Heart of Darkness discussion

[Dominic]

Heart of Darkness #2:
Abnett's writing continues to be very Furmanesque. Given that I know Abnett can do better, I am going to assume this is a stylistic choice more than anything else. But, that does not quite mitigate how bad it reads in some places. (Galvatron and co sounding like Furman characters arguably works. Hardhead and Arcee...not so much.) There is a real pre-Crisis DC vibe to this book, especially during the explication about the dead universe. There are hints of a "true threat" in the second issue, and an explicit promise of that threat being revealed in the third. I am really hoping that it is not Unicron....
Grade: C



Side note: This issue could be read, (if a bit creatively), as supporting my theory about how IDW Galvatron relates to G1 Galvatron. But, there is nothing that confirms my idea as anyting

Dom
-please, no Unicron...

[Shockwave]

Uh... dude, they did name it, it's called the D'Void and it's the giant thing with the eyes. Seriously, this thing has like a billion eyes. Anyway, turns out it drained the life energy of the entire population of Gorlam Prime and apparently Galvatron was recreated to fight it. Still unclear on who or what healed Jhiaxus and I'm kind of wondering why Arcee quit killing him. I was under the distinct impression that she was quite content to keep killing him over and over again for all eternity. Maybe she got bored, but I'd really like this properly explained by the end of this. I did like the splash page of Galvatron crossing the various universes and seeing various versions of Megatron and Galvatron (including the voice actors, Frank Welker and Leonard Nimoy). Quite amusing indeed.

Also, Dom, what's this theory you have?

[Dominic]

I get the feeling that D'void is not the "true threat" that will be revealed in the next issue. (The preview promises a "revealed" threat, not a "restated" threat.) Gut feeling is that the dead universe is Unicron.


Galvatron theory:
Modern (IDW) Galvatron is one of the characters in IDW that is harder to reconcile idiomatically with previous iterations. Generally, (old toy packaging aside), Galvatron is an updated Megatron. In IDW, Galvatron is not only a different guy but is probably older than Megatron.

My theory to reconcile them is that Unicron, (officially established as being able to exist and/or see across several dimensions) observed a "true" Galvatron, (be it IDW's or some other), and used that Galvatron as a template for any Galvatrons that he created (such as in the '86 movie). The same logic would apply to Scourge or Cyclonus.

This issue arguably supports that, as the Eye of Te*, Dead Universe (be you thought I would forget to make that joke this issue), is shown to connect to more than one timeline. The same pages show various iterations of Galvatron and Megatron, presumably from those various timelines.


Dom
-but the thing is, I do not pretend my idea is official or right, nor will I complain should IDW's explanation be something else.

[Shockwave]

You could be right given that Galvatron is issuing the call to arms for all TFs to band together like at the end of the original Marvel run, but even I'm kind of hoping it's not Unicron. Or if it is Unicron, at least hoping they do something new and different with him.

I recall that theory now, IIRC I had further postulated that the G1 Galvatron we saw was not actually a "true" copy of Galvatron, but mentally a Galvatron/Megatron hybrid. Could explain why he went insane.

[Dominic]

The cartoon reconciled it with the lava dunk he took. The comic was a bit less consistent, partly due to the fact that there were multiple Galvatrons.

Dom

[Shockwave]

Yeah, I never really bought the "lava bath" explanation but hey, when you're not given anything else....

Still the mental Megatron/True Galvatron hybrid idea is an intriguing one that could be interesting to explore.

[Dominic]

What "true" Galvatron? Any Galvatron made from a Megatron would be a copy based on a "real" one.

Dom

[Shockwave]

What "true" Galvatron? Any Galvatron made from a Megatron would be a copy based on a "real" one.

Dom

I'm basically theorizing that it would be possible for Unicron to reformat Megatron and in the process of copying the original "real" (ie: Non Megatron Galvatron) right down to memory engrams and personality, essentially grafting those elements onto the former Megatron. So what you'd wind up with is a being that is a very close copy of Galvatron but with the memories and personality of Megatron as well. So he'd wind up with two personalities: Megatron and the "real" Galvatron, both fighting for dominance but since it's still one original being, there's two aspects of the same persona. Conceptually exploring this could make for some interesting reading.

[Dominic]

Only if the right writer took the job.

It could be an interesting idea though.


Dom

[Onslaught Six]

That just brings up the whole "Is Megatron Galvatron?" debate again. Which...well I've always been on the side of "Of course he friggin' is." I much don't like the idea that every Galvatron is, in effect, based on this entirely different guy--because...that takes away the whole fact that Galvatron is Megatron. In G1, Galvatron is not fighting with Megatron's past and himself--he's Megatron fighting against Unicron's influence--and in the later comics, his own insanity from 'seeing his own past' from a different viewpoint and 'changing those events.'