History ComicBook / TransformersPunishment

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ed9fc89c2bd6f49373cf5a1de2d08c03.jpg]]
->''"You and the Dinobots are everything wrong with Cybertronians. All you ever were was a gun... and you have no ambition to be more. Even if you didn't pull the trigger yourself, it's creatures like you that create an environment where this happens."''
-->'''Optimus Prime'''

A one-shot comic leading towards the events of Combiner Wars, taking place after the events of Issue 35 of ComicBook/TransformersRobotsInDisguise, written by John Barber and with Livio Ramondelli on art duties.

Optimus Prime travels to Cybertron for an unfinished business and lands in the middle of a triple-murder mystery.

!!This comic series provides examples of the following tropes:
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* AnArmAndALeg: When confronting the Firecons, Sandstorm blows off Sparkstalker's legs.
* BrokenPedestal: It's kind of mutual between Optimus Prime and the Dinobots. Optimus Prime can't believe they can't let go of the war, and the Dinobots resent being called out on it. It's never really touched upon if they're able to patch things up towards the end.
* CallBack: [[spoiler:Sandstorm asking Prime if he or High Autobot Command knew about all the atrocities committed by the Autobots]] is a callback to every dirty thing Prowl has been involved with since ''ComicBook/TheTransformersLastStandOfTheWreckers'' (and likely way before that). He also mentions a specific event of [=LSOTW=] where the Wreckers executed unarmed Decepticon prisoners.
* CityNoir: The Decepticon ghetto.
* DarkerAndEdgier: Quite possibly ''the'' Darkest and Edgiest of the IDW comics.
* DiedStandingUp, Disturbingly, Treadshot's corpse stays upright as half his head is blown away and the rest smolders down to an endoskeleton.
* DoNotTauntCthulhu: Acid Storm tells Sparkstalker that no, intimidating and taunting Optimus Prime is a stupid idea even if he is outnumbered.
* FantasticGhetto: The 'cons live outside Metroplex, and it's explicitly called ghettos.
* GreyAndGrayMorality: Just about everyone but Prime, Windblade and surprisingly, Barricade.
* InformedAbility: The Firecons are noted to be immensely powerful soldiers, burning a planets atmosphere so severely, thousands of Autobots died. While it's likely the atmosphere was flammable, it's hard to swallow the Firecons as such a huge threat, partly because such an atrocity is just brought up here, partly because the Firecons themselves are fairly standard Decepticon troops, just with a fire-gimmick.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Sandstorm is horrified when he realizes that he almost executed a defenseless Flamefeather in cold blood. [[spoiler:That one's faked, but his reaction to shooting Prime with an Infernus bullet certainly isn't.]]
* NoRespectGuy: Barely anyone gives a fuck about who Prime is these days.
** To a lesser degree, Swoop within the Dinobots.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Barricade, although he's mid-level management and dealing with 'bots and 'cons in the upper echelon.
* RedHerring: The Firecons, the Dinobots, and even Barricade. [[spoiler:It's really Sandstorm.]]
* [[ManOnFire Robots on Fire]]: More like Fire in Robots. The killer's weapon of choice, the infernus bullet, overloads the target's neurosystems and immolates the target from the inside.
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: It's politically motivated, to be sure, but Starscream participates in the investigation nevertheless.
* SeriesContinuityError: Sparkstalker freaks out over attacking Optimus Prime, thinking he'll be out for revenge. It was Flamefeather who shot at Prime.
* ShellShockedVeteran: Sandstorm. Arguably, the Dinobots.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech:
** Optimus Prime gives two to Slug. [[spoiler:The second was a feint in order to draw out the actual culprit.]]
** Windblade gives one to everyone about how they all suck for the [[ForeverWar 4-million year War]].
* ToBeLawfulOrGood: Barricade defies Starscream's order to lay waste to the Decepticon ghetto.
* TokenGoodTeammate: Barricade is easily one of the most heroic characters, but he's also a faithful Decepticon. In addition, Swoop takes on his traditional role as the Dinobots' mediator.
* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler:Sandstorm]] suffers a rather tragic one at the end.
* WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong: Spoken word for word by Treadshot in the opening. Brisko and Wilder, being far more intelligent, immediately call him out on this. Not that it helps them.

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* CallBack: [[spoiler:Sandstorm asking Prime if he or High Autobot Command knew about all the atrocities committed by the Autobots]] is a callback to every dirty thing Prowl has been involved with since ''ComicBook/TransformersLastStandOfTheWreckers'' (and likely way before that). He also mentions a specific event of [=LSOTW=] where the Wreckers executed unarmed Decepticon prisoners.

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Optimus Prime gives two to Slug. [[spoiler:The second was a feint in order to draw out the actual culprit.]]

** Windblade gives one to everyone about how they all suck for the [[ForeverWar 4-million year War]].

* WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong: Spoken word for word by Treadshot in the opening. Brisko and Wilder, being far more GenreSavvy, immediately call him out on this. Not that it helps them.

->''"You and the Dinobots are everything wrong with Cybertronians. All you ever were was a gun... and you had no ambition to be more. Even if you didn't pull the trigger yourself, it's creatures like you that create an environment where this happens."''

* CallBack: [[spoiler:Sandstorm asking Prime if he or High Autobot Command knew about all the atrocities committed by the Autobots]] is a callback to every dirty thing Prowl has been involved with since ComicBook/TransformersLastStandOfTheWreckers (and likely way before that). He also mentions a specific event of [=LSOTW=] where the Wreckers executed unarmed Decepticon prisoners.

* [[ManOnFire Robots on Fire]]: More like Fire in Robots. The killer's weapon of choice, the infernus bullet, overloads the target's neurosystems and immolates the target

* CityNoir: The Decepticon ghetto.

* FantasticGhetto: The 'cons live outside Metroplex, and it's explicitly called ghettos.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Sandstorm is horrified when he realizes that he almost executed a defenseless Flamefeather in cold blood. [[spoiler: That one's faked, but his reaction to shooting Prime with an Infernus bullet certainly isn't.]]

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Optimus Prime gives two to Slug. [[spoiler:the second was a feint in order to draw out the actual culprit.]]

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Optimus Prime gives two to Slag. [[spoiler:the second was a feint in order to draw out the actual culprit.]]

* ToBeLawfulOrGood: Barricade defies Starscream's order to lay waste to the Decepticon ghetto.]]

* BrokenPedestal: [[spoiler: It's kind of mutual between Optimus Prime and the Dinobots. Optimus Prime can't believe they can't let go of the war, and the Dinobots resent being called out on it. It's never really touched upon if they're able to patch things up towards the end though]].
* CallBack: [[spoiler:Sandstorm asking Prime if he or High Autobot Command knew about all the atrocities committed by the Autobots is a callback to every dirty thing Prowl has been involved with since ComicBook/TransformersLastStandOfTheWreckers (and likely way before that). He also mentions a specific event of [=LSOTW=] where they executed unarmed Decepticon prisoners.]]

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler: When Sandstorm shoots Prime with an Infernus bullet]].

* RedHerring: The Firecons, the Dinobots, and even Barricade [[spoiler:it's Sandstorm]].

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Optimus Prime gives two to Slag [[spoiler:the second was a feint in order to draw out the actual culprit]].

* BrokenPedestal: [[spoiler: It's kind of mutual between Optimus Prime and the Dinobots. Optimus Prime can't believe they can't let go of the war, and the Dinobots resent being called out on it. It's never really touched upon if they're able to patch things up towards the end though].

* BrokenPedestal: [[spoiler: For a moment, the Dinobots really had it against Optimus for calling them out, it's never really explored whether it will be Rebuilt or not]].

** Windblade gives one to everyone about how they all suck for the [[ForeverWar 4-million year War]].

* NoRespectGuy: Barely anyone gives a fuck about Prime these days.

* CallBack: [[spoiler:Sandstorm asking Prime if he or High Autobot Command knew about all the atrocities committed by the Autobots is a callback to every dirty thing Prowl has been involved with since ComicBook/TransformersLastStandOfTheWreckers. He also mentions a specific event of [=LSOTW=] where they executed unarmed Decepticon prisoners.]]

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