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dramamelon · 7 years ago

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Optimus Prime #9: Or, Nothing is Ever Permanent in Comics. *HOLDS TIGHT TO THIS TRUTH*

· Let me repeat the above and expand. Nothing in the stories in comics can ever be not reversed. In particular, how many bots have come back from the dead in all the years of the Transformers franchise? :D And I’ll tell y’all what. After being in the wrestling fandom for many long years, wherein deaths were the real deal and far too common? A fictional favorite “dying” doesn’t really hurt so bad as it might otherwise. · Overall, though, this issue came across in a very manga style of storytelling. A dying character of note will get a last hurrah where we get a deeper insight into their past. This has been subverted, notedly by the likes of Grimmjow in Bleach, but it’s a pretty standard manga storytelling practice, especially in shonen manga. However, Sideswipe’s Last Hurrah is different. It didn’t really focus on his past, only finding a way to bring him up to speed on the changes that have happened on his world and among his people. Something to make him feel better---or to have him ready for an eventual return brought on by Primely Magics so as to not be too out of the loop? · Moving on to the comic now... Marissa and the President are talking. Mentions of Marissa’s top notch understanding of Cybertronians comes up. The President has a plan. Perhaps a small lead up to Marissa’s appearance on Cybertron in the upcoming First Strike? · Sideswipe “wakes up” to the crew outside the tube. Little detail on Wreck-Gar’s hand made me giggle:

· Sideswipe’s monologue is so frankly in tune with the way I see him. He’s the mech that fought for the Cause. He’s Autobot through and through. I like pairing IDW Sideswipe and Skywarp up because both of them are shown to be so damn loyal to their respective Causes that they hold on as tight as they can until its shoved so hard in their faces that it’s Time to Move On that they change like it was their idea in the first place. Like calls to like in this situation for me. Both are so black and white in their thinking, it’s like they just don’t know gray or any other color exists. · In going through the issue to write this all out, I see that Sideswipe is unconsciously pointing out from the start that all is not as it seems:

Yeah, Sideswipe knows. He’s not saying the words to himself this early, but he knows. D.O.C. certainly knows. · Then there’s a little show of Sideswipe’s own arrogance while berating Sunstreaker’s:

Maybe, maybe not, Sides, you certainly played a part in him not getting sucked in, but at the time? The Decepticons hadn’t yet fallen hard and deep away from the initial meaning of their Cause. Sideswipe was just as much a pawn of the Senate as Prowl at this point, swimming in privileges that didn’t exist for those early Decepticons. Entirely unaware of it, I’m sure, but he was all about the status quo.

Don’t want or need? Sideswipe, baby, you live and breath for Sunny to throw you a bone, right to the very end because he means so much to you. Because he’s so very good at what he does, even his screw ups are phenomenal. If he would just acknowledge that you’re capable, too?

And when Arcee insinuates Sunny might be in trouble? His tune changes so very fast. He wants (or thinks he wants) so bad to be his own self, to break away from Sunny, but he just can’t do it. · Proof that it’s better Sideswipe sees current Cybertron this way than in person:

He’s not ready for the depth of changes that exist. Sideswipe is not a deep thinker. Something confuses him? In those shades of gray he has trouble seeing? He lashes out, usually physically.

Oh, Sideswipe. The depth of your hurt is heartbreaking. But, yeah. He gets surprised---something he admits to hating---and reacts weapon first.

Something to note: SIDESWIPE IS BRISTLING HEAD TO TOE WITH WEAPONRY. He’s ready to take on an army BY HIMSELF in a peacetime situation. A single blaster or such might be excusable, but not this show of force. This is not a mech that’s okay. And surprises make him mad, can’t blame him. Sideswipe, my dear Sideswipe... you’d never have survived in the current world without a whole lot of help. · Sideswipe suspects Starscream’s Badgeless have taken Sunstreaker. Arcee informs him that they answer to Ironhide now and have cleaned up their act. Sideswipe’s reaction?

He calls bullshit... and turns Bob into another weapon in his already over-the-top arsenal. Again, NOT. OKAY. Sideswipe is scared of all these things he doesn’t understand (though he’d never admit it) and is reacting in a perfectly predictable manner. Also, despite this heaviness, d’awww! Cute! <333

Sideswipe, this is not the thinking of someone that’s not still angry with his brother. Practically one of them, indeed.

And Sideswipe shows his own arrogance again in referencing Sunny’s. It’s up to Sides to save Sunny---only he can do it. Because if he does it, maybe Sunny will appreciate him. Oh, Sideswipe. TT__TT So much hurting you’re not getting the chance to soothe. · So, they’ve found Sunny and the Decepticons. Sideswipe flies into action, taking down even Soundwave---who Sideswipe doesn’t even notice is entirely non-confrontational.

Notice Sideswipe admits he should have been nicer to Arcee. Past tense. Then comes the beginning of the sea change.

IDW Sideswipe is the one that doesn’t fit in in the aftermath, not Sunstreaker. He did his best before Brawl shot him, but he was always awkward outside situations where his skills as a fighter were being used. He says so in those moments where he tells us “this is more like it!” when a skirmish of some sort happens. Sunstreaker is the one that can live in the peacetime world, that can get along with ‘Cons and colonists. Sideswipe is too lost in his black and white world to do this. (This is why IDW Prowl/Sideswipe could be so damn scary, if someone wanted to take it that way. <3) · Arcee informs Sideswipe that Sunny is there to help because someone tried to burn down the Decepticon District of Iacon. Sideswipe. Just, Sideswipe. He can’t comprehend that Sunstreaker would be there to help, that he’s not “in league” with anyone. That there is no “in league” anymore, thank you, Sunny.

See, Sunny’s learned from his past. He admits to having thought he could do it all himself. He’s good in this new Cybertron.

And this is how Sideswipe takes it. It’s not a sudden, spark-deep change, but his need to show-up Sunstreaker. To prove he’s better, somehow, in some way because he’s been living in the shadow of his brother for so long. Ever-mercurial Sideswipe, always ready for a challenge, digs right in to helping with the energon that the group had brought for the relief effort. But, again, he realizes something isn’t right. · Quick break from Sideswipe. I’ve seen TFP Arcee pointed out, but how about RiD2015 Fixit? <3

· And then we hit the end of things. Sunstreaker tells Sideswipe “it’s not about me, it’s about doing good.” This is so out of the norm, that Sideswipe finally gets it. Finally lets himself understand what’s wrong with the whole scenario. TT__TT

Sideswipe takes it in and reacts in his usual way: ever-cheerful because there’s not much he can do to change it now.

D’awww! Sideswipe’s tactile nature makes one last showing. <3 Poor, Arcee.

The expressions we get from Arcee and Sunstreaker are in a place that’s initially amusing, but become so very sad the more you look at them. Arcee: cringing from Sideswipe’s dorkiness? No, trying hard not to break down as she loses another not-friend. Sunstreaker: facepalming because Sideswipe? No, control starting to slip because bro. And out of the dream in Sideswipe’s head we come...

· Then Jetfire announces it’s over. TT__TT Bob and D.O.C. are me.

· I can’t say how glad I am Sunstreaker was actually there. And that little smile on his face, sad as it is? He’s quite sure Sideswipe is going to be okay now, like he wasn’t before.

· Arcee leaves the room, going out to be alone. Aileron follows, asking if she’s okay. Arcee admits to being maybe a bit sad, but also happy because:

Yeah, I can see it. Sideswipe, in retrospect, never had it easy. Not mentally, anyway---never being able to get away from the fixation on Sunstreaker and feeling so very inadequate in comparison---and it just got worse with the millions of years of war. Sideswipe, like so many, definitely would have benefited from a little Rung Time. · Also, gee, Arcee, way to make fun of Aileron’s beliefs! Oh, no you meant he’ll live on in your memory... But what’s this offhand comment that follows?

Is this foreshadowing I see before me?

Uh, I may just be reading too much into this, but reference to the dead coming back? “Until I see you again”? A reiteration of “It’s nice having someone watch over you”?

Do I think we’ve seen the last of Sideswipe? Nope. It’s a lovely issue, really. Tears (and snot) were flowing hard enough that I needed to break open a new box of tissues. But I don’t see this being one of the forever deaths of the comic world. I’m hoping this is the start of an Ironhide-esque reset for Sideswipe. (As much as I’d devour a series that worked Sides through his problems while alive, I can see how that wouldn’t necessarily go over well as even a mini-series. ^^;;) Perhaps a bit of Primus-style magic is in the works? Cybertronian-style religious beliefs are obviously making a larger showing as time goes on.

Also, if we don’t see more Sideswipe beyond maybe flashbacks? Fanfic, baby. That’s what it’s for. <333 Also also, Sideswipe will now get his own version of the LoTR reference I was using for the SWINDLE LIVES! tag. :D

#optimus prime 9 #spoilers #maccadam #deep thoughts #sideswipe #sunstreaker #arcee #SIDESWIPE LIVES!#image heavy #very image heavy #did I just post the whole damn issue?#close enough #long ass post #SPOILERS AHOY!#it's probably a very good thing i had today off #character death #character death?#it's also probably a very good thing sideswipe isn't my only favored character in the franchise

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