The sequel novel to Transformers: Exodus.
This novel provides examples of:
- Adaptational Badass: Ransack was a Butt-Monkey and common thug back in his original series, but here he's a threatening and power hungry rival to Override, and his ambitions are what plunge Velocitron into war. When Megatron first meets him and kicks him aside, Ransack is back on his feet and up for a fight, whilst in his original series it would have just been more Amusing Injuries.
- Cloudcuckoolander: Wreck-Gar comes off this way to the Cybertronians.
- Composite Character: Wreck-Gar's origins and TV Speak are borrowed from G1, but his naivety, simpleminded nature, and Garbage Truck alt-mode are from Transformers: Animated.
- Faux Affably Evil: Thundertron appears to make use of the universal greeting on any Cybertronian he meets, though doesn't act friendly very long afterwards.
- The Mole: Makeshift, who is pretending to be Hound to infiltrate the Autobots.
- Motor Mouth: Blurr. It's implied that most Velocitronians are like this to some extent.
- The Nondescript: Makeshift's Shapeshifter Default Form is described as "so anonymous that it was practically impossible for anyone who saw him once to describe him accurately."
- Planet of Hats: Velocitron and Junkion. The former is a planet where everyone is obsessed with speed, the latter is a planet where everyone is obsessed with junk.
- The Quisling: Axer became a Decepticon not because of any commitment to their ideals, but because he wanted to be on the side he thought was most likely to win. So it shouldn't come as much of a surprise when he later ditches them to join the Star Seekers.
- The Smurfette Principle: Slipstream seems to be the only female Decepticon. However, she is not the only female character in the book — there's also Override (who is of much more importance to the plot) and Solus Prime, who technically only appears as a hologram.
- The Starscream: Starscream, of course.
- Take a Third Option: The Star Seekers, lead by Thundertron, are neither Autobot nor Decepticon. Their planned backstory would reveal that each member is from one of Cybertron's lost colonies, and when they were abandoned and left to die, Thundertron recruited one robot from each colony and formed the Star Seekers; their main goal to hunt down any and every Cybertronian still alive.
- Uncertain Doom: In this continuity, Trypticon willingly transformed into the Nemesis and wasn't forcibly reconstructed into it. After a damaging warp, Thundercracker notes the unresponsiveness from Trypticon, wondering if the trip had given him brain damage and Shapeshifter Mode Lock or if he had just passed away and they were flying his corpse.
