WARNING! Spoilers for Void Rivals #14Transformers: The Movieis still highly regarded by fans, and one of the major characters from that 1986 classic has reappeared in the Energon Universe. Hot Rod officially joins the cast ofVoid Rivalsin the latest issue, and it looks like the Autobot warrior is here to stay.
Void Rivals#14 by Robert Kirkman, Lorenzo De Felici, Patricio Delpeche, and Rus Wooton sees a mysterious spacecraft approaching the Sacred Ring at a rapid pace. Darak of Agorria flies out to meet the craft head on, and issurprised to see it piloted by a Cybertronian: Hot Rod.
Hot Rod made his debutin the new continuity in last summer’sEnergon Universe Special, where it was revealed that he was searching the universe for an old ally. The Autobot later appeared inVoid Rivals#11, where he was following an energy trail that would eventually lead him to the Sacred Ring.
Hot Rod Enters the World ofVoid Rivals, Reinvigorating the New Transformers Lore
The Classic Autobot is Set to Play a Huge Role in the Energon Universe
Although the two ships engage in a brief skirmish, Darak shows that his intentions are ultimately peaceful. The Agorrian pilot is equally surprised when he discovers that his fellow pilot is a Cybertronian, as Darak and his Zertonian counterpart Solila previously met the Autobot Springer when they were stranded in the wastelands of the Sacred Ring.Springer had told the pair that both of their cultures were descended from Cybertronian technology, as the crystals on Darak and Solila’s foreheads wererevealed to be Energon ports.
The setting whereVoid Rivalstakes place is the Sacred Ring, a collapsed world at the edge of a black hole that is split into two warring factions: the Agorrians and Zertonians
Springer also told Darak and Solila aboutZerta-Trion, a powerful entity who rebelled against Cybertronand left eons ago to forge a “new path.” Solila guessed that this ancient Cybertronian was somehow related to Zerta, the divine being worshiped by the Zertonians. After receiving a vision from what appears to be Zerta herself,Solila parts ways with Darak to go deep within the Sacred Ring to find the god-like being.Springer also parts ways with Darak, taking what the pilot told him of Jetfire and hoping to reconnect with his old friend.
Given what has already transpired in the Energon Universe, it would be easy toassume that the ally who Hot Rod is searching for is either Springer or Jetfire. Whatever happens next, it’s clear that Hot Rod will be a major character moving forward, and fans can expect to see his story play out in the pages ofVoid Rivals. With strong hints that none other thanUnicron is at the center of the Sacred Ring’s black hole, it doesn’t sound like things will be getting any easier any time soon for Darak, Solila, Springer, Hot Rod and the rest.
Will Hot Rod Find His Missing Ally in Skybound’s Energon Universe?
The Energon Universe Keeps Fans Guessing
In the meantime, getting to seeHot Rod in the Energon Universe is a treat for long-time fans. Firstintroduced inTransformers: The Movie, Hot Rod quickly established his importance to the franchise when he was selected by the Matrix of Leadership to take Optimus Prime’s place as the leader of the Autobots. Hot Rod has been an important character in most iterations of the franchise ever since, and it appears that the Autobot will equally be a key player in the Energon Universe saga going forward.
It’s a good thing that Hot Rod is entering the fray now, because the heroes ofVoid Rivalsare going to need all the help they can get in the months to come. In addition to the mystery of Zerta-Trion and the Unicron teases, the hidden society ofCobra-La has also declared war on Cybertron, withPythona and a squad of soldiers sent into space to deal with the threat of the Transformers. The Cobra-La ship arrived at their destination inVoid Rivals#13, and it looks like it won’t be long before the cast ofVoid Rivalshas to deal with Pythona.
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All these lingering narrative threads show why the Energon Universe is one of the most exciting lines in comics today. With the launch of thenewG.I. JoeseriesandTransformersstill going strong, Skybound’s shared universe has three monthly titles that keep getting better and better.Transformersfans definitely shouldn’t sleep onVoid Rivals, as the appearance of Hot Rod shows why Kirkman and De Felici’s book is one of the anchor titles of the Energon Universe.
Void Rivals#14is available now from Skybound Entertainment.
Transformers (2023)
Optimus Prime was supposed to have led the Autobots to victory. Instead, the fate of Cybertron is unknown, and his allies have crash-landed far from home, alongside their enemies—the Decepticons. As these titanic forces renew their war on Earth, one thing is immediately clear: the planet will never be the same. New alliances are struck. Battle lines are redrawn. And humanity’s only hope of survival is Optimus Prime.
