by Marf Wolfman, Cherie Wilderson & Michael Charles Hill
The ending of Dark Awakening is completely re-done with Optims' lifeless body dragged out of the star cruiser by a couple of humans. They also come in contact with a 'spore' which feeds on hatred. The hate-spore spreads throughout the universe infecting all life, (humans, A's, D's, Q's...) After a Quintesson brings Optimus back to life he proceeds on a mission to retrieve the Matrix from the infected Rodimus Prime and save the day.