Lightning Strike Coalition

Transformers: The War Within
The War Within, issue #1, pencils by Don Figueroa, inks by Elaine & Don Figueroa, colors by Rob Ruffolo
Publication information
Publisher	Dreamwave Productions
Schedule	Monthly
Format	Miniseries
Publication date	2002–2003
No. of issues	15
Main character(s)	Autobots, Decepticons
Creative team
Created by	Hasbro
Written by	Simon Furman
Penciller(s)	Don Figueroa, Andrew Wildman, Joe Ng
Inker(s)	Elaine To & Don Figueroa
Colorist(s)	Rob Ruffolo

Transformers: The War Within (or simply TWW and WWi) is a series of comic book mini-series written by Simon Furman and published by Dreamwave Productions featuring Generation One characters with brand new pre-Earth designs.

The series focuses on the Transformers' past on Cybertron before they came to Earth. The series consists of three six-issue mini-series: Volume 1, Volume 2 ("The Dark Ages") and Volume 3 ("The Age of Wrath"). The Age of Wrath ran only for 3 issues due to Dreamwave's bankruptcy.

The plot revolves around the inception of an archivist named Optronix as leader of the Autobots after the death of their previous leader Sentinel Prime at the hands of Megatron. Optronix stands before the Council of the Ancients: a group of beings who maintain a psychic link with the Creation Matrix and interpret its wishes. The will of the sacred life-force is clear: Optronix is to be the new leader, despite his protests that he is not right for it. However, he is chosen anyway and renamed Optimus Prime, unaware that a group of Autobots led by Grimlock are considering overthrowing Prime if he turns out to be too weak. Prime silences those fears by single-handedly defeating a trio of Decepticon assassins during his inauguration ceremony, but then horrifies the assembled Autobots by declaring the war cannot be won, and that they should evacuate Cybertron. Megatron, meanwhile, has become aware of the potential of the Matrix as a source of power, and plans to capture it to power Cybertron's planetary engines, turning it into an interstellar Warworld under his control. The Constructicons fire the engines, devastating Iacon while Shockwave leads an attack on what's left of the Autobots. Prime investigates the engines, but is attacked by Soundwave, Ravage and the Insecticons.

Prowl, realising they can't hold much longer, sends Grimlock to find Prime. Optimus has beaten his pursuers, but is confronted by Megatron himself. The two battle, and are sent deeper into Cybertron's depths by the ever-traitorous Starscream, who tries to seize command, but is opposed by Shockwave. Both Prime and Megatron are pulled into the Matrix, and given a glimpse of the future - the events on Earth in Dreamwave's G1 series. Grimlock's team try to shut the engines down as Starscream orders their activation, devastating much of the surface. Grimlock finds Prime and is grudgingly impressed as Prime fights Megatron, trying to prevent him from using the knowledge of the Matrix to cause more evil. Optimus seemingly defeats his foe and leads a counterattack that routs the Decepticons. Prime resolves to stay on Cybertron and stop the Decepticons, while Megatron is pulled out of the rubble, minus his memory of the events he witnessed within the Matrix, and why he originally wanted it.