Interlude
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 "You maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! Gods of Elonia damn you all to the six hells!!" | |||||||||||||
| "Interlude" | |||||||||||||
| Publisher | IDW Publishing, Ted Adams | ||||||||||||
| First published | May 17, 2017 | ||||||||||||
| Cover date | April 2017 | ||||||||||||
| Written by | Chris Ryall & Christos Gage | ||||||||||||
| Art by | David Messina | ||||||||||||
| Inks by | Michele Pasta | ||||||||||||
| Colors by | Alessandra Alexakis | ||||||||||||
| Letters by | Shawn Lee | ||||||||||||
| Editor | Carlos Guzman | ||||||||||||
| Editorial assistant | David Mariotte | ||||||||||||
Rom tries to show Livia and Orphion the true wonder of the Earth.
Synopsis[edit | edit source]
At Dolmen Mall in Pismo Beach, the Space Knights are under stealth cloak observing the diversity of the humans. While Rom is impressed, Orphion is less so having read the internet and seen humanity's lust for violence and war. Deciding to show Rom how humans truly react, he orders his subordinates to drop their stealth cloak and though the mall patrons are caught off guard, they are delighted to meet their heroes: the Autobots! The humans express great thanks to Rom for saving them from the Dire Wraiths who deflects part of the thanks to Livia and Orphion (whose protests that the Space Knights are not Cybertronians are ignored). After a few pictures, a local man directs Orphion to a nearby church where he believes a Dire Wraith may be.
On the Point Street Bridge in Rhode Island, Darby Mason and Ruan Sablik are taking a walk only for Darby to suffer a panic attack over the uncertainty that everyone around her could be a Dire Wraith. To help her convince others of the Wraith threat, Ruan offers to take her to a device in the Wraiths' possession that can tell apart Wraiths and humans.
Arriving at the church, Rom tells three children to retreat to safe distance as the the Knights enter. As Rom and Orphion discuss humanity's many religions, the Wraith makes himself known. A short philosophical debate ensues with the Wraith Priest claiming to bring salvation to humanity as he shifts through multiple assimilated forms of various religious officials. Though Livia advocates killing him, Rom is intrigued by the Wraith's lucidness and asks him to speak on only for the Priest to mock the Solstar Order and summon an image of a monstrous Wraith, rousing Orphion into action.
In Seattle, Leonard Song is meeting with Caleb Awan and Axiom regarding the doctor's project to use cybernetics to control Rom's armor. Song is unsure if the control interface will work prompting Caleb to sic Axiom on him. Leonard's instinctive defense pose however locks Axiom in the same position, showing that the interface is ready.
At the Sierra Vista Medical Center, Camilla Byers has been left alone in her room as the doctors cannot make heads or tails of her ailment. Her eyes then shoot open.
At the church, Orphion wraps the Wraith Priest in his tail and interrogates it about the unusual Wraith activity on Earth. Far from being cooperative, the Priest simply mocks the death of Orphion's world and children before stating the overabundance of psychic energy the Wraiths have collected is for their god before he assumes a monstrous form. Though able to resist Livia's Neutralizer, the Priest falls when all three Knights combine their attacks but laughs claiming he is being sent to bosom of his god. Staring at the ashen remains, Orphion concededes that Rom is correct about the uniqueness of Earth but is divided on whether that means sparing the planet or destroying it while there's still time.
Featured characters[edit | edit source]
Characters in italic text appear only in flashbacks.
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Space Knights | Dire Wraiths | Humans | Others |
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Quotes[edit | edit source]
"Forgive my commander, he's a bit old and a bit slow. What he meant to say is you're welcome. And he would be delighted."
"I said no such–"
"Selfie!"
- —Livia has some fun at Orphion's expense with the humans.
Notes[edit | edit source]
Continuity notes[edit | edit source]
- The humans thank Rom for saving them from the Dire Wraith attack in Revolution.
- It was established in Revolution #2 that the Solstar Order was distrustful of Cybertronians, hence Orphion's annoyance at being called Transformers.
- We first saw Dire Wraith activity in the church back in ROM #5.
- ROM #7 had Leonard Song saying that Rom's suit had hacked the global Internet servers on arrival to Earth and he had been using the internet as an A.I. sidekick for information ever since. Orphion demonstrates that his suit is also plugged in and uses the connection to get an assessment of humanity.
- Rom absorbed Orphion's Neutralizer in issue #8.
- Reyn and Benna K'atsema were first introduced in the annual.
Errors[edit | edit source]
- The Earth Defense Command is once again called the "Earth Defense Corps."
Other notes[edit | edit source]
- Solicited for release in April, this issue arrives a month late in May.
- ROM #5 states that all the Wraith leaders perished in Monument Valley yet Caleb and Axiom are noticeably still alive. Though not commented on, it's likely they were among the Wraiths that Baron Karza ejected from himself to fight Victorion.
Covers (5)[edit | edit source]
- Regular cover: Rom howls in despair as Orphion and Livia shatter Earth by Drew Moss.
- Subscription cover A: A Wraith Sorcerer looms over Camilla by Drew Moss.
- Subscription cover B: Axiom poised to strike as Rom flies in space by Drew Moss.
- Subscription cover C: Darby and some Wraiths take in some Californian relaxation by Drew Moss.
- Retailer incentive cover: Rom flies by a star by John Stanisci.
