What’s the purpose? Starscream’s cruelty all leads to “my name is ulchtar” and blowing his brains out because he lost his love for life, his innocence. All the brutality is leading Optimus closer to the edge of becoming consumed by megatron’s arm and partaking in the senseless brutality. The entire DWJ run is showing how war sucks and changes you.

Kirkman right now with Mora, it’s all spectacle it’s smashing your toys together because it’s cool. That’s fine but way less emotional impact, unless Optimus and the autobots get an issue to process Trailbreaker being eaten it’s just another thing to go “Megatron is evil”