Thanks to ITunes we have a look at the 3-page preview of IDW Lost Light #21.
After the final battle against Getaway and his allies, Rodimus, his crew and the Scavengers have to deal on how to escape from Meredi. As you should imagine, nothing is easy with them.
Transformers: Lost Light #21
James Roberts & Jack Lawrence
Something is coming. It cannot be stalled. It cannot be avoided. It cannot be reasoned with. As the end of everything draws near, a simple instruction rings out across the universe: prepare, confront, repel. Some people are ready for the fight of their lives. Rodimus and the increasingly shambolic crew of the Lost Light…yeah, they’re really not. Like, at all.
Expected Release: Jul 31, 2018
You can check out the mirrored images after the jump and then sound off on the 2005 Boards!
Thundermania
I'm onboard with the "host body" idea rather than Pharma actually BEING the Architect, they're speech patterns are way too different and the timeline doesn't add up. I hope it's a Quintesson (maybe "inhabiting a body" like Alpha-Q from Energon.
justiceg
I'm totally on board with
a) Pharma being the "host body" for the Grand Architect (and Pharma will be the reveal on page 6)
b) the Grand Architect being a Quintesson (revealed on final page)
c) "Tyrest" also being a Quintesson
d) "The Beast" potentially being a Megatron fresh from the FU
Technically the first mention of the Grand Architect is 500 years ago in LL#1, when Anode and Lug are referring to him.
rlmiddleton
Many think it’s Pharma. Which means it probably isn’t.
Stryyder
Hmm…I think one thing sticks out as the wrench in the works if we're talking about Pharma as the GA, and that is issue 14 of LL. This flashback shows Scorpy and Flame being taken in by the GA after jettisoning from SW's ship to avoid the DJD. This would have happened shortly after their escape from G9, which was shortly after Overlord took over. Given Fort Max's diatribe about how he was stuck with Lippy McLipface for 3 years before the Wreckers came to the rescue (marked as 2010 in continuity), that means the first known appearance of the GA was around 2007-2008. This is well before the launch of the Lost Light and the first encounter with Pharma or even Tyrest in 2012-2013.
Unless we're dealing with time travel shenanigans, the GA should be someone who hasn't appeared since the early days of the post-AHM ongoing. Or at least someone who has had machinations going since then. Someone specifically with a nut against the LL crew seems unlikely given this information and Pharma seems even more unlikely considering he was supposedly find and dandy until after the surge when he started making deals with Tarn.
justiceg
Nope.
rlmiddleton
Maybe it’s the heat but I think my memories going on me. Have we seen Pharma alive since season 1?
rlmiddleton
Well, there are precedents for alternate timelines producing other versions of characters. And the two Megatrons story would suit a UK continuity fanboy like James. On the other hand I believe he’s had this story mapped out the whole way, whereas Megatron’s involvement in MTMTE/LL was iirc something that wasn’t always intended and he kind of “took over” season two. So maybe not? I dunno, guess we’ll find out. In less than 24 hours [does Jack Bauer in 24 ticking sound thing]
Stryyder
Why do I have the feeling that page 6 will be a full page reveal of who he finally is…
"one hand or two" makes me think Pharma. "Retune your vocal synthesizers" makes me think Nautilator (merely because it was said he sounded just like Megatron) but Whirl blew his head up…
Tyrest being there as "irony" could also be a clue.
Honestly, I have no clue. Pharma would really be the most anti-climactic, so I'm hoping it's not him. Megs would be a bit pandering, so also hope it's not him. Did we see anyone else during the Killswitch debacle that hasn't shown up in a while?
justiceg
Lost Light #19 – assume spoilers
Could go for Pharma as well as Tyrest, and explain the "irony" comment.
In fact, this would be a thematic callback to Eugenesis. Think the three unknown "Decepticon" jets…
JudgeDeliberata
I think you can also make out Pharma's protruding kneecap strut right under Flame's left forearm.
In addition to the fact that it would be ass-backwards for Scorpnok and Tyrest to address the likes of Pharma as "My Liege", the Architect's speech actually doesn't sound anywhere near as informal as Pharma usually did.
All of this would also imply, assuming it's him, that Pharma's remains were at some point taken apart too, natch. Does seem to me like his body's being used to host someone.
justiceg
"My liege…"
Nocturne
"In residence" is also the term used to describe when a dignitary or royalty is at home.
Thundermania
The best way to establish an evil ruler is a scene of the them being rebuilt.
justiceg
Maybe this post outlying a theory about how a time-travelling Megatron could be the G.A. =):
MTMTE / LL: Who is the Grand Architect?
Actually I have a sinking feeling based on these pages that it's Pharma (who has previously replaced his hands several times, plus a "retune your voice box" would indicate they're trying to reconstruct his head), but I'm really hoping not because that would be supremely anticlimactic.
However the whole "retune your voice box" / "one hand or two" is one of those things where I also suspect it's a time travelling Megatron, who ended up facing off against "the Beast", nearly got destroyed, and escaped. I guess we'll find out in a brief while…
Edit: could be a Quintesson masquerading as Pharma, with the Tyrest as Quintesson theory still being correct too ("You're only here because I like the irony" really limits the possible number of suspects).
JudgeDeliberata
"The Grand Architect in Residence".
HAH!
Wiki: "Residency" is a stage of graduate medical training (…) usually in a hospital or clinic under the direct or indirect supervision of an attending physician."
So, I'd say there you have it. If it's not Pharma, it's someone using his body, which only now seems to be in the process of getting put back together…this is after all a very long time since he had his head shot off, and his brain module shouldn't even be salvageable…
And they're waiting for someone…
ProtectronPrime
The GA being FU Megatron would be an "obvious" reveal, but not necessarily an unsatisfying one. Honestly, think about it – if Transformers were allowed to continued to progress unchecked without the ravages of war they'd be unstoppable. Megatron going to the FU and preaching Peace Through Empathy could possibly result in the Cybertronians regaining an empire because their population wouldn't be constantly decimated.
The thing that doesn't quite jive is that Megatron's last known philosophical position was "pacifist". The GA openly orders the murder of people just to get results. That's a pretty hard turn for someone that we last left preaching peace, tolerance, patience and education. So while it COULD be Megatron, it's likely not FU Megatron and would therefore have to be some heretofore unseen Megatron, which I think is unlikely.
Hopefully it won't be some twist ending BS where it turns out to be Huffer or something stupid.
General Tekno
The talk of SHUNTING certainly makes me wonder. Given Geobombs were in use by the Council (Killmaster's design IIRC?) and yet nobody knew they actually SHUNTED rather than destroyed.
Napalm
Could be something, could be nothing.. rather interesting choice of words from Roberts to describe Megatron given the name of your last arcs big bad, no?
View attachment 28039012
INTERVIEW: James Roberts Gears up for his 100-Issue Spanning, Universe-Ending TRANSFORMERS: LOST LIGHT Finale!
Personally I lean towards Pharma as he's the only one who hasn't shown up yet and was the centre point of Drift's vision in LL1. But Pharma wasn't the nutter we know him as when the Architect acquired Scorponok, which messes with the timeline, so..?
With another geobomb in play and talk of shunting worlds going back to the first arc of Lost Light it does make me wonder about Megatron. Plus being described by Ravage as, well let's allow the cat to say it..
View attachment 28039017
…hmmm. I wouldn't like it but now I'm trying to work out how we could end up with two Megatrons from different periods in their lives going toe to toe. That the Grand Architect is actually talking about himself here and FU Megatron is about to make a reappearance due to the plans with Mederi.
Urgh. That's enough awful theorising. Stop it Napalm, your head will fall off.
Uniclonus
It's going to be Ramjet, isn't it?
barry
I'd be totes against it, which doesn't mean that I don't think it could be Megs.
Every guess I make I talk myself out of. Phrama? Yes, but no. A surviving Knight? Yeah maybe, but like not really. Primus? Brilliant, but fuck off.
Yeah, I saw Roberts do a 'lol' tweet about that. Seemed like a, very welcome, debunking.