The Gathering Storm

2012-01-15T03:25:00Z

216.232.207.37: /* Notes */ he told me this on deviantart.

{{comicstory|seriesissue=''[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]'' #1
|next=To the Death—and Beyond!
|title="The Gathering Storm"
|image=TAM 1.jpg
|caption=Watch where you point that thing, Arcee!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[October 25]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=October 2006
|writer=[[Bob Budiansky]]
|designer=[[Neil Uyetake]]
|artist=[[Don Figueroa]]
|colorist=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letterer=[[Robbie Robbins]], Neil Uyetake
|editor=[[Chris Ryall]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 (cartoon)|Cartoon continuity]]
}}
'''As a deadly universal threat looms, two leaders fight their final battle—one shall stand and one shall fall.'''

== Synopsis ==
[[Image:IDWG1Movie_TheGatheringStorm_UnicrondevoursLithone.jpg|thumb|left|250px|]]
Unicron attacks a [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]-like planet and only two scientists—Kranix and Arblus—manage to escape in a ship before the planet is destroyed.

Elsewhere, the [[Autobot]]s plan to retake Cybertron from the [[Decepticon]]s. Optimus Prime tells Ironhide to make a special trip to [[Autobot City]] on [[Earth]] to obtain the energon needed for an assault, but unfortunately the conversation was recorded by Laserbeak. After Laserbeak relays the information to Megatron, he leads a team to attack the shuttle, killing the crew, and continuing to Earth in the shuttle to take the Autobots by surprise.

Outside Autobot City, Hot Rod and Daniel enjoy a peaceful day of fishing. They take a break to watch the shuttle land, but discover that it's full of Decepticons, who exit and attack Autobot City. Perceptor also notices the attack and warns Ultra Magnus, who gives orders for his team to transform Autobot City to battle mode and for Blaster to contact Prime for reinforcements. Starscream's foot gets trapped in the transforming city, forcing him to blast it to escape.

Hot Rod and Daniel make it inside the city, along with Kup, running over some [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] in the process. When Blaster begins to broadcast to get help from Prime, Soundwave unleashes his minions to stop the transmission. Blaster, however, has his own team to fight back.

The [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] merge into Devastator to breach the city's defenses, which takes an entire day. But as it seems that all hope is lost, Prime arrives in another shuttle and immediately orders the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] to attack Devastator. On his way to battle Megatron, Prime singlehandedly takes out a large group of Decepticons. Prime and Megatron battle fiercely and both are injured. Megatron fakes a surrender and attempts to use a nearby gun to attack Optimus, but Hot Rod sees what's going on and attempts to intervene. Megatron grabs Hot Rod, though, and uses him as a shield while he mortally wounds Optimus Prime. Prime, however, still has the strength for a blow that sends Megatron over a cliff.

Starscream orders the Decepticons to board Astrotrain and retreat, while Soundwave takes the gravely injured Megatron aboard. Prime is dying though, telling those around him that he is soon to be one with the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]].

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (4)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (5)
* [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (6)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (7)
* [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (9)
* [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (10)
* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (16)
* [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (18)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] (19)
* [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (21)
* [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (22)
* [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (30)
* [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (31)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (32)
* [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (33)
* [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (34)
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (35)
* [[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]] (40)
* [[Eject]] (41)
* [[Rewind]] (42)
* [[Ramhorn (G1)|Ramhorn]] (43)
* [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] (45)
* [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (46)
* [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (47)
* [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (50)
* [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (51)
* [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (52)
* [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (53)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (54)
* [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (55)
* [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (56)
|c2=
* [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (11)
* [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (12)
* [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (13)
* [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (14)
* [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (15)
* [[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (17)
* [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (23)
* [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (24)
* [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (25)
* [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (26)
* [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] (27)
* [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] (28)
* [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] (29)
* [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (36)
* [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (37)
* [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (38)
* [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] (39)
* [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (44)
* [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] (48)
* [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] (49)
* [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (57)
|c3=
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (8)
* [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] (20)
|c4=
* [[Unicron]] (1)
* [[Arblus]] (2)
* [[Kranix]] (3)
}}

==Notes==
* Cover A of this issue was reused as one side of the DVD cover for [[Madman Entertainment]]'s special edition DVD of the movie.
*Beachcomber is dead on the floor next to Wheeljack and Windcharger.
*Snarl is with the Dinobots in each appearance.
[[Image:ArceeButt.jpg|right|250px|thumb|DAT ASS.]]
*In the first panel where you meet her, Arcee has... a rather shapely behind, resembling a [[human]] female wearing a thong. ([[Space Pirates!|Again?]])

===Errors===
* Many, many speech bubbles are misplaced, such as Perceptor speaking to himself and Hot Rod proclaiming Prime's wounds terminal. (A bit suspect, that...) Also, Shrapnel and Kickback's speech bubbles are reversed in one panel, as are Perceptor and Ultra Magnus' in another panel.

===Differences between the film and comic===
[[Image:TAM TPB Gestalt Fight.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Okay, sure, but where's [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]?]]
* In the trade paperback, after the cassette battle in the communications tower, a bonus scene is included in which [[Superion (G1)|Superion]], [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] and [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] battle [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] and [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] outside the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'', intended to serve as an explanation for why the characters were not present at Autobot City in the movie.
* The reference to the year the story is set in is gone.
* Ironhide no longer says his last line, and Megatron's response of "such heroic nonsense!" is also absent.
* Lookout Mountain isn't named. The entire sequence with Megatron destroying the mountain, Hot Rod's encounter with Blitzwing and his team-up with Kup is gone as well.
* When he sees the purple gun, Megatron says "one last chance to snatch victory from defeat" — a somewhat silly thing to do, as it must surely tell Optimus he's up to something...
{{--}}

===Covers (2)===
* '''Cover A''': Ultra Magnus and the Autobots vs Unicron and the Decepticons (based upon the original US movie poster), by Don Figueroa and Josh Burcham
* '''Cover RI-A''': Uncolored sketch of cover A

===Advertisements===
* Optimus Prime [[Alternators]] toy
* ''[[Spotlight: Nightbeat]]'', including a 6-page preview
* Transformers posters
* ''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]]'' TPB
* ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' 20th Anniversary DVD (back cover)

===Reprints===
*2007 — ''[[The Transformers: Greatest Battles of Optimus Prime and Megatron]]''
*2007 — ''[[The Transformers: The Best of Don Figueroa]]''
*2010 — ''[[The Transformers: Best of Optimus Prime]]''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gathering Storm}}
[[Category:Adaptations]]
[[Category:IDW issues]]

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The Gathering Storm