Megatron (IDW Comics)

Template:Anti-Hero Infobox

“	I once told Optimus that I kill for the sake of killing. I wanted to make him hurt me, you see, because when he hurts others, he hurts himself. And the thing is, when those words were in my head I didn't think I meant them; but when they left my mouth, I realized that I did. If the world thinks you're a monster, what does it matter? The world is wrong. But when you start to think of yourself as a monster...	„
	~ Megatron, explaining why he became an Autobot to Ravage,Slaughterhouse

Megatron was an antagonist turned protagonist from the comic book series The Transformers More than Meet The Eyes and it's sequel The Lost Light. This comic also features a newly antiheroic Megatron, looking for a new purpose in life and atonement.

History

Past

See: Megatron (All Hail Megatron)

Dark Cybertron

Soon after Megatron's imprisonment, he was rescued by the reanimated Metalhawk, controlled by Shockwave, and was brought to his lab as part of his plan to bring Galvatron and Nova Prime through Megatron's space bridge, after being unable to use an undead Titan. Shockwave hoped that Megatron would comply with his plans willingly, but the Decepticon leader refused and Shockwave forcibly activated the space bridge technology in Megatron's body.

The opening of the bridge in his chest caused Megatron agony, but Soundwave heard him, and led the united forces of the exiled Autobots and Decepticons to Shockwave's lab to free his leader. Nova Prime and Galvatron attempted to squeeze their way through the space bridge, but Ironhide was able to punch Nova back into the Dead Universe. Just then, Shockwave's "Necrotitan" crashed into the subterranean city, and in the chaos, Megatron was freed from the restraints holding him. No sooner had Megatron carried Ironhide to the safe hands of the other Autobots, however, than he was ripped in half from behind by Galvatron, who had successfully emerged through the portal.

After the battle was over, Galvatron and Waspinator dragged Megatron's bisected remains back into Crystal City, only to find their way barred by Bumblebee, who demanded they hand Megatron over. Galvatron attacked the Autobot, at which point Megatron took his opportunity to defeat Waspinator and Galvatron. Bumblebee dragged Megatron back to Iacon, currently being razed by the Necrotitan, where he announced to the assembled Autobots, Decepticons and NAILs his plan to withdraw to Luna 2, summon the Decepticon Justice Division and other scattered troops, and strike back. Bumblebee rejected retreating, and struck a nerve by telling Megatron he had long ago abandoned fighting for freedom and equality, and merely used it as an excuse for his actions. They received aid from Metroplex and the Lost Light. During the battle between the Titans, Megatron observed Metroplex reaching for the Lost Light; when the ship's crew explained that they had Metroplex's severed thumb aboard, Megatron had Bumblebee carry him to it, whereupon he realised that the thumb contained one of Shockwave's Regenesis ores. Megatron used his internal space bridge to teleport the thumb back to Metroplex, and the ore provided the giant with the power boost to defeat the Necrotitan.

At Bumblebee's order, Ratchet repaired Megatron's injuries and reattached his legs, reminding Megatron of his old desire to be a medic. His recent string of failures, Starscream actually succeeding, and Bumblebee's stinging words had turned him introspective, and he realised he had forgotten how he once believed winning meant turning people to your way of thinking, not dominating them. Subsequently, when Shockwave initiated his millennia-long plan to collapse all reality into a universal black hole, Megatron placed himself and the Decepticons under Bumblebee's command to co-ordinate a counter-strike, and they journeyed to Shockwave's Crystal City base to confront their mutual enemy. There, they found the weakened Galvatron, who Megatron prepared to kill in revenge, until Bumblebee talked him down. At that moment, Shockwave killed Bumblebee, driving Megatron into a rage.

Battling the empowered Shockwave, Megatron struggled to face him until Optimus Prime arrived to join the fight. Prime attempted to reason with Shockwave, but his words had little effect. Megatron opted to remove Bumblebee's insignia, he placed it upon his chest, declaring himself an Autobot. The stunned Shockwave lost control of the time machine powering his plot, causing his old personality to return. Horrified at what he had become, he allowed Megatron and Prime to kill him, which caused the time machine to collapse into a singularity. Megatron and Prime ended up being saved by the Lost Light.

Privately, Megatron confirmed to Optimus that his change of heart was genuine, and Optimus assured him that he could see past his wartime deeds and remember his original good intentions.

More Than Meets the Eye

Aboard the Lost Light

The founder and former leader of the Decepticons who's suffered a realisation and became "co-captain" after convincing those at his trial that only the Knights Of Cybertron could fairly judge him. Though rigid and strict, he hopes to redeem himself through the crew's quest and to rekindle his writer persona.

Notes

• Even before his change of heart, IDW's Megatron was painted in a far more sympathetic light then the Megatron of G1. The original Megatron was a criminal from day 1 who assassinated the benevolent Sentinel Prime in a despicable murder and ended the Golden Age of Cybertron, plunging the planet into a dark age out of his powerlust. IDW's Megatron was a honest miner who was dissatisfied with Cybertron's Dark age and snapped after being wrongfully imprisoned, eventually killing the one who helped usher the dark age, the ruthless Sentinel Prime in honorable combat.

Gallery

Megatron and Ravage on a promo for More Than Meets the Eye "season 2".

Megatron, at his marker on "Necroworld", where each flower represents a memorial to someone he had killed in the past.