In New York City, Megatron and Bombshell look at the new space bridge that Bombshell built. Megatron says that there will soon be many more stretching across the galaxy, granting the Decepticons access to all they desire. He compliments Bombshell for having proven himself useful beyond his hopes, not only taking the technology from Sixshot, but expanding it to a new level. As they begin to walk, Megatron speaks of the beginning of a new order, and Bombshell humbly says that he lives to serve. Megatron suspects that Bombshell takes more joy in his work than he lets on, and Bombshell admits that experimenting on Hunter O'Nion was "delicious". Megatron replies that that was the reason Bombshell was built. When they captured Hunter, Megatron saw potential in an "organic-Cybertronian hybrid" that Scorponok had never seen. Bombshell agrees, remarking on how they were able to use the human/Autobot combination to create a hub for both tracking the Autobots down and deactivating their defenses, "if only once". Megatron tells Bombshell that his genius was required and needed, but he knows it poses a threat. He tells Bombshell to never forget that he is his creator and that he is all-seeing. At that moment, they stop in an open area while Decepticons emerge from the rubble around them.

On Cybertron, the Autobots wait for the Insecticon swarm to attack. As Wheeljack and Roadbuster set up a cannon scrounged from the Trion, Jazz and Prowl discuss the possibilities of surviving the swarm's onslaught. Prowl says that out of 6000 possible outcomes he calculated, only seven were successful. They agree it's best to keep those figures under wraps. Inside the hideout, Ironhide asks Optimus Prime why no one had told him about the Matrix. Prime only tells him not to blame them, and Ironhide admits that he has never known a greater Autobot than Prime. Optimus is glad to have made him proud, considering that Ironhide hated him at first. Ironhide tries to deny that it was hate, but then he quickly concedes. When they go outside, Kup tells Prime that the troops are ready to face the approaching swarm. Tracks asks Prime if he's scared, and Prime answers that he'd rather go through this than one of Kup's drills. As the swarm begins to make its way across a bridge to the Autobot base, Roadbuster fires the cannon.

On Earth, Shrapnel electrifies Megatron as Starscream accuses the Decepticon leader of stalling after the Autobots' defeat, wasting time building the space bridge from "stolen technology". When Starscream calls him lost and directionless, Megatron responds that he has merely been waiting for Starscream to make his choice. Taking down Shrapnel and Kickback, Megatron explains that his loyal spies have been watching Starscream all along, seeing who would take his side. Starscream retorts that it's not about "his" side, but rather the side of the Decepticon cause. Starscream had once idolized Megatron for teaching the Decepticons that they were destined for more than their given lot in life, that they could fight the old order and take what they wanted. But Megatron had led them into a seemingly endless war.

Megatron counters that he did what was necessary for victory, understanding what kind of army he would need. He says that Starscream doesn't understand the warrior's mind like he does; after all, how many soldiers rallied to Starscream's call besides the three Insecticons? Megatron says that Starscream is trying to win warriors with appeals to logic and intellect, and this will never turn the troops against their leader. But Starscream remains smugly confident, and Megatron turns to see the Constructicons gathered menacingly behind him. Scrapper mocks, "All hail Megatron."

Scale: Disregarded. Ass-kicking: Imminent.

Back on Cybertron, the Autobots are fighting valiantly but desperately against the swarm. Ironhide is overwhelmed but is saved by Mirage, who tells him to run. Ironhide refuses, charging back into the insectoid mass. But despite such heroism, all of the Autobots are finding themselves overrun and panicked. Then a blast from the sky heralds salvation in the massive form of Omega Supreme. With the help of his blaster-arm, the Autobots are able to clear a perimeter around themselves. Omega tells them he got their message, which Hot Rod proudly realizes must have been his own. Prowl says he had heard that none of the remaining Autobots survived the outpost massacres, but Omega says that not all have died. Prowl, incredulous, asks how he survived, given that the Decepticons would have targeted him, but Omega tells him that he is Omega Supreme. Optimus Prime orders Omega to transform and take them to Earth.

On that planet, Devastator pounds Megatron with his gigantic fist, but Megatron lets loose with his cannon and shrugs off the blows. He demands that Devastator fight with all of his power, that he take what he wants if he really wants it. As Devastator gets Megatron in his grip and Megatron continues to fire, their fight is suddenly interrupted by the arrival of European Union fighter jets.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots

Decepticons

Tracks (10)
Cliffjumper (11)
Sideswipe (12)
Jazz (13)
Bumblebee (14)
Roadbuster (15)
Prowl (16)
Wheeljack (17)
Hot Rod (18)
Drift (19)

Blurr (20)
Perceptor (21)
Optimus Prime (22)
Ironhide (23)
Kup (24)
Hound (26)
Springer (36)
Mirage (37)
Blaster (38)
Omega Supreme (39)

Soundwave (27)
Laserbeak (28)
Rumble (29)
Scavenger (30)
Long Haul (31)
Scrapper (32)
Hook (33)
Bonecrusher (34)
Mixmaster (35)
Devastator (40)

Quotes

"Using the combination of human and Autobot to create an effective hub that could be used to not only find them but deactivate their defenses, if only once..."
"It required an unparalleled, creative genius."

— Bombshell and Megatron, confusing "creative genius" with "nonsensical reappropriation of an inherited story element."

"It's set and ready to go."
"I love it."
"It was never designed to be removed from the Trion so the power relay is bound to fry in seconds. You'll only have a few shots, so make them count."
"Do you think we should give it a name? I think we should give it a name..."

—Wheeljack and Roadbuster have different approaches to dealing with jury-rigged weaponry.

"How are we looking?"
"I've just finished calculating over six thousand possible outcomes based on our current plan and overall battle readiness."
"And?"
"There were seven instances in which we were successful."
"Seven."
"Yes."
"You might want to keep that to yourself."
"Yeah, I thought it might be for the best."

—Jazz instantly regrets asking Prowl to tell him the odds.

"You're the greatest bot I've ever known."
"I'm glad I was able to make you proud. Considering that you hated me at first sight, I think that's quite an accomplishment."
"I wouldn't call it hate."
"No?"
"Actually...yeah, it was hate."

—Ironhide and Optimus Prime, best of friends.

"You have got to be kidding me."

—Bumblebee's reaction on the arrival of the Autobots' deus ex machina.

"But surely the 'Cons would have focused on you. They must have sent an army to take you down, how did you survive?"
"I am Omega Supreme."

—Prowl and Omega Supreme, perhaps revealing the Transformer equivalent of "I'm Batman."

Notes

Continuity notes

This issue makes some references to pre-All Hail Megatron continuity, including Scorponok's Headmasters, Sixshot, and of course the appearance of Omega Supreme, even though he's a LOT bigger than before.
The technology that Megatron mentions was "gained from Sixshot" is presumably the space-bridge tech that the Dead Universe faction was utilizing, particularly since Starscream mentions that it is "stolen". The idea of Sixshot flogging Jhiaxus' tech comes up in Spotlight: Metroplex.
Mirage saving Ironhide during the Swarm battle is perhaps a sign of some reconciliation between the two after Ironhide beat him up in issue #8.
Rumble returns in this issue, apparently having only been damaged the previous issue. Which, of course, raises the question that if he wasn't dead, why was Soundwave so shaken he actually broke his communications blackout?
Optimus reveals a great secret of the Matrix to his team, which somehow relates to what happens if Prime dies. It is such a big thing Ironhide feels the need to put his feelings for Optimus into words. We never hear a peep about this again. Yay, continuity!

Transformers references

Roadbuster bringing a huge, new, unstable, experimental super-weapon into battle against an unstoppable foe, as well as his wanting to give the weapon a name, sure seems to parallel his experience with the Pathblaster in the Marvel UK comic story "Time Wars", only without the whole exploding-and-dying bit.
The end of the issue parallels the end of Devastation, with the Decepticons interrupted while arguing by a human-led air attack.

Errors

On the inner cover, "grisly" is misspelled "grizzly".
On page 10, Scavenger's chinplate is purple like the rest of his face when it should be silver.
On page 17, "apologize" is misspelled "apologise". Or maybe Omega Supreme has an English accent.
On page 17, "focused" is misspelled "focussed", which is the standard spelling in Australia and New Zealand only.
In All Hail Megatron #8, the point of Sunstreaker's bridge-detonating sacrifice was that it destroyed "the only way to and from" the Autobots' bunker. Yet now Kup says that the Insecticons have "found their way around as expected." Worse, Emiliano Santalucia accidentally drew^[1] the Swarm crossing... a bridge. Sorry, Sunstreaker.
Who exactly told Prowl and company that "all of the outposts had been annihilated. That no one survived"? There was no hint of such a calamity in the flashbacks before they were exiled, and then they seemed to be cut off from all communication with the outside universe. Likewise, the crew of the Trion crashed pretty early in the Decepticon offensive, and given that Hot Rod was actually expecting a rescue from that signal he sent out, they were no more aware of any mass wipe outs than Prowl's crew. So seriously, what gives?

Trivia

Europe appears to be planning an airborne nuclear strike, which would mean France is doing the dirty deed. Despite that, there are no Dassault Mirage 2000Ns on display. In the next issue, it is revealed that the nuclear bomber is lagging behind the fighter-jet squadron; in fact, it's not even a jet at all, but rather a propeller-driven aircraft. This low-tech approach was presumably to keep Soundwave from mucking up their coup-de-grace as he did with other guidance and targeting systems.
Emiliano Santalucia drew the parts of the story with the Autobots on Cybertron. Guido Guidi drew the parts about the Decepticons on Earth.
James Brown did the colors for pages 14–18, giving Josh Burcham a well-earned break after doing the coloring for All Hail Megatron pretty much unaided.
This is the first All Hail Megatron issue with only two regular covers and no RI cover. Tut tut.
This issue was released on the same day as Maximum Dinobots #5. Coincidentally, both issues feature someone (Omega Supreme here) arriving after having received a distress call sent by Hot Rod in a previous issue.

Covers

Cover A: The major Decepticon players; art by Casey Coller with colors by Joana Lafuente.
Cover B: Art deco images of Megatron, Starscream, the Matrix and Spike Witwicky; art and colors by Trevor Hutchison.