Friendship is Card Games: The Magic of Cybertron #3 & #4 · 12:03pm Aug 1st, 2021
This week, we look at the second half of the second FiM/Transformers crossover. To review, the Decepticons accidentally revived Sombra in a bit to steal Equestrian magic, and now he’s claiming all of Cybertron as his new kingdom… along with half of the Mane Six. Let’s see where it goes from here.
Issue #3
Ah yes, the element of the crossover we were all waiting for. I’m especially happy to see Vinyl spend more time with her father. 
Also, I have to appreciate one of the alternate covers echoing a previous one. Even our toys buy our toys! Though Twilight smiling as she holds Unicron aloft is more than a little concerning…
The roll call has what may be a first: Vinyl is actually credited as Vinyl Scratch rather than DJ P0N-3 in an official piece of pony work. Also, she and Octavia apparently curate the sickest beats and melodies, respectively. (As opposed to creating them. Honestly kind of insulting to their creative capabilities.)
“Fashionable and magical, darling.”
I get the sense that Rarity wrote her own blurb.
And, as always, the Transformers merely get designated by faction. Given the circumstances, where Autobot and Decepticon must work together against a greater threat, you’d think there’d be a bit more to it than that.
Sick Beats
Heh. I have to commend the comic for the concise review of the story events thus far.
Also, Megatron flying while flanked by mind-controlled Twilight and Fluttershy is a bizarrely menacing image.
Vinyl appears to communicate through hoof language. Interesting.
Octavia really shouldn’t underestimate the power of dramatic theme music when dealing with Cybertronians. Stan Bush’s power cannot be overstated.
You know, I wasn’t going to question how Vinyl and Octavia made it to Cybertron, but the Student Six raise quite a few questions…
Ah, they were at the same concert as the Bearers. Which was apparently Coltchella. One wonders how that contrasts with the dragon festival of Clawchella. (Conserve your puns, folks; you never know when you might need them.)
Ocellus calling Vinyl “Miss DJ” amuses me on several levels.
Yeah, I can see the students being split on whether to stay and help or leave the bizarre metal world full of death robots. Also, Yona has best contribution to debate.
Interesting touch with Vinyl not being sure how to handle the arguing kids, while Octavia takes charge. It does make sense; the DJ works alone coordinating prerecorded samples, while the cellist has to deal with other living performers and their egos.
“Quick tempo, stay in formation, and watch me for changes.”
Yeah, Octavia’s definitely conducted before.
Ah. It appears Soundwave is only learning about Megatron being under mind control just now. He is not sure how to handle this.
Wow, Gallus. Yes, you have a dragon on your side, but what do you think you’re going to do against the building-sized metal titan? Well, I suppose that willingness to face overwhelming odds will serve him well in the Guard.
We don’t talk about the buffalo, Gallus. That whole episode was a blend of Early Installment Weirdness and unfortunate racial allegories.
Not taunting the giant robot is usually a good idea.
“A sonic blast is the only way.”
I think he said the secret word.
I have to appreciate how even Soundwave acknowledges that Vinyl’s the cool one.
Vinyl Scratch built a bass cannon in a cave! From a pile of scraps!
I was not expecting to see a demonstration of the Feline Proximity Inanity Theorem today. Especially not with Ocellus and Ravage.
Calling this maneuver “Operation: Jericho” raises a number of questions regarding Cybertronian familiarity with the Bible.
Heh. Yeah, that’s the thing. If the Decepticons had just asked, Equestria might have been willing to collaborate with them in magitech research. Heck, get human Twilight in there. Even if she’d probably end up a unicorn given the necessary world-hopping sequence.
Wow. Vinyl’s strong enough to telekinetically lift Octavia up to Soundwave’s thoracic stage. Impressive.
… Wait, did Vinyl just summon sirens with that number? I have several questions.
And yeah, the solution to this situation is, as always, cooperation in the face of the greater threat.
The Beauty of Cybertron
There is something truly disturbing in seeing mind-controlled Cybertronians tearing apart a derelict vehicle. Very “zombies devouring a corpse.” And given the setting, there’s the question of whether said vehicle was also a person.
Yeah, when the best arcane expert available is Rarity, you’re in a bit of pickle. No offense meant, but she acknowledges that she’s nopony’s first choice for magical expertise.
Heh. The girls have taught each other much over the years. Not sure how well lassoing translates to netcasting, but you can’t argue with the results. (Though I do wonder if Rarity’s father may have taught her more there. Sure, he fishes with rod and reel, but he may employ other methods as well.)
While it’s always nice to see kindred souls meeting, Knock Out stealing the tires off of the wreck underscores the disturbing undertones of the situation. Heck, it doesn’t even have tires; ther thing’s on tank treads! (Granted, he could just be using them as an example, but still.)
Given what I can tell about Knock Out, seeing him and Rarity trade gossip does seem like it’d be a delight. I may need to make a note of this for the Infinite Carousel, that vast multiversal cartel of Rarities offering business opportunities across all realities.
Oh. Oh. I hadn’t made the connection until now. The dynamic between Ratchet and Knock Out is that between a battlefield medic and a plastic surgeon. No wonder they can’t stand one another.
And Rarity turns on the charm enough that “Knocky-dear” feels he must defend the aesthetic reputation of his world. That mare truly is terrifying when she wants to be.
Huh. The shralls appear to be entirely original to this storyline. Fascinating.
Yeah, given the millennia-long energy crisis Cybertron’s suffered under, it’s hardly surprising that the biggest power hogs would remain dormant.
Rarity is confirmed a member of the royal court, putting this firmly after Twilight’s accession. Also, I do have to appreciate Ratchet’s sarcasm fitting the nail on the head in terms of how they broke Sombra’s spell before. (That said, you couldn’t have mentioned that earlier, Rarity? I suppose it seemed hard to apply in the current circumstances.)
Huh. I hadn’t been sure with Knock Out, but Breakdown’s design confirms that we’re dealing with the Transformers Prime versions of the characters. Continuity is warped and time is bendable…
Ooh. Very interesting variation on the usual friendship lasers. Also, I have to take a moment to appreciate the phrase “grim unicorn dystopia.”
“That. Was. Lovely! Especially since the spell didn’t require you to say anything!”
Ha! Lovely stuff indeed.
Oh dear. Sombra just saw a way to more effectively broadcast magic through Cybertronian technology. This won’t end well.
Issue #4
I’m legitimately not sure who’s the most menacing figure on this cover. Pretty much everyone but Twilight qualifies.
Once more, I have to assume one of the characters wrote their own bio. Only this time, it’s Smolder, “the heights-flying, fire-spittin’-est, take-no-guff-est dragon of them all!”
Meanwhile, Sombra definitely didn’t write his. He’d never describe himself as the former ruler of anything.
The Mightiest Dinobot
Ah. Smolder did end up staying on Cybertron. I wonder if any of the other students followed suit. In any case, seeing more of Spike and Grimlock is a delight.
Heh. She did write her own intro.
Poor Spike still can’t help but feel he pales in comparison to the giant robot dinosaurs. Which, you know, is fair. Though kind of funny given how they’re up against the villain whose defeat got Spike a giant statue in his likeness.
Ohhh dear. That is not a small robot. That is a big robot. Moreover, a big robot who’s proving unusually erudite for something under Sombra’s control.
Call me crazy, but I don’t think this rampage is going well.
Darn it, Smolder, confirm the takedown, then banter! What is Rainbow Dash teaching you?
Ah. An unforeseen but very potent side effect of Sombra’s control. Suborning five wills means the Combiner team is that much more effective.
Discord would be proud of this kind of weaponized disharmony. Thank goodness the little dragon combined his natural cleverness with the online encyclopedia. Yes, the day was saved by none other than Spike Wit-Wiki!
What? This one was a lightweight. I’ve got to flesh things out somehow.
Finale
There is something truly delightfully in Bumblebee getting smacked by Fluttershy and Pinkie.
Ah. Knock Out’s mention of the titans was foreshadowing for Sombra’s ultimate ploy.
As much as I love Starscream and Dash’s banter, I most appreciate Octavia going full Doof Warrior.
Oh! The Mane Six got the Targetmaster treatment. I’ll assume those suits have similar technology to Samus Aran’s Morph Ball in terms of letting creatures bend in ways they really shouldn’t.
Good thought, Elita, but it’s actually the humans who say “pony up.”
And Spike turns into a flamethrower, the greatest communicator since the chainsaw!
“R-Rarity? Whoa… How long was I out?” “About twenty minutes. But I’ve noticed that things often escalate that quickly for us.”
I’m, uh, I’m just going to ignore this. If only because of the whole “Applejack wandering across the desert” thing in the second issue. For the sake of my sanity, I’m going to give this at least a few hours. Though I will admit, this does nicely sidestep the question of what ponies ate while on Cybertron.
I’d say Starscream’s enjoying the chance to swing an axe at Megatron a little too much, but I’d honestly be more concerned if he weren’t enjoying this.
Heh. Fortunately, Rarity has her friends’ measurements memorized. Not usually for incredibly advanced shapeshifting armor, but the principle’s the same.
“Do you know anything about machines?”
“No!”
A flagrant lie given the peppermint pedalothopter. Pinkie’s clearly still riding the high of being able to think for herself again.
Genuinely nice moment between Megatron and Optimus. Ending a war that’s raged longer than her species has existed sounds like a worthy challenge for Twilight down the line.
Ha! Of course Pinkie turned into a handheld party cannon. And I have to appreciate Megatron being on the other side of the “firing a gun that’s also a sapient being” experience for once.
Also, there’s definitely a “Star Saber” joke to be had with Twilight’s alt form.
And Sombra’s greatest failing was grabbing power as quickly as possible without ever stopping to understand it. He does tend to speedrun his conquests if he feels there’s any chance of failure.
Heh. This is actually the best Sombra’s ever come out of a defeat. Physically, anyway. It looks like his mind control’s bounced back and trapped him in his own skull.
If nothing else, the ponies eked out a brief truce between the two sides. And that is itself a great accomplishment. Opening friendlier doors between the two worlds even more so.
And we end with a hook for a potential third round, with a Quintesson looking on as Megatron is ambushed by hugs. We’ll see what comes of that.
In all, some very fun crossover scenarios. Not much of a coherent storyline, but what’s there is thoroughly enjoyable. On par with some of the better fanfic I’ve read, which I mean as praise.
Now, let’s see what I can do with this. Also, I’m making an executive decision. In the wake of Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, I’ll be using Bard instead of Band for creatures that car about Song cards. Hey, it’s only one letter difference. 
Dauntless Griffin 1W
Creature — Griffin Soldier
Flying
Whenever Dauntless Griffin blocks or becomes blocked by a creature with power 4 or greater, destroy that creature at end of combat.
Heroism comes in all shapes and sizes.
1/1
Staggering Humility 1W
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature loses all abilities. Prevent all damage that would be dealt by it.
All the power in the world means nothing without believing it’s there.
Collective Resonance 2W
Instant
Escalate W (Pay this cost for each mode chosen beyond the first.)
Choose one or more —
• Tap all nonland permanents target player controls.
• Destroy target artifact, creature, or enchantment if it’s tapped.
• Return target permanent card with mana value 2 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Octavia, Melodious 2W
Legendary Creature — Pony Bard
Whenever you cast a Song spell, draw a card.
Finale — Whenever you sacrifice a Song, return to your hand a Song card in your graveyard with lesser mana value.
“We do make such beautiful music together.”
1/3
< Bard 3U
Vinyl, Syncopated 3U
Legendary Creature — Unicorn Bard
Songs and other Bards you control have hexproof.
Finale — Whenever you sacrifice a Song, surveil X, where X is the number of verse counters on that Song. (To surveil X, look at the top X cards of your library, then put any of them into your graveyard and the rest on top of your library in any order.)
2/4
< Bard 2W
Superion, Autobot Behemoth 9W
Legendary Artifact Creature — Autobot
You may pay W and sacrifice five Combiners rather than pay this spell’s mana cost.
Superion, Autobot Behemoth has indestructible and vigilance as long as it was cast.
Forecast — 2W, Reveal Superion from your hand: Create a 2/2 white Autobot Combiner artifact creature token. (Activate only once each turn and only during your upkeep.)
10/10
Squad Rotation 1U
Instant
Return target creature you own to your hand. Amass Robot artifacts 2. (Put two +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It's also a Robot artifact. If you don’t control an Army, create a 0/0 black Robot Army artifact creature token first.)
Sombra’s megalomania belies a genuinely brilliant tactical mind.
Confuse the Thralls 1UU
Instant
Tap all creatures target player controls. Armies and Drones tapped this way don’t untap during that player’s next untap step.
Without will or initiative of their own, Sombra’s subjects didn’t deal well with the unexpected.
Demanding Couturier 1B
Creature — Unicorn Citizen
T, Put a -1/-1 counter on a creature you control: Create a Treasure token. (It’s an artifact with “T, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.”)
“Blood, sweat, and tears are the most important materials in any design.”
1/2
Sombra’s Scrying 2B
Sorcery
Amass Drones 1.
You draw X cards and you lose X life, where X is the greatest power among Armies you control.
Salvager Drones 3B
Artifact Creature — Decepticon Drone
Menace
When Salvager Drone enters the battlefield, exile an artifact card from your graveyard. Put a number of +1/+1 counters on Salvager Drones equal to half that card’s mana value, rounded up.
2/2
Thieving Opportunist 5B
Artifact Creature — Decepticon
Flash
When Thieving Opportunist enters the battlefield, choose target artifact or creature card in a graveyard that was put there from the battlefield this turn. Put that card onto the battlefield under your control.
3/3
Warding Flame R
Sorcery
Warding Flame deals 2 damage to target creature. That creature can’t block this turn.
A dragon spitting flame in your face will give anything pause.
Capacitor Raiders 2R
Artifact Creature — Decepticon Drone
When Capacitor Raiders enters the battlefield, you get EE (two energy counters).
Whenever Capacitor Raiders attacks, you may pay EE. If you do, amass Robot artifacts 1.
3/2
Living Crescendo 2R
Creature — Siren Spirit
Trample, haste
Living Crescendo gets +1/+0 for each Song you control and for each Song card in your graveyard.
At the beginning of the end step, sacrifice Living Crescendo.
No one note can be held forever.
3/1
Pyrocellist 2R
Creature — Pony Shaman
Magecraft — Whenever you cast or copy an instant or sorcery spell, Pyrocellist deals 1 damage to each opponent.
“It is a bit silly, but when the house-sized robot makes an offer, you don’t say no.”
3/1
Yak Debater 3R
Creature — Ox Advisor
This spell can’t be countered.
Whenever a spell or ability you control leaves the stack without resolving, Yak Debater deals 2 damage to each opponent.
“Yak loudest, so yak best!”
3/3
Ineffectual Assault 2G
Instant
If a creature would deal damage to a creature with greater power this turn, prevent that damage.
Against Superion, the Dinobots were no more effective than the Equestrians.
Rampaging Dinobot 3GG
Artifact Creature — Dinosaur
Trample
Whenever Rampaging Dinobot becomes blocked, it gets +2/+2 until end of turn for each creature blocking it.
Grimlock isn’t one for military discipline.
4/3
Raw Materials 3
Artifact
T: Add C.
T, Sacrifice Raw Materials: Add CCC. Spend this mana only to cast artifact spells or activate abilities of artifacts.
The right tool for the job helps. So does the right everything else.
Sword of Friendship and Magic 3
Artifact — Equipment
Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has protection from instants and from sorceries.
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, you may have two or more target players each draw a card and return an instant or sorcery card at random from their graveyard to their hand.
Equip 2
Targetmaster Suit 3
Artifact — Equipment
When Targetmaster Suit enters the battlefield, you may exile a nontoken creature you control until Targetmaster Suit leaves the battlefield. If you do, Targetmaster Suit gains equip X, where X is the exiled card’s mana value.
Equipped creature has the exiled card’s abilities and gets +X/+Y, where X is that card’s power and Y is its toughness.
Wall of Debris 4
Artifact Creature — Wall
Defender
Wall of Debris gets +0/+X and has ward X, where X is the number of artifact cards in your graveyard. (Whenever this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter it unless that player pays X.)
Five hundred tons of steel get in the way no matter their shape.
2/2
Medical Breakthrough WU
Instant
Draw a card. You gain 3 life for each card you’ve drawn this turn.
“Right now, we’re throwing treatments at the wall and seeing what sticks.”
—Ratchet, Autobot medic
Radiant Shrall GU
Creature — Bird
Flying
T: Add one mana of any color.
Flitting from system to system, the shralls are a rare example of beauty and color in a bleak cosmos.
1/2
Break Through the Plating UBR
Legendary Enchantment
When Break Through the Plating enters the battlefield or at the beginning of your upkeep, each player draws two cards, then discards two cards at random. Then if there are ten or more cards in each graveyard, transform Break Through the Plating.
Sombranok, Shade-Driven Titan
(UBR) Legendary Artifact Creature — Scorpion
Menace, ward 4
When this permanent transforms into Sombranok, Shade-Driven Titan or at the beginning of each upkeep, return target artifact or creature card from a graveyard to the battlefield under your control.
8/8
Praise Sombra 2UB
Sorcery
Target player mills four cards. Then you amass Drones X, where X is the number of creature cards in that player’s graveyard.
The repetition is as bad as the actual words.
Court of Harmony 2GW
Enchantment
When Court of Harmony enters the battlefield, you become the monarch.
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control. Then if you’re the monarch, double the number of +1/+1 counters on each of those creatures.
Busy Day 3(gu)(ur)
Sorcery
Cast this spell only during your postcombat main phase.
After this phase, there is an additional beginning phase followed by an additional combat phase and an additional main phase. (The beginning phase includes the untap, upkeep, and draw steps.)
Datahorde Dragon 3UR
Creature — Dragon Artificer
Flying, protection from artifacts
Whenever Datahorde Dragon deals combat damage to a player, gain control of target artifact that player controls until you lose control of Datahorde Dragon.
“You really should change your password more often.”
4/3
Mystic Endeavor 4WU
Sorcery
Roll two d4 and choose one result. Return a number of noncreature, nonland cards less than or equal to that result from your graveyard to your hand. Until your next turn, spells your opponents cast cost X more to cast, where X is the other result.
Encore Performance 6UR
Sorcery
Exile any number of target instant and/or sorcery cards from your graveyard. Copy those cards. You may cast any number of the copies without paying their mana costs.
(ur)(ur), Discard Encore Performance: Create a Treasure token.
Energon Springs
Land
T: Add C.
3, T: You get E.
“Energon is scarce and precious these days. Beauty even more so.”
—Knock Out, Decepticon surgeon
I find the idea of Vinyl and Soundwave teaming up oddly endearing. Same with Spike and the dinobots.
Stupid Complicated Game Alert: Dauntless Griffin is highly unlikely to survive using his triggered ability. That said, a) white has a bunch of ways of rescuing its own creatures from that sort of situation, and he obviously doesn't still have to be on the battlefield afterwards for it to work because he usually won't be and b) it still works even if enemy first strike means that he mechanically speaking never managed to even touch them.
Inside Baseball Alert: Humility is a hell of a drug. Especially if you turn it into a creature, which you can do in the same color. They were even in Standard together, to give you an idea of just how drunk Quality Assurance was during Urza block.
Inside Baseball Alert: Collective (thing) is a thing. Respect the thing. (Sorry, I've run out of anything wittier than a Doctor Who reference and you'll just have to deal from here on out)
Stupid Complicated Game Alert: Trying to cast Superion the intended way would take forever. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to cheat it:
Inside Baseball Alert: Rampage is an ancient keyword that was retired in favor of an unkeyworded ability that removes the weird fiddly part of it. Rampaging Dinobot, naturally, has the latter.
Inside Baseball Alert: Oh hey, a Sword of X and Y! (Seriously, I'm running out of ways to make this basic sentiment. Not that there's anything wrong with FoME continuing to do this!)
Inside Baseball Alert: The Courts and Endeavors are both fairly recent cycles from side products.
Inside Baseball Alert: Encore Performance is clearly aping Strixhaven's Prismari college; the mechanic I linked aside, it doesn't work with the Songs FoME's own cards use to represent music. (As an aside, the Strixhaven watermarks aren't searchable in Gatherer so I had to resort to Simple Search)
They look more like windigos to me. Which is also concerning.
Hey, it worked for Tony Stark
Now I'm waiting for the official MLP/MtG Comic crossover
>Praise Sombra
Is this a Joko?
Genius