- - Shortly after the dawn of time - - 9 million years ago - - - - 8.7 million years ago - - 8.5 million years ago - - - - 8.2 million years ago - - 7.4 to 6.5 million years ago - - - - 6 millon years ago - - 5 million years ago - - 4 million years ago - - - - 4 to 3.5 million years ago - - 3.5 million years ago - - - - 3000 years ago - - 1984 - - 1984 to 1998 - - - - 1998 - - 1999 - - 2002 - - 2002 to 2003 - - 2003 - -

Dreamwave Comics were in the process of re-inventing the Transformers universe, but they weren't always very clear or linear about it! This timeline is to help set straight the events of Dreamwave's G1 universe, incorporating information from all relevant sources, including... all three volumes of "GENERATION ONE"; all volumes of "THE WAR WITHIN"; the SUMMER SPECIAL; "MICROMASTERS"; Dorling Kindersley's "TRANSFORMERS: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE"; the novel trilogy, "HARDWIRED," "ANNIHILATION" and "FUSION". Notes on where each piece of information is obtained from are included in italics after each entry.

SHORTLY AFTER THE DAWN OF TIME

The extra-dimensional entity know as "The One" creates two heralds to explore the newly-birthed universe – first the being called Unicron, who is then subdivided to create the second herald, Primus. The two heralds explore many realities, seeding many worlds, but as time goes on, Unicron proves to be an imperfect being, and his lust for power puts him at odds with Primus. The two exist physically as mechanical planetoids, but also battle on the astral plane – in time, Unicron adapts his physical form to transform into a robotic form that mirrors his astral aspect. Primus does the same, but opts to almost constantly stay in planet mode, to remain connected to the universe on a planetary level, moving using vast planetary turbines. Instead, he creates thirteen beings possessed of similar transforming powers – they are the first Transformers, created to man his planetary weapons and defences in the battles against Unicron, but one of them – later to be called "The Fallen" - turns against Primus and sides with Unicron. The final battle results in the apparent destruction of the remaining twelve Transformers, and Unicron and the Fallen are sucked through a black hole into another dimension. The Fallen gets 'stuck' in between and remains trapped in the "underspace" between dimensions.
("THE ULTIMATE GUIDE")
(Fallen states he was trapped in "underspace": "THE WAR WITHIN: THE DARK AGES" #6)

As Unicron sets about ravaging other dimensions, consuming planets and ultimately destroying all that is of each reality, entering dormancy, then moving on to the next reality, Primus settles his planet form into orbit around Alpha Centauri, and births more and more Transformers, creating an entire race that populates the planet, which becomes known as Cybertron. Primus withdraws to the core, shutting down all nonessential systems – effectively, sleeping – but maintaining a connection to his creations via the computer, Vector Sigma, and its guardian, Alpha Trion (right).

("THE ULTIMATE GUIDE")

9 MILLION YEARS AGO

(Date from "THE ULTIMATE GUIDE")

A series of underground gladiatorial games (right) is begun by the ruling council of Cybertron, in an effort to divert attention away from their activities as they quietly cordon off areas of Cybertron to hide from it's inhabitants some mysterious, terrifying truth to their origins, which they blanket with religion and stories. Gladiatorial champion Megatron realises that the council is scheming, however, and ventures beneath the planet, into one of the sealed off areas, where he finds relics of the Transformers' ancestors, and learns the truth the council sought to hide. Using the games to identify powerful, like-minded individuals, Megatron bands them together as a new faction, the Decepticons, planning a planet-wide uprising to mask his exploitation of Cybertron's planetary turbines, which he will use to turn the planet into a mobile war-world.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 3 #10, THE WAR WITHIN" #3)

8.7 MILLION YEARS AGO

War between the Autobots and Decepticons is formally declared as the Decepticons take the orbital torus state of Kaon (right) and establish it as their base of operations.
("THE ULTIMATE GUIDE")

8.5 MILLION YEARS AGO

The Autobots claim their first victory in the war at Protihex, and resistance against the Decepticons grows across the planet. The Decepticons raze Nova Cronum.
("THE ULTIMATE GUIDE")

8.2 MILLION YEARS AGO

(Date from "THE ULTIMATE GUIDE")

Megatron kills the Autobot leader, Sentinel Prime, in his quest to obtain the power of the Matrix, but Sentinel Prime does not have the artifact on his person when he meets his end. The Matrix chooses a data archivist, Optronix, to be the next Prime, and Optronix is reborn as Optimus Prime (right). Unwilling to fight, his first plan is for the Autobots to abandon the planet and leave it for the Decepticons, and so the construction of a massive craft called the Ark begins - but as their enemies initiate a full-scale attack on Iacon, a battle with Megatron under the planet's surface, accompanied by visions from the Matrix, stirs Prime on to fight for the planet's freedom. During this battle, Starscream activates the mechaforming program designed to turn Cybertron into a war world, and before it can be stopped, Iacon is largely destroyed.
("THE WAR WITHIN" #1-6)

7.4 MILLION YEARS AGO to 6.5 MILLION YEARS AGO

(Dates from "THE ULTIMATE GUIDE")

The disappearance of Optimus Prime and Megatron in an early Spacebridge test heralds the dawn of a period of Cybertron's history known as "The Dark Ages." Certain Autobots and Decepticons splinter off into other factions such as Springer's Wreckers, Grimlock's Lightning Strike Coalition, Ratbat's Ultracons and Starscream's Predacons. Having previously been downgraded to non-allied status by crisis intervention, the Special Team begin to choose sides as the conflict escalates. The Fallen returns (right), inadvertently freed from his interdimensional prison by the failed spacebridge experiment. By kidnapping Grimlock, Jetfire, Hot Spot and Blitzwing - Transformers with "genetic potential" in their Sparks - he plans to awake Primus, in order to alert Unicron – who has by this point returned to this dimension - to his presence, but is destroyed by Primus himself.
("THE WAR WITHIN: THE DARK AGES" #1-6)

6 MILLION YEARS AGO

(Date from "THE ULTIMATE GUIDE")

During the "Dark Ages," command of the Autobots falls to Ultra Magnus, with Grimlock helping him. An attempt to foster peace between the Autobots, Decepticons and Ultracons at Tyger Pax ends in tragedy, however, when Starscream and the Predacons attack the ceremony, apparently killing Grimlock. However, before the smoke from their bombing can clear, Megatron appears, having returned to the planet with a massive clone army under his command. Quickly and brutally, Megatron and his million-strong army devastates the planet, beginning an age of internment and putting many Autobots to work mining towards the core of Cybertron. Even Starscream does not escape his wrath, despite his attempt to put positive spins on his actions, which robbed Megatron of his thunder. But a rag-tag Autobot resistance group is working in the shadows to learn the secret of Megatron's army and to find Optimus Prime. While Nightbeat, Getaway and their crew attempt to capture of a clone for study, the Turbomaster, Flash, accidentally stumbles through Perceptor's fold-space experiment, and is transported to Quintessa.
("THE WAR WITHIN: THE AGE OF WRATH" #1-3 - series unfinished.)
(Starscream tries spinning his treachery - "GENERATION ONE" Vol. 3 #4)

Through thus-far unexplained circumstances at some point over the next million years, this is ended, and the deactivated clones are discarded via Spacebridge.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 3 #4)

Continuous waste disposal via Spacebridge results in the creation of the planet of Junk.
("MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE" #8)

5 MILLION YEARS AGO

As the war continues and energy reserves dwindle, many Autobots leave the planet in search of new worlds.
("THE ULTIMATE GUIDE")

4 MILLION YEARS AGO

When a massive asteroid is detected hurtling towards Cybertron, a team of Autobots led by Optimus Prime boards the completed Ark (right), and open fire on the asteroid, intending to break it into smaller fragments, which are then transported away from the planet by an orbital Spacebridge network. After this task is completed, however, a squad of Decepticons, led by Megatron, attacks the Ark in their craft, the Nemesis. Crippled, both ships fly through a Spacebridge portal, and are teleported into the Sol system in the Milky Way galaxy, where they crash on the planet that will be called Earth, entombing the crews in stasis.
("THE ULTIMATE GUIDE")

4 MILLION YEARS AGO to 3.5 MILLION YEARS AGO

Approximately 16000 years after the disappearance of the Ark, the Insecticons depart Cybertron and are pursued by the Dynobots, searching for the lost Autobots and Decepticons. They crash on Earth, and a battle ensues - the outcome is currently unspecified, but the Dynobots apparently believe the Insecticons destroyed. Whether or not either team enters stasis for the ensuing four-million-or-so years is unknown.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 3 #8, referencing events from the unpublished story, "Rules of Extinction")

Meanwhile, on Cybertron, the planet's energy reserves continue to decrease, and various attempts are made by the different sides for self-preservation. While the Decepticons spread their influence across many other planets, both sides develop Micromaster technology, a method of downsizing larger Transformers into smaller, more energy-efficient bodies (right). Transformers like the Autobot, Countdown, and the Decepticon, Bombshock, undergo the process, but it proves unrefined and inefficient. Subsequently, Shockwave suggests the pooling of both Autobot and Decepticon resources to create brand new Micromasters, rather than converting existing Transformers - the Autobots agree, and Vector Sigma is secretly used to develop Earth modes for the Micromasters. The Micromasters are sequestered in a ghetto known as Little Iacon, then forcibly selected by the larger 'bots to join the factions.
("MICROMASTERS" #1 editorial text)

Having previously been intruiged by Megatron's clone army, Shockwave experiments with cloning of his own (right), including outfitting clones with experimental solar reactors, which prove too unstable and burn out their systems. He also takes an interest in a change Blitzwing and Astrotain are undergoing, as the genetical potential in their Sparks - hinted at by the Fallen's abduction of Blitzwing - begins to evolve their transformation capabilities.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 3 #3, "MICROMASTERS" #3)

The Autobots - now with Ultra Magnus and Fortress Maximus in command since the absence of Optimus Prime - launch "Operation: Containment," a space program of twofold purpose: to stop the spread of the Decepticon empire, and to locate the Ark. A difference of opinion on the more important aspect of the mission sees the crew split up - Jetfire and Omega Supreme follow a signal beacon emanating from the Sol system in hopes of locating the Ark...
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 3 #5)

...while Countdown and Groundshaker track a Decepticon unit led by Skystalker to the planet Paradron, failing to stop their attack there (right). However, while on Paradron, Countdown discovers a Golden Disk containing information apparently beamed directly from Cybertron, fortelling a great destiny for the Cybertronian race. He and Groundshaker return to Cybertron, just as the Micromasters, disillusioned and mistreated, finally split off from the larger factions. Countdown attempts to share his enlightenment with the Hot Rod patrol, but they're not buying into it. However, Shockwave has manipulated events to learn the location of Countdown, knowing the importance of the information he has gained, but before he can act upon it, Skystalker returns to Cybertron an initiates a coup, overthrowing Shockwave and preparing the Decepticons for a renewal of the war, in order to wipe out all the larger Transformers and leave the planet for him and his kind. With Countdown's help, the Hot Rod patrol manage to put a stop to this plan - but gain no more direction in their lives from it.
("MICROMASTERS" #1-4)

The failure of Jetfire and Omega Supreme to return prompts the Autobots to send an Omega Sentinel to locate them. It reaches Earth ahead of them, but crashes and winds up in stasis.
("FUSION" novel)

3.5 MILLION YEARS AGO

Cybertron's energy reserves finally completely deplete, and the planet and all Transformers on it are deactivated for a long, pre-programmed period known as the Great Shutdown, during which Cybertron repairs and regenerates itself.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 2 #6)
(Note that the above issue's original printing claimed this took place 7.9 million years ago - a typo rectified for the trade paperback, which stated it happened 3.9 million years ago. "THE ULTIMATE GUIDE" gives the 3.5 million year date, which seems better, given the large number of events that occurred)

Either before or during the Great Shutdown, Unicron releases a vast army of Sweeps to scour the galaxy (right), then enters a period of dormancy.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol.3 #0)

3000 YEARS AGO

The Sweep alpha unit, Scourge, locates Cybertron and reactivates Shockwave, planning to observe him, but when Shockwave is attacked by a squad of Sharkticons (presumably left over from the age of internment), he has to intervene and save him (right). Shockwave double crosses him and imprisons him, studying him and learning much of Transformers and Cybertron. With this knowledge, he also furthers his experiments into creating Transformers with multiple alternate modes. His first experiment results in the Duocons - Transforers with one robot mode that split into two vehicle modes - but to perfect the creation of a Transformer with three transformations, he first experiments on the Autobot, Springer, and then on the Decepticon, Blitzwing, as he begins to reactivate the entire planet's population, and also captures and imprisons Alpha Trion.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 2 #3, #6, Vol. 3 #0)

(Notes about Shockwaves experiments: If there has been only one confusing point of continuity in Dreamwave's storyline, it is the Triple Changers - specifically Blitzwing. Blitzwing and the other Triple Changers are introduced as a powerful, new type of Transformer in "GENERATION ONE" Vol. 2, with the point being made that Triple Changing is a new technology. However, in the previously-released "THE WAR WITHIN," set in Cybertron's past, Blitzwing was briefly shown Triple Changing. It seems fair enough to write this off as a retroactive error, like Red Alert's appearance in "GENERATION ONE" Vol. 1 (in fact, in a flashback in this series, Blitzwing was shown to be among the Decepticons on Earth, and that's clearly a mistake). But even then, more errors would continue to appear. "THE WAR WITHIN: THE DARK AGES" stated that Blitzwing had already been experimented on by Shockwave at that point in Cybertron's history, and yet, in "MICROMASTERS," set three-or-so million years after "THE DARK AGES," we see Shockwave only *just* learning of the potential for an evolution in transformation when Blitzwing and Astrotain start to undergo their change. Furthermore, "MICROMASTERS" supports what we had previously learned from "MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE," which claimed that Shockwave conducted his experiments *after* the Great Shutdown.
It is particularly worth noting that "GENERATION ONE" Vol. 2, "MICROMASTERS" and "MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE" were all written by James McDonough and Adam Patyk. They created the concept at work here, and everything that they write about it agrees with each other. It is only the stories being written by Simon Furman - "THE WAR WITHIN" and "THE WAR WITHIN: THE DARK AGES" - which are causing errors, so for now, we shall be taking the McDonough/Patyk telling of events as the correct one.)

1984

On Earth, the lost Autobots and Decepticons are reactivated by a volcanic eruption.

1984 to 1998

Assorted adventures ensue on Earth, including Spike's mind being transferred into a Transformer body.
("HARDWIRED" novel, referencing events of cartoon episode "Autobot Spike")

The Dynobots are reunited with  the Autobots, and rechristened the "Dinobots" for their new dinosaur alternate modes. No trace of the Insecticons is found, and the Autobots believe them destroyed.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 3 #8, referencing events of the unpublished story "Rules of Extinction")

The Aerialbots and Constructicons join the Transformers on Earth.
("MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE" #8 does not list them as crew members, but they are present in various issues of the "GENERATION ONE" comic book in capacities which are not erronious.)

Megatron discovers the Omega Sentinel, and reprograms it to think it is a Decepticon. He does not activate it, saving it to use as a trump card.
("ANNIHILATION" & "FUSION" novels)

Among the human allies the Autobots make is Nathaniel Faireborn, who proceeds to found the "Earth Defence Command," to deal with extra-terrestrial life on Earth.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 3 #7)

Unknown to any of the Earthbound Transformers, Shockwave observes events on Earth. Having decoded a small portion of Vector Sigma's data, he learns of the as-yet-unknown relevance of Earth to the Transformer race (previously hinted at by Vector Sigma's ability to program Micromasters with Earth modes before such vehicles would even exist on the planet), and prepares plans to take over the planet. He starts activating Cybertron's planetary turbines, and begins moving it towards Earth, as well as establishing contact with the Insecticons on Earth, who have been hidden away for millions of years. As he puts things in motion for the first phase of his invasion plan, the Insecticons begin to generate clones of themselves, as part of Shockwave's planned second phase.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 2 #6, Vol. 3 #8)

Using some unspecified mind control technology (some recent theories suggest Bombshell's cerebro-shells could have been the tech used), Shockwave takes control of the mind of a human, General Hallo.
(James "Brad Mick" McDonough interview, TRANSFANDOM.COM)

A human military operation, "Project Lazarus," headed by up Hallo and Adam Rook (right), attempts to duplicate Transformer technology, but results in failure.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 1 #5)

1998

A united human and Autobot attack defeats the Decepticons.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 1 #1)

Rook experiments on the captive Decepticons (right), and devises a way to control Transformers, but cannot put it into operation without arousing suspicion from the Autobots.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 1 #5)

24th JUNE 1999

The Transformers are to return to Cybertron on the newly-constructed Ark II, but it explodes after it leaves Earth's atmosphere (right), and all on board are believed killed - presenting Project Lazarus with their opportunity. However, Rook goes rogue and absconds with the project's technology.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 1 #1, #5)

No-one is aware that the explosion is the work of General Hallo, at Shockwave's command, as he does not desire the return of Prime and Megatron to Cybertron yet.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 1 #5, #6, Vol. 2 #6)
(Shockwave's control of Hallo has never been explained in a story, only in McDonough's interview)

Among those dead in the Ark II explosion is "Sparkplug" Witwicky. His son, Buster, takes his death particularly hard, blaming the Autobots for it, and enrolls in the military. ("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 1 #1, Vol. 3 #9)

2002

Rook resurfaces, now going by the name of Lazarus, and recovers several Autobot and Decepticon bodies, bringing them under his control using the project's technology, intending to sell them off to terrorists for the highest bid. Hallo recovers Optimus Prime, and forcibly recruits Spike Witwicky to help in bringing him back to life (right). Megatron's own will and refusal to be dominated allows him to reject Lazarus's control. Other Autobots and Decepticons are quickly brought back online. Megatron hides the Dinobots away in stasis to make Grimlock bow to his will, and quickly attacks on two fronts - he attempts to cyberform the planet with a metallic virus, and leads and all-out attack on San Francisco. The divided Autobots struggle against the odds, but win through in the end, only for Superion to sacrifice himself in stopping a nuclear missile launched by Hallo from destroying San Francisco.

("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 1 dealer preview, #1-6)
(Dinobots in stasis: "GENERATION ONE" Vol. 2 #2)

(Notes: In Vol. 1, Red Alert appears with the Autobots, and the flashback to the defeat of the Decepticons shows Blitzwing among them. Vol. 2 would later go on to establish that these characters had never left Cybertron, so these were clearly mistakes - to compensate for them, James McDonough humorously claims that Vol. 1 was a retelling through the eyes of the young Daniel Witwicky, who made some errors.)

2002 to 2003

As the Autobots attempt to rebuild their public image, Megatron, Optimus, Bluestreak and Jazz are abducted from Tokyo by a race of bodiless, psychic-powered aliens called the Keepers, and forced to compete in a series of bloody gladiatorial matches with other alien life-forms. Starscream seizes power in Megatron's absence, taking over Las Vegas, but when Optimus is able to use the Matrix to overpower the Keepers, the gate to Earth is opened again, allowed them to return - except the Keepers come with them. Megatron activates the Omega Sentinel to aid in the ensuing battles against the Keepers, which eventually return them to their world. One further strike is required to stop a portal being built that will allow them to come back to Earth, but it requires the sacrifice of the Omega Sentinel and Devastator, who are set adrift in space.
("HARDWIRED," "ANNIHILATION" & FUSION" novels)

Devastator, however, is then recovered and dissected for study by Earth Defence Command (right), who have also acquired Superion's remains.
("FUSION" novel, "GENERATION ONE" Vol. 3 #0)

(Notes regarding novels: While McDonough has stated that he doesn't really consider these books in continuity with the comics universe, the books after "Hardwired" made some notable efforts to fix errors in the first book and bring the novel series in line with the comics continuity, namely by fixing a goof about Reflector, and explaining how Devastator is captured. The novels even established a piece of comic backstory before the comics did - that Omega Supreme was missing. So, while it is questionable if they are truly in continuity or not, I choose to list them here, and leave the decision on whether or not to count them up to you.)

By this time, Shockwave has completely restored Cybertron and solved its energy problems, but is also subliminally influencing the populous to become more violent, and arranges for many of them to be reformatted into Earth forms, all in preparation of their infiltration and takeover of the planet.
("GENERATION ONE," Vol. 2 #4, #6)

Jetfire and Omega Supreme, who have been off of Cybertron for the entire duration of the Great Shutdown, in stasis aboard their ship as it continues to follow the beacon detected millions of years ago, finally grow close to Earth. Jetfire emerges from stasis, and makes a surprising discovery - they believe they have been following the signal of the Ark, but at this proximity, Jetfire realises it is, in fact, a Decepticon-like signature emanating from beneath the Earth's surface. Before Jetfire can bring Omega back on-line, their craft is attacked by Scourge (having escaped or been freed from Shockwave somehow – or this may be a Sweep, but it has knowledge of the situation on Cybertron, when only Scourge was there), who, Jetfire notes, matches the signal from Earth. Jetfire jettisons the stasis pod as a distraction, escaping the ship on his own before it crashes into the ocean, taking Omega with it. Scourge opens the pod, but finds it is booby-trapped, and is trapped within it. Jetfire, dragging the pod with him, begins explorations, only to be buried in an avalanche (right).
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 3 #5)

A human icebreaker discovers a mass of dead whales, killed by shrapnel from Jetfire's ship.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 2 preview from Vol. 1 trade paperback)

2003 ONWARD

The Autobots and Decepticons are drawn to the site of Jetfire's crash, where they find Scourge in the stasis pod. He tries to warn them of what has happened on Cybertron, but is felled by Shockwave. His new, perfected "Triple Changer" troops easily outmatch the Autobots and Decepticons, and Shockwave then has Prime and Megatron's forces arrested as war criminals. Starscream blasts Megatron into space on the return trip, and Optimus, after a falling out with his brother-in-arms, Ultra Magnus, becomes involved with a rebel unit on Cybertron, which cumulates in an attack on Shockwave's stronghold when the truth about his subliminal messaging and ulterior motives comes to light. Prime faces off with Shockwave, but is defeated, and Shockwave uses the Matrix to activate Vector Sigma. He uploads its compressed data contents to his computer network, but as Magnus arrives and does battle with him (right), the computer system overloads and explodes, destroying Shockwave's citadel.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 2 #1-6)

Concurrently with this, Earth Defence Command obtains the deactivated Scourge, whisking him away from under the noses of the Autobots on Earth searching for his body.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 2 #3)

Shockwave's activation of Vector Sigma has also awakened Unicron, who consumes the planet Lithone (right) and begins to produce more servants, starting with Cyclonus. The Quintessons become aware of this, and review the situation, noting that Unicron is heading for Earth, perhaps searching for the same object that they are.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 3 #0)

Starscream and some of the Decepticons, having escaped Cybertron on Sky Lynx with some protoforms during the rebel attack, make it back to Earth after Soundwave hacks Sky Lynx's database. Starscream activates the protoforms - the Combaticons - and they then attack the Ark, in order to obtain parts to make the Nemesis spaceworthy. Brawn and Ratchet destroy the Ark before they let it fall into Decepticon hands.
On Cybertron, Sunstorm (right), Shockwave's clone of Starscream (fitted with one of the solar reactors, but grafted with a substance not unlike Electrum to protect him from its effects), is activated and absorbs from Shockwave's computers the contents of Vector Sigma, driving him insane. Just as the data from Vector Sigma had peaked Shockwave's interest in Earth, so too does Sunstorm head for the planet, arriving at the same time as Bumblebee and his troops, and blasting them out of the sky. Starscream brings Jetfire - who he had previously discovered frozen in ice after the avalanche and taken to the Nemesis - online to help fight him. The two of them team up with the Autobots, and Skyfire deduces that Sunstorm is a clone, helping to develop a siphon to weaken him. Sunstorm escapes, and Jetfire brings Omega Supreme back online. Omega and Sunstorm battle, but Omega is caught off guard and felled. Jetfire and Bumblebee pursue Sunstorm, who has
taken Starscream to the site of a mysterious Cybertronian seal on Earth, which Starscream is claimed to be only one able to open. Starscream, Sunstorm, Jetfire and Bumblebee venture through the seal, under the Earth's surface, discovering an ancient pool full of a mysterious, energy-rich substance. Sunstorm plans to expose Starscream to this energy, but he double-crosses him, and Sunstorm winds up being immersed in the liquid himself. The energy of the liquid - the binary opposite of the energy within Sunstorm - destroys him from the inside out, and Jetfire is forced to sacrifice himself carrying Sunstorm into space, where Sunstorm explodes. The death of Jetfire, coupled with previous doubts about his ability to lead and overhead criticisms from his troops, prompts Bumblebee to quit the Autobots.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 3 #1-6)

Concurrently with the battle against Sunstorm, the Earth Defence Command - led, it is revealed, by Marissa Faireborn, granddaughter of Nathaniel Faireborne - captures Bumper, Warpath and the assorted Autobots defeated by Bruticus in Starscream's first attack. Taking them to their underground desert facility, they repair Jazz, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, and then strike a deal with the Autobots, who are dispatched to investigate mysterious goings-on in the small Californian town of San Desto, which is discovered to be the hive of the Insecticons. They have initiated the second phase of Shockwave's takeover early, using their clones to capture humans, who are turned into a slave army with Bombshell's cerebro-shells. Bumper is able to escape their clutches and use a shell against Bombshell, breaking his control and freeing the humans.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 3 #7-8)

Six months after being jettisoned, Megatron is found floating in space by Wreck-Gar (right), and taken to the planet of Junk, where he is repaired, and has Wreck-Gar repair some of the old discarded clones littering the planet. When the army is complete, he kills Wreck-Gar and leaves Junk. On the planet Beest, he hunts down and traps the banished Decepticon warlords, the Predacons, reconstructing them to combine into Predaking.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 2 #6, Vol. 3 #0, #4, SUMMER SPECIAL)

Megatron then returns to Cybertron, making his first act the subjugation of Shockwave, who is revealed to have survived the ordeal in his citadel and is currently operating underground in the wastelands with the Triple Changers, continuing his experiments in multiple alternate modes. Megatron's clones quickly dispatch Blitzwing, and Megatron himself brings Shockwave under his heel, and they then head to Earth, where Predaking decimates Bruticus, and Megatron, have previously established contact with Soundwave, teaches Starscream the lesson he so richly deserves. But Starscream has already deduced many of the secret truths that Megatron and Shockwave have learned...
Concurrently, as the Autobots begin to construct Autobot City on Earth, the Quintessons step up their plans, identifying Hot Rod as their next target, due to his affinity with the object they seek. With an informant of theirs in the Autobot ranks, they prepare to send their infiltration squad into action.
("GENERATION ONE" Vol. 3 #9-10)

Document written and maintained by Chris McFeely.