Entropy

« Rom & the Micronauts #3 »
This doesn't happen. Like, at all.
"Entropy"
Publisher	IDW Publishing, Greg Goldstein
First published	February 28, 2018
Cover date	February 2018
Written by	Christos Gage
Art by	Paolo Villanelli
Colors by	Alessandra Alexakis
Letters by	Shawn Lee
Editor	David Mariotte
Chronology	Current era (2018)

With time, literally, running out, Rom and the Micronauts launch a desperate assault on the enemy stronghold.

Synopsis

As Rom and Acroyear charge at one another, Phen throws herself between the two, unwilling to see either perish. This act confuses Rom allowing Acroyear to strike them both. Larissa contains the warrior in a forcefield long enough for Biotron to perform a scan and recommend that they immediately kill Acroyear. Acroyear soon frees himself and hurls away Larissa and Biotron before returning his attentions to Rom. Phen puts herself in front of the Space Knight and the sight of her is enough for Acroyear to regain partial control of his body. Rom seizes his chance but does not kill Acroyear, the Wraith infection is young meaning it can be burned out by a Neutralizer blast. Though Phen and Acroyear attempt to apologize for their assumptions and actions, Larissa cuts off any sentimentalities. This horror ends now, via a direct frontal attack.

In the pyramids, Membros marvels at the fusion of magic and technology but notes to the Absence that a far stronger conduit will be needed to awaken the Presence. The Absence has such a conduit: himself. Membros then receives a communication that a Hornetroid has failed to report in. Though it could be due to the Entropy Cloud's time bending properties, better safe than vivisected by Baron Karza so he alerts the guards, Ampzilla and Terraphant to be alert. The two quickly sight Rom flying right at them. They open fire but the Knight is able to dodge the barrage with ease before the missing Hornetroid is sighted on the horizon. Much to the alarm of the sentries, the Hornetroid is but a trojan horse from which the Micronauts emerge ready for battle. Though the heroes are able to dispatch the two monsters, the pyramid walls are reinforced with both magic and technology making them near-impossible to breach. Microtron has a solution however and asks everyone to please step aside...as he rams through the walls with their spaceship!

Microtron trundles out of the wreckage to find the conduit before the Absence phases through the little robot, disabling him. Rom recognizes the Absence and opens fire in a vengeful fury prompting the spectral Wraith to withdraw. Instead, Membros reveals some old friends of the Micronauts: Lobros and Antron, now upgraded with Wraith aspects. The brutes are now more than a match for the Micronauts but Biotron insists Rom flee. He received some of Microtron's transmission and is convinced that only Rom can destroy the conduit. Conceding, Rom flies off.

Finding the conduit, Rom is amazed to see the Wraiths putting aside their hatred for science in pursuit of their goal. The technological components of the device have been magically shielded to prevent destruction but the organic Wraith parts? Those the Neutralizer can destroy with ease. The energies of the Entropy Cloud begin flooding the complex, aging anything they touch as Rom flies beyond their reach. Returning, Rom instructs his victorious allies to flee. His armor should protect him from the Cloud's energies. Unexpectedly, Membros speaks in Rom's defence insisting that they all flee. Membros has failed Karza and must now go into hiding. If the heroes kill Karza (unlikely as that may be), then Membros is safe. If Karza kills the heroes, then Membros has time to rebuild what was destroyed. Either way, Membros wins.

With no time to pursue the madman, Rom and the Micronauts board their ship, rocketing off just in time. Larissa however has no delusions that this is a victory. All they've bought themselves is time. And they need to get back to Earth.

Back on Earth, Baron Karza is briefed on the destruction of the complex. Though annoying, it is not unexpected...which is why Karza built a second device which he instructs the Absence to take to Microspace and safeguard in a combined Ministry of War/Dire Wraith fleet. Though the Absence feels such a move would leave the alliance short-handed on Earth, Karza assures that he is one step ahead of their foes.

Featured characters

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

Quotes

"Robots do not pray, Rom. We put our faith in calculation. Measured consideration. Risk/reward ratio. And sometimes...we ignore them all. One side please."

-Microtron has his moment.

"In all likelihood yes. But what if his memory is damaged? Will he be the same Microtron I [Biotron] knew? The sum total of the same experiences? Beings on flesh have an easily understood definition of life. For us, it is more complex."

-Do MT class robots dream of electric sheep?

"They'll attack. Precisely my goal. Even a failed assault on this last device could damage it. But seeing me vulnerable...the fools will charge directly into their doom. And meet the fate of all who have challenged Karza...never dreaming they danced to the music I composed."

-Baron Karza makes plans.

Notes

Continuity notes

• As a footnote reminds us, we witnessed a still-recent Wraith infection be cut out in ROM #6 where Orphion shot the Wraith out of Camilla Byers. It also occurred in ROM: First Strike where Rom burned bits of the Wraith flesh off the Micronauts.
• Membros first appeared as an interrogator for the now-defunct Ministry of Science, waaaaay back in Micronauts #5 but he recently showed up in Wrath of Karza as the supreme interrogator. His two goons, Lobros and Antron, also made appearances in the same mini-series as muscle.
• Ampzilla first appeared back in the Micronauts annual.
• Ampzilla reiterates the Wraith desire to possess Space Knight armor.
• Upon seeing the Absence, Rom recalls the pain he inflicted on the spectral being in ROM #9.
• The functional immortality that Space Knight armor grants its wearer was established in the 2017 ROM annual.
• The spacebridges between the Hasbro Universe and Microspace were established in Wrath of Karza #5.

Micronauts references

• Membros attempts to make use of "Hydra-Gas", referencing the Hydralaser/Hydrapak/Hydrapipe accessories that the original Membros toy came packaged with.

Covers (3)

• Regular cover: Tiny Rom in the shadow of a giant Acroyear, by Fico Ossio.
• Subscription cover A: Rom and the Micronauts, by Chris Evenhuis.
• Subscription cover B: Rom and the Micronauts, by James Raiz. Sensing a pattern forming with these covers?