Grimlock ♥ Ultra Magnus

This is the last issue of Till All Are One.   Which, yeah, saves me money - but it's not really worth not having more of these stories.   Scott has said she didn't really want to go on with this story, although she was offered to be able to 'shake things up.'  (This implies one of two things to me: either they thought by changing things she might want to continue, or IDW was worried about sales and figured shaking things up would bring in more subscribers.   Regardless of if these happened, or something else happened, the bottom line is that Scott didn't want to write more in this series, and she felt the story had come to a conclusion.   If she forced herself to write more, it might just mean the story weakened and this ended on a perfect high note.)

While Vigilem tries to take over Windblade, Starscream steps in, to Windblade's chagrin.   He doesn't have the training or abilities she has - and even she can't stop Vigilem.   Except there's more at stake than the three realize, and only Windblade's epiphany has a chance of saving everyone from Vigilem as an instrument of Liege Maximo's wrath.   

The revelations - about the nature of sparks, of what was done to Starscream, and what he could have been were breathtaking in it's panoramic take on Cybertronians.   It also offered Starscream a chance at a redemption, a chance he's constantly given and constantly turns away from.   (Something that might, due to this revelation, might be something forced on him through exploration since before he was created, and might be his own learned behavior: that he isn't worthy, that he will also be second best, his own insecurities fueled by constant failures further fueled by his inability to accept these redemptions that he's constantly offered.   Starscream is a vicious cycle unto himself, and it's a little heartbreaking.)

I do hope someone picks up Starscream and this thread and does something with it - but I'm not sure if anyone will.  I have a feeling I'll have to wait for a while, especially since the one Till All Are One Annual that we'll ever get isn't even out for pre-order.   Still, a girl can dream, because Seekers are sexy and I have a feeling I'm going to have a bit of a Starscream phase now.