Rise

	"Rise"
Publisher	IDW Publishing
First published	May 23, 2012
Story by	Chris Metzen &; Flint Dille
Art by	Livio Ramondelli
Letters by	Shawn Lee
Editor	John Barber &; Carlos Guzman
Continuity	2005 IDW continuity
Chronology	Before the war

This article is about the comic issue. For the faction, see The Rise.

Hot Rod chooses his faction while Optimus Prime discovers a new ally for the fight against Megatron.

Synopsis

Hot Rod is brought to the Citadel for an audience with Megatron, who was very impressed by the decisiveness he displayed in the destruction of Nyon and compliments his leadership skills. Though he has lost track of what he's fighting for, Hot Rod chooses against following Megatron after witnessing him ordering the execution of Bumblebee.

Meanwhile, the Matrix guides Optimus Prime back to the ruins of Nyon, where it allows him to feel a weak life force pulsating underground near the Acropolex.

Back at the Citadel, Hot Rod breaks Bumblebee, Ironhide, and Ultra Magnus out of jail, explaining that he has realized what the Autobots are fighting for and wishes to join them. The other members of Magnus and Orion Pax's teams escape as well, and together they follow Orion's ID signal to Nyon where they're shocked to learn that Orion has acquired the Matrix and become Optimus Prime. Optimus announces to his troops that he's going to set things right and bring back justice to Cybertron, then introduces them to their newest ally: Metroplex, the giant formerly known as Acropolex who has been sleeping below Nyon since ancient times.