Editing Eye of the Storm

{{disambig2|the stand-alone issue|the anthology|Best of Transformers: Eye of the Storm}}
{{comicstory|seriesissue=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''The Transformers'' (US)]] #69
|prev=The Human Factor!
|next=The Pri¢e of Life!
|title="Eye of the Storm"
|seriesissue2=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|''The Transformers'' (UK)]] #306–308
|prev2=The Human Factor!
|next2=The Pri¢e of Life!
|image=MarvelUS-69.jpg
|caption=Finally, Wildman!!
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|date=June 1990
|coverdate=August 1990
|writer=[[Simon Furman]]
|penciler=[[Andrew Wildman|Andy Wildman]]
|inkers=[[Harry Candelario]] & [[Bob Lewis]] (pages 7-8, 15-17)
|colorist=[[Nelson Yomtov|Nel Yomtov]]
|letterer=[[Rick Parker]]
|editor=[[Don Daley]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
}}

'''Several plot threads begin, as the countdown to Unicron continues.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] mad. Grimlock smash. Grimlock want [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] back. Grimlock nearly kill stupid [[Pretender]] [[Waverider]] for tedious flashback exposition.

[[Image:Eye of the Storm Autobot Powermasters relax.JPG|thumb|left||Just chill, man...]]

Meanwhile, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] has become worried about the general mood of his soldiers aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. Despite the loss of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], they are still not taking the threat of [[Unicron]] very seriously, falling into the groove of serious relaxation and downtime between missions. He begins to consider that the only way to defeat Unicron may be with the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s united as one.

In the meantime, Optimus Prime checks in on [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], who he has assigned to a research project—looking into the apparent deaths of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] and [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] a few months back to see if there was any chance they survived. Nightbeat had indeed come up with a theory, as one or both of the Transformers could have fled into a [[trans-time dimensional portal]] known to have been active at the time, only to have been caught between universes when the base exploded and deactivated the portal. To test his theory, Nightbeat constructed a sub-spatial "fishing line" to search the space between space for Ratchet's bio-mechanical readout and lifesigns.

Off in space, [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] is brought before the present day Unicron, and demands to know why Unicron has broken the bargain they made. Unicron explains that that was a different Unicron's promise, and he needs Galvatron's strength in his own timeline now. He demands that Galvatron go forth and spread word of his coming to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]... forcefully. Galvatron agrees, for the moment.

Grimlock retrieve Dinobots from stasis pods. Grimlock sorry he have to "WHAMM!" [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] to do it, but he found way to save friends. Dumb Prime not trust Grimlock's suggestion, so Grimlock take matters into own hands.

Elsewhere on the Ark, Optimus Prime makes the shocking announcement over the ship's comms that he plans to offer an unconditional surrender to [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] and the Decepticons, in order to pave the way for an alliance against Unicron. 

[[Image:US69EyeofStorm.JPG|right|300px|thumb|Rumble rumble rumble, mutiny mutiny mutiny.]]
The offer will come too late for two of Scorponok's troops, though. [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] and [[Triggerhappy]] were less than pleased when Scorponok offered the madman [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] a place in his Decepticons, and him then losing track of that psychopath completely was the last straw. As they fly away from the Decepticons' [[New Jersey base]], the two warriors are confronted by Starscream himself. Starscream, along with his partners [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], have joined forces to attempt a coup on Scorponok's command. They offer Mindwipe and Triggerhappy a place in their new order.

As Grimlock forcibly blasts free of the Ark, Optimus Prime explains to Nightbeat and Waverider the reasoning behind it. A new energy source called [[Nucleon]] had been discovered on [[Hydrus Four]], a power apparently capable of granting new and more powerful life to mechanical lifeforms. Unfortunately, there were stories of psychological side effects, dementia and paranoia attacking some of the earliest recipients of Nucleon's power. Prime dismissed it as too dangerous to use on the fallen Autobots, but Grimlock got hold of a copy of the report and wanted to check it out. It seemed Prime's objection wasn't enough to discourage him.

Suddenly, in the midst of Optimus's explanation, Nightbeat's probe returned... carrying the bizarre fusion of Megatron and Ratchet's form with it.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] (1)
* [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (2)
* [[Fixit (G1)|Fixit]] (3)
* [[Siren]] (4)
* [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (5)
* [[Slapdash (G1)|Slapdash]] (6)
* [[Getaway]] (7)
* [[Joyride (G1)|Joyride]] (8)
* [[Waverider]] (9)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (10)
* [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (11)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (12)
* ? (13)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] (14)
* [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (15)
* [[Cloudburst]] (16)
* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (17)
* [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (24)
* [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (25)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (18)
* [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] (20)
* [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] (26)
* [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] (27)
* [[Triggerhappy]] (28)
* [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (29)
* [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (30)
* [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (31)

|c4=
* [[Unicron]] (19)
* [[Hook, Line, and Sinker]] (21–23)
}}

==Notes==
* Optimus Prime experiences the first of a series of mysterious pains in his gut. Though never truly spelled out for us, this is apparently the first indicator of the "metamorphosis" [[Hi-Q]] underwent in later issues.

* Though there are still a few glitches, this issue is the closest "turning point" where the UK [[Earthforce]] Saga could reasonably break off from the standard comic timeline.

* According to a [[retcon]] made by [[Fun Publications]], Unicron is a single entity who travels across the dimensions, meaning that the Unicron of Galvatron II's timeline and the Unicron of this timeline '''are''' the same entity. This means that Unicron lied to Galvatron II and ''did'' break his promise. Bear in mind, this should not surprise anyone.

* ''[[The Transformers Universe|Transformers Universe]]'' profiles for [[Fastlane]] and [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] are found after the main story.

* It is at the end of this story that the UK comic changed from a weekly to fortnightly schedule; issues 306, 307 and 308 each contain one third of US issue 69, unlike the previous recent issues that contained a quarter of a US issue. The remaining 24 UK issues would each contain half a US issue.

===Errors===
* Triggerhappy mentions seeing Shockwave burn up in Earth's atmosphere, but Scorponok's Decepticons had not yet joined up with Shockwave and [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]'s forces by that point. Perhaps he saw a recording?

===References===
* Several characters mention the events of US issues [[Dark Creation|#65]]–[[All Fall Down|66]], where the [[Classic Pretender|Classic Pretenders]] were left to die on [[VsQs|VsQs]], and [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] assaulted the Ark with the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], only for both to be lost in space.

* Nightbeat's investigation pertains to the explosion at the climax of US issue [[Skin Deep|#59]].

===Covers===
<gallery>
Image:MarvelUS-69.jpg|'''US issue #69''' - What's in the middle? I hope it's [[Rack'n'Ruin]]!
Image:MarvelUK-306.jpg|'''UK issue #306''' - Nice to see you, to see you nice.
Image:MarvelUK-307.jpg|'''UK issue #307''' - No more! No more Stan Bush!
Image:MarvelUK-308.jpg|'''UK issue #308''' - Even when he's trying to be cool, Shockwave is ''mean''.
</gallery>
* '''US cover:''' Major plot points of the story by [[Andrew Wildman]].
* '''UK issue #306 cover:''' A pensive Prime by [[Staz|Stewart Johnson]] and [[Robin Bouttell]].
* '''UK issue #307 cover:''' Unicron punishes Galvatron by [[Andrew Wildman]] and Robin Bouttell.
* '''UK issue #308 cover:''' Shockwave chokes Mindwipe by [[Stephen Baskerville]], [[Lesley Dalton]] and Robin Bouttell.

===Advertisements===
* None yet identified.

===Reprints===
*2001 — ''[[Transformers: All Fall Down]]''
*2008 — ''[[Best of Transformers: Eye of the Storm]]''
*2009 — ''[[Classic Transformers Volume 5]]''

[[Category:Marvel US issues]]
[[Category:Marvel UK issues]]