#Void Rivals

[naeella]

Please read Void Rivals

[blueikeproductions]

So an interesting detail was revealed about the TFONE Quintessons.

It would appear, according to staff on the movie, that the ships are actually living, organic creatures.

By extension, going by their design similarities, the TFONE Quintessons are likely fully organic themselves.

Prior to the Quintus Prime origin, it was never clear where the Quintessons came from but their designs are clearly mechanical.

Japanese media would offer an explanation of sorts, in the Controverse manga.

In this story Primacron, the ancient sea monkey alien that created Unicron and later Tornedron in the G1 cartoon, would stake the claim that he created ALL mechanical life. When the Quintesson Judge calls this out, Primacron calmly responds that he created mechanical bacterial life once and surmises those creatures became the Quintesson race.

Further manga would reveal this is true, and go the extra mile by revealing Primus and Primacron were ancient beings that existed in the universe prior to the Big Bang (mirroring a similar idea in the Marvel comics).

Primacron was originally Primus’ pet, but as his intellect grew, and so did his ambitions, and once the old universe died and ours was born, Primacron would enslave his former master in what would become The Matrix of Leadership, and it would grant life to his mechanical creations, the Beast Mode Primitives, the Quintessons and Unicron.

It would appear most modern media opts go instead cast the Quintessons as organic creatures, created by Quintus Prime’s Emberstone, that pilot mechanical suits.

Cyberverse’s take on the Judges also goes an extra mile, similar to Primacron, revealing that these Quintessons are born by fusing five distinct lifeforms together, all chosen to judge a universe accordingly. This is depicted by using Starscream as the dominant component….

But unlike the wholly mechanical Judge seen before, Starscream’s Judge form has organic components, with other organic races in the Greys and Velgrox.

While there’s an argument the G1 Quints might be biomechanical, it’s never been clearly defined with Cyberverse Quint Starscream more plainly leaning in that direction.

As for the organic technology present among the TFONE Quints, that potentially has two origins.

The more famous one are the Trans-Organics, the prototype race the Quintessons developed before making the Consumer Goods and Military Hardware robots that would become The Transformers.

A cyborg like race of primitive animals, they were unable to accomplish basic tasks, and gave into their beast like savagery, destroying several Quints before they were sealed away deep within Cybertron.

In the modern era, a group of Quintessons opted to free their ancient beasts of burden, tricking Galvatron into unleashing them so that the Trans-Organics may destroy the Transformers, allowing the Quints to reclaim Cybertron. Inevitability this fails, with the Quints done in by the Dweller beast, an energy vampire worm Trans-Organic.

The Dweller is the most famous one, and spawned other counterparts seen in Cyberverse and EarthSpark, with the EarthSpark versions being a race native to Quintessa, typing it back to its origins.

The second inspiration, if potentially coincidental, could be GI Joe’s Cobra-La.

The GI Joe movie would reveal Cobra had its origins in Cobra-La, an ancient race of snake people that were the original dominant species of Earth before us mammalian humans evolved.

Cobra Commander is native to Cobra-La, originally being a snake man scientist who became mutated in a lab accident before becoming leader of the snake themed terrorist organization that’d slither into America.

He’s further mutated as punishment for his failure in taking over the world in Cobra-La’s name, slow mutating into a cobra.

While the DiC sequel series would see him restored, albeit still as a mutant snake man.

Presumably CC’s still a snake dude when he briefly menaces in the G1 Movie era Autobots as Old Snake.

Anyhow, the relevance to the Cobra-Laians and Quintessons, is the former use organic based technology. Basically, this means they create specially developed animals to use in place of tools, bridges & vehicles.

@bogleech’s own post on Cobra-La discusses other examples of their technology: https://bogleech.com/cobrala

In the GI Joe film, the Cobra-La people are disgusted by humanity’s use of inorganic machinery, and opt to eradicate humans and reclaim the land that was theirs prior to the Ice Age.

In the Energon Universe, this prejudice exists still for humans, as Cobra Commander is instead a human that lives in their ranks, but they’re more offended by the existence of the Transformers after CC’s science team dug out a frozen Megatron to study him.

Aghast at a cold, mechanical planet populated by giant metallic robots, Cobra-La sends Pythona aboard a space fairing … whatever this fella is…

… to Cybertron to nip this so called invasion in the bud.

It would appear she takes a semi unintentional detour, dealing with matters in the Void Rivals series first, where she’s set to battle the Skuxxoid in particular. (I’d laugh if she became the wife he constantly talks about.)

The Quints and Cobra-La sharing the concept of organic technology is honestly very interesting, and while I do think it was created independently of GI Joe, should more TFONE content be made and the Transformers and Quintessons go to Earth, a further connection to Cobra-La would be really cool.

It’s theorized in the Energon Universe that the Quintessons could’ve created or at least influenced the Cobra-La people, and such an idea isn’t unheard of, as the Zertonians and Agorrians of Void Rivals are revealed to be descendants of Transformers via a new character called Zerta Trion. It’s implied but not yet totally confirmed the Quintessons created the Transformers also via the G1 cartoon as well, and I just think it’d be hilarious if the proud, organic Cobra-La people would discover they’re related to the fully mechanical Transformers via the Quintessons and be utterly mortified. (I don’t think they’d like their Zertonian/Agorrian cousins much either since, despite being organic they have technology based Energon ports on their heads.)

Incidentally it feeds into a personal headcanon regarding EarthSpark, since MARS Industries exists here, that Quintus Prime used the Emberstone to seed life on Earth that would one day evolve into Cobra-La, making them relatives to the Terrans, Quintessons, and Lithonians (the later because Quintus reminds me of Kranix for some reason).

[solarfracture]

I am like actually gonna fucking die. Who thought this was a good idea for a cover?? CAUSE ITS FUCKING PERFECT I WANNA VOMIT. ITS SO SO SO SO CUTE AND I LOVE SESAME STREET (who doesnt tho??) UGHHH… I need to talk about Void rivals with someone so bad cause OML…… sobbing. Cant wait to buy the new issue of transformers next week!! Im so hyped!! Called up my local comic book store to ensure I’ll get a copy. I cant wait for the next issue of Void Rivals cause ???? I have GOT to know what happens next. UGHH…. So excited…

[windamp]

screaming

[haoeu]

Happy 40th year anniversary to transformers! Reading the new comic run, skybound tf and void rivals are alot of fun

[heavenpierceher]

look at this adorable 2nd printing cover for void rivals #1 😭💝

[nadertigerkay]

The state of the Energon Universe factions

[glamoplasm]

waaaaahhh (cover art by daniel warren johnson & mike spicer for the void rivals #1 reprint)

[swervesfirstblaster]

EU HOT ROD MY BELOVED MAGENTA BOY!!!

soo happy hes gonna get more focus in void rivals in the future issues i love his character in there and he has a saber so lets goo

[dynared]

In a year and a half, the Energon Universe, between Transformers, Void Rivals, and GI Joe has sold 3 million copies. Closest rocket out of the starting block in sales I can think of recently is Kagurabachi, and that’s getting an anime next year. Just saying Hasbro, an animated EU show would do numbers.

For comparison sake, IDW was selling an average of 11,000 copies of its ongoing a month when it had the license.

[misfire-apologist]

I’m really enjoying Void Rivals you guys

[tfwiki]

REACH FOR THE SKIES! Get caught up on the Energon Universe by checking out TFWiki's articles on Void Rivals, the stealth launch of Skybound's new shared universe — and come back tomorrow for our article on Transformers #1 by Daniel Warren Johnson and Mike Spicer!

[blueikeproductions]

I’m curious about that too.

Currently Hot Rod is camped out in Void Rivals.

The latest revelations depicts Darak and Solila’s species as being related to Transformers, and that Hot Rod and Springer are looking into an old Autobot legend connected to the organic cyborg’s home planet the Sacred Ring. The artificial planet and its people are connected to a mysterious Transformer called Zerta Trion, a robot so controversial among Quintessons, she’s considered “The Unspoken One”.

Zerta Trion is attempting to bring her own children together, not unlike Primus needing the Autobots and Decepticons to cooperate against Unicron, with Solila as the one to help do it in particular. However unity among the Sacred Ring is considered taboo, its two leaders creativity division to prevent it, fearing the destruction of their people.

What that entails exactly is unclear atm, but when Darak and Solila did briefly connect, this happened.

A giant robot slumbering in the Sacred Ring’s black hole briefly awoke. It’s confirmed not to be Unicron, although to be honest, I would think the lack of a planet mode and trademark horns would be the tip off it’s not… Presumably this is Goliant, the aliens’ word for the end should unity happen. My current guess is Goliant may be Zerta Trion herself, or at least something related to her also.

The current arc also refers to a Vector Theta, though as of typing we don’t know what that is yet. Similar to Zerta Trion’s connection to Alpha Trion, clearly Vector Theta is related to Vector Sigma, the life giving super computer from the original cartoon. Besides Alpha Trion giving up his life to merge with Sigma to create the Aerialbots, Optimus would have a connection to it as well in the cartoon and other media, with Japanese media seeing him merge with it as well to stop a catastrophic meltdown that would destroy Cybertron, once again trusting Rodimus Prime to be his successor.

So how does this connect to Hot Rod?

My current assumption is a splitting of the difference, similar to Superlink and Animated. Rodimus will appear alongside Optimus but there’s a catch to it.

You can’t really pass on the Matrix atm due to the connection is has with Sparkplug and Optimus. Sparkplug’s sacrifice and his own wisdom passed on to the Matrix to guide Optimus while he’s on Earth doesn’t really jive if Hot Rod gets it at this stage.

So instead I think he becomes Rodimus at some point in Void Rivals.

But it’s tricky.

The current Hasbro story is Alpha Trion is one of the legendary Primes, but Skybound has been a bit dodgy about using Quintus and co, instead sticking to a version based more on the 80’s cartoon history with the Quintessons as the creators.

The Trion moniker in Skybound has only been bestowed to two Transformers, Zerta and Alpha, with Trion referring to someone with great wisdom. It’s unclear if Alpha Trion and Zerta Trion are Primes here, though because The Fallen was referenced, it’s possible Alpha is, but because of Hasbro’s continued waffling on Primes, Zerta will either be the 13th Prime and/or Alpha Trion’s ambitious (non-Prime) twin sister.

My point being is Hot Rod gets inducted into the fold, meeting up with Springer and Darak, and shenanigans ensue that sees Hot Rod evolve into Rodimus Trion to help Darak and Solila lead a new age or some such.

This isn’t new territory for Hot Rod either.

ReGen One would see Hot Rod unify the Transformers with their demonoid ancestors.

And on his final days, after all the original Transformers died out, Rodimus Prime’s Matrix energy would see the Demons evolve into the Maximals and Predacons.

In Japanese media, Rodimus Prime would embark on a journey to find a new home planet for the Transformers, after Scorponok rendered Cybertron uninhabitable for the time being. A manga would further depict a now Micromaster Hot Rod founding Planet Micro alongside other early Micromasters.

In Superlink, Rodimus would found a breakaway faction of war weary Autobots and Decepticons that escaped the Great War during the Armada era to found colony worlds so these Transformers could live in peace. This also saw the evolution of the Omnicon species from these refugees.

So Skybound Hot Rod helping the Zertonians and Agorrians and become Rodimus Trion/Theta/Goliant doesn’t feel like a stretch to me. Coupled with DWJ liking both Hot Rod and Cobra-La, I think he’s in safe hands so far. At least I hope he doesn’t become a depressed drunk or be stuck in a coma.

[batgirlii]

Void Rivals - Issue #10

Energon Port!?!?

[inkfamy]

Babygirl looked so good here

[rupertholmes]

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