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Publisher	IDW Publishing
First published	March 25, 2009
Cover date	March 2009
Written by	Chris Mowry
Art by	Alex Milne
Colors by	Josh Perez & Kris Carter
Letters by	Chris Mowry
Edits by	Denton J. Tipton & Andy Schmidt
Continuity	Movie continuity

Everyone gets ready for the Revenge of the Fallen.

Synopsis

En route to San Francisco, the Autobots and NEST soldiers converse about their mission. Two Decepticons have been spotted in the city, but thankfully there's no mention of robots, so they must be in their vehicle modes. Lennox wonders how their team can stop the Decepticons without drawing attention from bystanders; Ironhide tells him to leave it to the Autobots, knowing that the two Decepticons will put up a fight. Once they land, Salani reminds them that this is for real. Team 3 is to serve as perimeter defense, Team 2 will set up the trap, and Team 1 (consisting of Lennox, Optimus Prime, and Bumblebee) will flush them out. Lennox once again lays down the plans, with a chemical spill used as cover for their operations, as they need as much secrecy as possible.

In downtown San Francisco, the area has been cordoned off and the civilians moved out, so Team 2 is cleared to go. Ratchet teases Ironhide about his appearance being unsuited to the mission, but Ironhide tells him to stow it. Suddenly, Ratchet picks up energy readings, then Swindle and Deadend crash through a sliding wall and Team 2 picks up the chase. Swindle thinks that, if Barricade's intel is right, he and Deadend are being chased by Ironhide and Ratchet; no sign of Prime. Just then, Prime appears out of nowhere and runs over Deadend. Oops. Swindle runs off, but Bumblebee chases after him.

Prime is okay, but Deadend isn't, as noted by Ratchet. Salani calls Epps for a clean-up crew, while at the Golden Gate Bridge, Epps asks Lennox for his status. Lennox is pursuing Swindle, who is heading toward the Bridge fast. Lennox tells Epps to have the soldiers let Swindle get a bit of "clearance", then he and Bumblebee continue the pursuit. When they reach the bridge, Swindle transforms and is incredulous that Bumblebee came alone, but Lennox tells him otherwise. Swindle blasts at them, then beats up Bumblebee. Lennox fires at Swindle, and he turns his attention to Lennox, but before he can do anything, Bumblebee blasts him. Dying, Swindle declares: "None of you are safe. We'll find it," but shuts down before he says anything more. Lennox considers the mission a success, and Epps thinks they pulled off the secrecy thing.

Hours later, during the trip back to base, Optimus Prime notes that Lennox looks tired, but Lennox says that he was wondering if things are about to get worse, and is worried about what Swindle said. Prime asks him if he's also worried about Sam Witwicky; Lennox says yes, but is more concerned about the "we'll" part — are more Decepticons going to arrive, and if so, why are they on Earth? Prime doesn't have the answer to that, but does agree that Sam needs to be kept safe — whatever's going on, Prime thinks he's going to be involved. Lennox tells Prime that they need someone to watch over Sam, and Prime knows who'll be perfect for the job.

When the team lands back at the base, a refreshed Epps meets with the still-tired Lennox, who tells him that something's going on out there. Epps tells him that they're ready for anything, but Lennox questions this, saying that for all their training, they weren't clean during the day's mission. Epps thinks it could have been worse, but Lennox says that it might get worse, as well as saying that Bumblebee is leaving the team to once again guard Sam. Epps is upset, saying that they can't lose team members that came from another planet; Lennox agrees.

Later, Lennox is debriefed by the Army on the day's mission. Lennox tells them about the incident at the Golden Gate Bridge; the commander debriefing the team isn't pleased with this, as they were given strict orders to not transform. If the Decepticons did so, then so be it; however, the team was ordered not to, as the Army doesn't want to risk disclosure in a major city again. Lennox says that they had no choice, as the Decepticons had engaged them, and they took caution in how they responded. The commander says that civilians aren't used to seeing robots or jets flying in major cities. Lennox points out the jet was an enemy, and only proves that the army needs the Autobots on their side. The situation isn't perfect, but they're working on it, and despite the incident at the bridge the mission was a success.

The army commander still isn't sold on Lennox's idea. They authorized that mission, but they expect that the rules to be followed in the missions that will be coming, and that the unit will be used to fix problems, not make new ones. After making Lennox clear on this issue, the commander says he'll pass this onto his superiors, and tells Lennox that he and his men need to look over the day's mission and learn from them. When the conversation ends, Lennox is upset at the commander, saying that he's impossible to work with. Prime says that the team will have to work harder, but Lennox thinks that the problem is the army still doesn't get the difference between Autobots and Decepticons. Optimus Prime says that they have to succeed.

The next day, Bumblebee says his brief good-byes to the group. Ironhide tells him to stay out of trouble, while Optimus Prime reminds Bumblebee that Sam's protection is his first priority, then Bumblebee leaves. Later, the team is briefed by the army. There have been multiple Decepticon sightings all over the globe. Lennox lets Optimus Prime talk to the army, and Prime believes that, given Swindle's comments, the Decepticons are looking for something, be it Megatron's remains, Sam's house, or something else. The commander asks if they aren't spreading out for another attack, but Prime thinks these Decepticon soldiers are acting less like soldiers and more like scouts. The commander gives them new orders; they are to find these Decepticon scouts, engage, hunt down, and eliminate them.

And so, as Prime relates, with upgraded technology from Sector Seven installed by Ratchet, the Autobots search for the Decepticons, and, when found, destroy them immediately. In Italy, Fracture gets smashed by Ironhide and falls into a ravine. As weeks, then months go by, NEST's human forces train and get better. Soldiers from all over the world sign up. Together, they celebrate the triumph of Overcast being stopped in Europe, and mourn those who make sacrifices as Salani dies during a mission in the Middle East. They grow as a team and learn from one another, becoming stronger allies in an ever-changing war. The Decepticons won't give them info, and never last long enough to anyway, such as Dropkick and Incinerator who were eliminated in Florida, and others they can't get rid of — Barricade managed to escape that same battle.

The Autobots head to a junkyard. Lennox says that the rad detector is going crazy, and that it's not them. Optimus reassures Lennox, then calls to the hiding Autobots. The new Autobots respond by appearing (in the guises of a silver sports car, three motorcycles, and an old ice cream truck), and saying that they got Optimus' call. However, the reunion is cut short by more sightings. The old Autobots catch up with the new ones through their training. The training ends as they are called to the briefing room, as Optimus wonders that if something is out there, friend or foe, they are the only ones who can deal with the situation, one which is threatening their new home, themselves, and their alliance with the humans.

Inside, Lennox briefs the team on a new assignment, which will involve the new Autobots sticking to their training and watching their backs. Their target location: Shanghai...

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

• TBD

Notes

Continuity notes

• Though they do not appear in this issue due to lack of space, Reverb and Gunbarrel are most likely to have been destroyed in Italy, judging by Ironhide's comment about Fracture being the last of the group there.
• Probably due to his last minute addition to the movie, Jolt is not seen among the new Autobots who appear at the end of this issue.

Other notes

Does Prime transform into a short bus?

• Much like the changes made to Josh Nizzi's cover for "Defiance issue 3", his cover for this issue went through several revisions. When it was previewed on ComicNewsi.com on December 13, 2008, the cover featured a much brighter background with only the Pyramid of Giza behind the characters; Optimus Prime was more awkwardly posed; Ironhide & Ratchet were large and prominent; and Jolt could (barely) be seen on the cover behind the three bikes. On Nizzi's final version, the tone is much darker and more sombre; at least two pyramids are visible; Optimus Prime has been given a different pose; Ironhide & Ratchet are less prominent and Jolt has been removed entirely, probably because he doesn't appear in the movie adaptation. The final published cover removes some forward window pillars that do not exist on Sideswipe's prop vehicle.

Covers (2)

• Cover A: The Autobots and their human allies, as well as a fallen Decepticon; art by Alex Milne, colors by Priscilla Tramontano.
• Cover B: The Autobots and their new Autobot allies; art and colors by Josh Nizzi.

• 

  Where's Waldo?

• 

  Here's the new toys to look for this summer!

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