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Welcome to the latest Seibertron.com Twincast / Podcast Mainframes episode, this time devoted to issue #11 of IDW's Lost Light. Join host ScottyP along with Counterpunch, Dr. Va'al, Megatronus, and Razorclaw0000 as we fill in more blanks in a detailed look through the second chapter of The Mutineers Trilogy.

Episode #190 "Spacebridge Sunset Boulevard" is available directly and in our RSS Feed, and should appear on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher Radio within 24 to 48 hours of when you see this news post.

Be aware that this episode is entirely about IDW Transformers comics and will completely spoil many storylines from several books, including many books before Lost Light Issue 11, so listening after catching up with the most recent material is recommended if you wish to avoid spoilers. New to Mainframes? Catch up on the last episode where we dissected Lost Light 8 and 9.

Covering Issue 11 "The Plotters' Club (Part 2): Filling in the Blanks", the episode digs into the characters and events of this latest chapter, with analysis and opinions on each twist, turn, and new development. If you haven't done so already, remember that you can check out the review for issue 11 here for a written take on the story, with reader comments from the Energon Pub Forums also available for even more perspectives from the Seibertron.com community.



The episode starts off with a look into Getaway, the narcissistic mastermind behind the infamous mutiny aboard the Lost Light. The cast has varying opinions about the direction taken with the character, but there is universal agreement that all doubt has been removed that he's the definitive villain of this story arc. Did the writing take that direction a step too far, or did the dialogue and character interactions lend a deeper scope of characterization?



Getaway didn't act alone, and looks at other mutineers encountered throughout the story follow. Simple-minded Riptide seems unlucky, and we look at whether or not some boat magic could help him breach the surface of a bad situation. The walking role model of an Autobot himself, Thunderclash, also gets some time under the microscope, with the microscope himself getting at least a little attention as well throughout our discussions.



Of course, there is still a quest at hand, with this latest chapter showing that progress is being made and means are available to make even more. A look into the overall story of MTMTE/Lost Light and how this issue factors in can be found in the episode, with other speculation on how it relates to the IDW Transformers and Hasbro universe on the whole and how it could tie in to the upcoming Unicron story also covered. Razorclaw0000 also ponders the pacing, with Counterpunch presenting an alternate path the story could have taken to frame the events being witnessed.



There's one bot that frames disagreement among the cast - Atomizer. With doubts as to his motivations and suspicions to his origins, the speculation on exactly what's up with Getaway's second-in-command range from completely writing him off as room decoration to placing him as a key element in a much larger, darker conspiracy. Listen in to hear about some of the ideas about what exactly could be up with this conspicuously mysterious character.



Listen in for all this and... Death's Head!?

We hope you enjoyed this latest episode of Twincast / Podcast spin-off Mainframes, and stay tuned for future episodes as the ongoing IDW Transformers saga continues to unfold! We'll see you in the discussion thread for this episode which you can join in on by replying to this very news post. Every post here, and reposts of links to the episode on your favorite social media outlet help ensure we can continue to bring more of these episodes to you in the future.

Good lord I went overly convoluted on some of the major points I wanted to make. Eesh.

I apologise for that.

Va'al wrote:Good lord I went overly convoluted on some of the major points I wanted to make. Eesh.

I apologise for that.

There's one place in this where I ramble along about a topic and never actually get to the point. I just stopped talking at some point instead of making the grave deeper. It's all good, it happens. Your perspective was insightful and well spoken throughout, I thought

ScottyP wrote:

Va'al wrote:Good lord I went overly convoluted on some of the major points I wanted to make. Eesh.

I apologise for that.

There's one place in this where I ramble along about a topic and never actually get to the point. I just stopped talking at some point instead of making the grave deeper. It's all good, it happens. Your perspective was insightful and well spoken throughout, I thought

If we keep digging, we may reach hidden depths, even just to play out the metaphor all the way to its end.


And that was awful wordplay.

One tube dug from each you, reaching each other somewhere in the Atlantic. Perhaps you’ll find Atlantis itself!

I'm confused.

I'm pretty much fully on board with Va'al on this series. Plus, I've had many, many, many, many months since we last left the "main" story to process.


I'm almost mad I was made/led to care for this version of Megatron so much, and I'm very let down that Getaway has turned into such a cartoon. Getting rid of Megatron should have been a noble thing to do, and it feels dirty and cheap.

That said, I'm still looking forward to this series being back on track.

Ironhidensh wrote:I'm almost mad I was made/led to care for this version of Megatron so much, and I'm very let down that Getaway has turned into such a cartoon. Getting rid of Megatron should have been a noble thing to do, and it feels dirty and cheap.

That said, I'm still looking forward to this series being back on track.

I agree that they spent too much time making Megatron relatable, likable, and forgivable, but that's also kind of how we felt about the DJD issue that introduced Nickel, right? It's Roberts' style.

I take some solace in the idea that MTMTE/LL Megatron isn't exactly the villain we know, as his brain chemistry has been altered by the special energon they feed him to reduce his power levels. Hopefully banishing him to another reality won't stop han eventual return to mischief.

megatronus wrote:
I take some solace in the idea that MTMTE/LL Megatron isn't exactly the villain we know, as his brain chemistry has been altered by the special energon they feed him to reduce his power levels. Hopefully banishing him to another reality won't stop han eventual return to mischief.

Except Ratchet revealed that it was just a placebo.

Ironhidensh wrote:

megatronus wrote:
I take some solace in the idea that MTMTE/LL Megatron isn't exactly the villain we know, as his brain chemistry has been altered by the special energon they feed him to reduce his power levels. Hopefully banishing him to another reality won't stop han eventual return to mischief.

Except Ratchet revealed that it was just a placebo.

I missed that. Dammit DAMmit DAMMIT

Ironhidensh wrote:I'm pretty much fully on board with Va'al on this series. Plus, I've had many, many, many, many months since we last left the "main" story to process.


I'm almost mad I was made/led to care for this version of Megatron so much, and I'm very let down that Getaway has turned into such a cartoon. Getting rid of Megatron should have been a noble thing to do, and it feels dirty and cheap.

That said, I'm still looking forward to this series being back on track.

I'm ultimately ok with how Megatron took his exit. The only other option was for him to die.

I like knowing in the back of my mind that somewhere out there, there is a Megatron fighting the good fight. If the hint of him contacting Optimus at the end rings true, I like knowing that there is a universe out there where the two of them are working in tandem to make things right.

(I say all that while still of the opinion that Megatron was not held accountable for his crimes by either the cast or the readers.)

I am certain we aren’t done with Megatron or that Universe.

Man, you guys are so good at seeing things in these comics. After listening to the podcast, I re-read the comics and see so much more! Bravo!

Counterpunch wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:I'm pretty much fully on board with Va'al on this series. Plus, I've had many, many, many, many months since we last left the "main" story to process.


I'm almost mad I was made/led to care for this version of Megatron so much, and I'm very let down that Getaway has turned into such a cartoon. Getting rid of Megatron should have been a noble thing to do, and it feels dirty and cheap.

That said, I'm still looking forward to this series being back on track.

I'm ultimately ok with how Megatron took his exit. The only other option was for him to die.

I like knowing in the back of my mind that somewhere out there, there is a Megatron fighting the good fight. If the hint of him contacting Optimus at the end rings true, I like knowing that there is a universe out there where the two of them are working in tandem to make things right.

(I say all that while still of the opinion that Megatron was not held accountable for his crimes by either the cast or the readers.)

That is exactly how I feel, brackets included.

Counterpunch wrote:(I say all that while still of the opinion that Megatron was not held accountable for his crimes by either the cast or the readers.)

I think the biggest thing lacking from the Autocracy Trilogy was a look at Megatron's real scope of nastiness. Yes, he does some bad stuff there, but Sentinel/Zeta/Scorponok/Trypticon were the big bad villains. How much of Tarn's activity was he aware of? What were the planets ths Phase Sixers got sent to, or alternately, how were they chosen? Was Megatron surrounded by absolutely no true allies aside from Soundwave, or was he always/often complicit in acts of genocide?

The answer is supposed to be and stated to be "yeah, it's on him", but when some flashback opportunity arises it could be prudent to show his mean streak in the context of the Cybertronian war. AHM is the closest we've gotten, yeah? I could be way off base, maybe there's plenty of this material and the time since I last read Phase 1 is catching up to my recall ability.