Void Rivals issue 9

Darak rushes to the aid of Solila, who has miraculously survived getting impaled with her own spear. While the spear missed any vital organs, she risks bleeding out if she tries to remove it, and so she retracts the spear into her body in order to stem the bleeding. Handroid informs the pair that the solar windstorm has taken them much closer to the midpoint they were searching for, and the pair resume their search for Darak's "oasis."

Meanwhile, Skuxxoid returns home, eager to see his wife and children. However, upon entering the dark, empty house, he remembers they're no longer around. He sits down at the dinner table alone, head in his hands.

Darak and Solila continue their trek. Solila suddenly collapses, having lost too much blood from her wound. Darak hoists her onto his shoulder and carries her the rest of the way. Just as Darak is about to collapse from exhaustion himself, he spies an old Edgewalker exo-suit — the same one he was piloting years ago! Realizing that they've made it to the "oasis" — a small shelter with discarded bits of technology and a green and yellow vehicle — Darak frantically searches for help from someone. When questioned by Handroid, Darak reveals that he was delirious and barely conscious the last time he was here. He was just barely able to crawl towards the shelter, only catching a glimpse of something strange before blacking out and waking up back in Agorria. Darak turns his attention back to Solila when he hears the sound of whirring and shifting gears behind him. He looks up to find the Autobot Springer standing above him, offering aid.

However, Springer mistook their armored forms for fellow mechanical life, and upon realizing that they're organics, is unsure how to help. Still, he offers to provide whatever support he can, but is interrupted by a faint whistling quickly approaching them: an arrow from Proximus lands in front of them and explodes, knocking Darak prone. Proximus then arrives and attacks Springer, who grabs his sword and warns the hunter not to try doing so again. Proximus is unintimidated and attacks, and while Springer might have the advantage in terms of size, Proximus is much faster and able to maneuver around the Autobot quickly. As the two continue to fight, Darak tends to Solila. Handroid indicates that her pulse is dropping. As Darak desperately checks her body, he finds the green key Mistress Vill gave her.

On Quintessa, a Quintesson Scientist summons the Judge to report his findings after examining the composite ship they acquired from Skuxxoid. The scientist reports that one of the alloys used in the ship's construction contains material that dates back to ancient Cybertron, and believes that the "Zertonia" Skuxxoid mentioned could be in some way connected to Zerta Trion. The Judge pauses for a moment before electrocuting the scientist: speaking that name has long been forbidden.

Featured characters

Characters in italic text appear only in flashbacks.
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Agorrians	Zertonians	Others
Springer (5)	Darak (1)	Solila (2) Proximus (6)	Handroid (3) Skuxxoid (4) Quintesson Judge (7) Quintesson Scientist (8)

Quotes

"I'd like to see you try that again."
"Your size does not intimidate me."
"Funny. Same."

—Springer and Proximus

Notes

Continuity notes

Skuxxoid returns home after meeting up with his old buddy Slizardo and the Autobot Hot Rod in the Void Rivals story from the Energon Universe Special 2024 released earlier in the same month as this issue. In that story, Hot Rod mentions that he is searching for an ally of his, likely alluding to Springer.
Darak piloting the Edgewalker and getting lost in the wasteland was first seen in issue #7.
Upon seeing Springer transform, Handroid references their meeting with Jetfire from issue #1.
It's notable that Springer, unlike Jetfire, is wearing the Autobot logo, meaning that he arrived on the Sacred Ring after the Autobot-Decepticon war broke out and after Jetfire disappeared.
The mysterious key Darak finds on Solila was given to her by Mistress Vill back in issue #5.
The Quintessons received Darak and Solila's composite ship, which they completed in issue #2, from Skuxxoid in issue #6.
"Zerta", the goddess of the Zertonians, has been mentioned throughout the series up to this point. Coupled with the Transformers connotations of "Trion" (see below), plus the Quintessons' reference to "her" in issue #6, the implication would seem to be that this supposed deity is actually a Cybertronian...

Transformers references

Springer makes his Energon Universe debut this issue
"Zerta Trion" of course calls to mind the character of Alpha Trion, the wise sage from Cybertron's past who frequently appears as a mentor of Optimus Prime. In the Generation 1 cartoon, Trion was a member of the Autobot Rebellion which overthrew the Quintessons.

Other notes

Springer's appearance this issue marks the first time that a Transformers character's appearance in Void Rivals was not kept secret, with the cover to the comic revealed on Skybound's social media ahead of solicitations.
This issue contains a five page preview of Scarlett #1.

Covers (6)

Cover A: Springer, by Lorenzo De Felici.
Cover B: Springer and the rivals, by Ricardo López Ortiz.
Cover C (1:10 Copy Incentive): Springer approaches, by André Lima Araújo and Chris O'Halloran.
Cover D (1:25 Copy Incentive): The rivals stand on Springer's body, by Caspar Wijngaard.
Cover E (1:50 Copy Incentive): Springer's head covered by sand, by Tonči Zonjić.

5-page preview of Scarlett
Experience the Energon Universe in the trade paperbacks for Void Rivals, Transformers, Duke, and Cobra Commander.

Reprints

Void Rivals Volume 2: Hunted Across the Wasteland (September 18, 2024) ISBN 1534328378 / ISBN 978-1534328372
- Collects issues #7–12.
- Trade paperback format.