wowed by Sparky's idea to place a generator right next to the dam, given that it's the water that creates the power (and not the plant at the dam's base that the "Decepti-whatevers" destroyed in issue #2). Ratchet has resurrected Wheeljack to help Sparky address their power issue, though Wheeljack's lower half is basically like the old Ironhide and Ratchet design, which prompts some complaining on Wheeljack's part. But he's impressed by Sparky's design and uses Cybertronian knowledge to refine it, enabling the turbine to power the town for at least a decade.
Cliffjumper has the honor of flipping on the switch, and Wheeljack calls for Optimus to get him (Optimus) fixed. Instead, in another fantastic scene, Optimus carries Arcee's body, telling them they need their warriors. Ratchet enthusiastically greets Arcee; As she greets him, she sees the Seekers behind him and saves him from Thundercracker's rocket. (Ratchet comments on Arcee saving his life upon first waking, and she quips, "I see not much has changed.") Funnily enough, Thundercrack screams, "Justice for Skywarp!!!"
As Optimus and Sparky open fire on the Decepticons, Arcee and Ratchet drag Jazz to the turbine. Starscream ejects Reflector, who screams, "Prepare yourself for ISO, Autobots!!" As he's defining it ("Instant Suffering and Oblitera--"), he sees Optimus with Megatron's cannon and whispers, "Oh dear --," right before Optimus destroys him. An upset Frenzy launches himself at Optimus, who grabs his leg and slams him into the ground.
Carly's found a gun and opens fire at Thundercracker, despite Cliffjumper warning her to be careful. Cliffjumper strikes the dam and Carly falls, prompting Prime to scream her name. Arcee then transforms and speeds up the dam to catch Carly in a fucking kick-ass scene, telling Carly that she's important to her if she's important to Optimus. (I loved the writing on this issue, but Johnson's art is somehow even better.) Rumble sneaks behind Cliffjumper only for Jazz to take him down before he can pounce.
Then, it's time for Optimus vs. Starscream. Somewhat oddly, to be honest, Starscream accuses Optimus of using "something so precious" (Megatron's cannon) for his "own evil purpose!" (It's the second time the Decepticons refer to the Autobots as evil, and I'd love to hear their pitch about why they're the good guys. I'm also guessing Megatron's cannon isn't "precious" to Starscream because Megatron owned it.) Optimus asks if Starscream isn't quaking in his jets at seeing a reminder of who he'll never be, and Starscream manages to take out the turbine before Optimus blasts a hole in him.
The Decepticons retreat, and Optimus realizes that they finally have enough Autobots to take back the Ark. Before they can leave, Carly demands to go with them, and Sparky refuses, saying she's too precious after what happened to Spike. Carly then poignantly says, "Then so what? Spike's in a coma. My family's gone. I deserves to see this end, Sparky." Carly is distraught, until Cliffjumper grabs her, telling her that she's right, she gets to be there when they stop the Decepticons for good.
As they approach the Ark, Sparky sees it for the first time, remembering his son, Jimmy. Suddenly, Long Haul rams into Optimus, Scavenger cuts off Ratchet's leg, and Scrapper pushes back Arcee and Jazz. Starscream appears and gloats that he knew Optimus would follow him. He tells them that Teletraan 1 has already fixed him and introduces his "new toys!": the Constructicons. (We seem to be sticking to the Constructicons' original cartoon origin, where the Decepticons created them on Earth.) At this point, Starscream calls out the famous phrase: "Constructicons! Merge into...Devastator!"
In other works, fuck, yeah, y'all.
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