Linkage Part 12

« The Transformers Legends of the Microns #12 »
"Linkage" Part 12
Publisher	Columbia Music Entertainment
First published	31 March 2004
Written by	Hirofumi Ichikawa
Art by	Hirofumi Ichikawa
Continuity	Armada cartoon
Packaged with	Legends of the Microns 12

Ravenus is subdued, and the Mini-Cons prepare for their greatest challenge...

Synopsis

The Speed Chaser Team takes note of the sheer number of Mini-Cons that they didn't know were still on Earth. As more and more upgraded Mini-Cons arrive to contain and reformat Ravenus, the Speed Chasers and Aqua Raiders use trans-phase mode to escape and regroup, despite Impulsor's attempts to stop them.

Meanwhile, Redline has managed to extract the Doomstone from Ravenus (at the cost of his arm), and he places it inside his own extra-dimensional storage unit so it will be safe until he can figure out how to defuse it. His teammates give him a lot of grief over it, reminding him that the Doomstone is the problem of all Mini-Cons and that they all should work to dispose of it.

Later, the numerous Mini-Cons (joined by a fully cured and restored Autobot Ravenus) listen to a communication with Perceptor and Sparkplug, as they prepare to meet up with the Autobot forces aboard the Axalon and return to Cybertron and fight Unicron. The Mini-Cons say goodbye to Stella, with Redline reminding her that Mini-Cons' and humans' souls are intertwined, and assuring that should they be victorious in their battle, they will send her a sign...

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Notes

• This comic was available only with the twelfth volume of the Legends of the Microns DVD in Japan, along with the exclusive Impulsor toy. Later pressings of the DVD did not include either.

Transformers references

• "Trans-Phase Mode" makes an appearance here, explaining Sideways's mysterious "nano" form seen multiple times in the cartoon. Apparently, all agents of Unicron can pull off this trick.
• Dune Runner is the first Mini-Con to appear from elsewhere in a manner that lets you identify him. Of all the Mini-Con models to appear, he's the only one colored normally so you can tell who he is.
• The black hole that the Speed Chaser Team, the Aqua Raider Team, and Sideways all use to escape is the same kind of Unicronian black hole seen in the cartoon episodes "Puppet" and "Uprising".
• The hug scene features Mini-Cons with the bodies of Bonecrusher, Ransack, Buzzsaw, Wreckage, Drill Bit, Knock Out, and Dualor. Due to the solid-green coloration of the bots and the rampant (and seemingly random) model re-use in the cartoon, it's hard to say who exactly these Mini-Cons are.
• When Redline explains the soul-link, in the panel's background is a silhouette of High Wire (in his pre-Earth form) and Rad in his space suit, referencing the event that brought Mini-Cons free will, as shown in the episode "Drift", an episode on the DVD this comic came with.

Trivia

• Four pages again.
• Falcia has her hand on Redline's shoulder in the hug scene. Awww.
• Redline has a temporary replacement right arm for the latter half of the comic, due to his original arm being torn apart by the Doomstone's energies. Whether his arm is based on another toy's arm is up for debate, as it's fairly generic.

External links

• "Official" Linkage mini-comic translations (archived)