#5 - "Trenches"

Credits

Writer - John Ney Reiber / Art - Jae Lee / Colors - June Chung / Letters - Benjamin Lee

Story

Rising out of the ocean, Snake-Eyes carries Stormshadow to the rocky shore, where the ninja asks for forgiveness with his final breath. After climbing the beach cliff, Snake-Eyes is attacked by Ravage, but quickly kills the wounded Decepticon. Meanwhile, at the Cobra Terrordome, the Baroness begins her torturous interrogation of Flint...

The rest of Flint's team is at the Cobra Airbase, where they're under attack by Frenzy. Beach Head taunts Frenzy towards a parked bomber, then cuts the fuel line over the Decepticon's head. An artillery round from Grunt causes the bomber to explode, and a few more shots takes down Frenzy for good. Flying nearby, Jaye is being pursued by Wild Weasel; he has the advantage in speed and climbing, but she manages to feint him with a slow Immelmann turn, allowing her to gun him down.

Watching the Joes continue their advance towards the Terrordome, Cobra Commander decides to take action. He orders Major Bludd to gather the residents of a nearby village, as well as Cobra's collection of prisoners, and encircle the harbor as a human shield.

Meanwhile, the Joes have regrouped, and are now crossing the sea towards the Terrordome. Scarlett is relieved at the return of Snake-Eyes, but he offers her nothing more than silent regrets. Optimus Prime tells Duke that the Autobots cannot do anything more than to escort them across, since they don't know enough about the humans' war to take sides. He is stopped short, however, upon seeing Cobra's wall of prisoners and slaves; when Duke explains that everyone captured by Cobra is either enslaved or killed, Optimus allies the Autobots with the Joes.

Cobra Commander and Megatron watch the Joes' advance from a nearby bluff. Cobra Commander orders Shockwave to transform into his heavy-artillery mode, but Shockwave requires Megatron's authority before he complies. As Shockwave aims at the Autobots, Cobra Commander waits...

Approaching closer to the beach, the Autobots are considering how they can free the prisoners without endangering them. Stalker notes an extensive network of trenches and cammoflage netting behind the prisoners, which masks their true strength. A plan is then formulated: if Snake-Eyes and Roadblock can clear the trench closest to the prisoners, Superion could quickly shield them from Cobra's gunners and rush them into the safety of the trench. It just might work...

With a thundering roar, Shockwave fires, and Superion is hit!