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<table class="infobox" style="width: 20em;">
{{comicstory|seriesissue=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|''The Transformers'' (UK)]] #250
 
|prev=Whose Lifeforce Is It Anyway?
<tr style="background-color:#e7d492;text-align:center;font-size:12px;">
|next=The Void! (UK)
<td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; background-color:#e7d492; color:black;font-weight:bold;" align="center">
|title="The Greatest Gift of All!"
<table width="100%" style="background-color:transparent">
|image=MarvelUK-250.jpg
 
|caption="Incidentally... a happy Christmas to ''all'' of you at home!"
<tr style="font-size:14px;">
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
<td class="tti_buttonlink">'''[[Whose Lifeforce Is It Anyway?|«]]'''
|date=[[December 23|23rd December]] [[1989]]
</td><td align="center">[[Generation 1 (Marvel Comics)|''The Transformers'' (UK)]] #250
|coverdate=[[December 30|30th December]] 1989
</td><td align="right" class="tti_buttonlink">'''[[The Void! (UK)|»]]'''
|writer=[[Simon Furman]]
</td></tr>
|art=[[Staz]]
<tr class="tt1_secondarynav">
|letterer=[[Helen Stone]]
<td class="tti_buttonlink">
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
</td><td align="center">
}}
</td><td align="right" class="tti_buttonlink">
'''Optimus Prime grants a gift to the Earth.'''
</td></tr></table>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" style="font-size: 12px; background-color:#ffffff;" align="center"> [[MarvelUK-250.jpg|<img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/c/ce/MarvelUK-250.jpg/230px-MarvelUK-250.jpg" width="230" height="152" border="0" />]]<br />"And a very merry Christmas to all of you at home too!"
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; background-color:#e7d492; color:black;font-weight:bold;" align="center"> "The Greatest Gift of All!"
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>'''Publisher''' </td><td> [[Marvel Comics|Marvel Comics]]
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>'''Date published''' </td><td> [[December 23|23rd December]] 1989
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>'''Cover date''' </td><td> [[December 30|30th December]] 1989
</td></tr>
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
<tr>
<td>'''Writer''' </td><td> [[Simon Furman|Simon Furman]]
</td></tr>
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
<tr>
<td>'''Art''' </td><td> [[Staz|Staz]]
</td></tr>
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
<tr>
<td>'''Letterer''' </td><td> [[Helen Stone|Helen Stone]]
</td></tr>
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
<tr>
<td>'''Continuity''' </td><td> [[Marvel Comics continuity|Marvel Comics continuity]]
</td></tr>
 
 
 
 
 
</table>
'''Optimus grants a gift to the Earth.'''


==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
<div style="width: 90%; margin: 0 auto .2em auto; background-color:#efefef; border: 2px solid #eeeeee; padding: 2px; text-align: left;">'''Note:''' ''This story follows on from [[Whose Lifeforce Is It Anyway?|Whose Lifeforce Is It Anyway?]]''</div>
It's [[Christmas]] Day, [[1989]]. [[Longtooth]]'s piece of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] has reached [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]]. Now he can grant life to ''one'' of the many deactivated [[Autobot]]s. He considers [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] as they need a medic, [[Prowl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Prowl]] for his leadership, one of the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] for their strength... Optimus is suddenly revolted at the idea of playing god, and briefly decides to choose a random person to revive—settling on [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]]—but cannot go through with such an arbitrary way of deciding who lives.
It's [[Christmas|Christmas]] Day, 1989. Longtooth's piece of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] has reached Optimus - now he can grant life to ''one'' of the many deactivated [[Autobot|Autobots]]. He considers [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], as they need a medic - [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], for his leadership - one of the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] for their strength... Optimus is suddenly revolted at the idea of playing god, and briefly decides to choose a random person to revive - settling on [[Seaspray|Seaspray]] - but cannot go through with such an arbitrary way of deciding who lives.
 
His dilemma is interrupted by a report: Stakeout and the [[Rescue Patrol|Rescue Patrol]] have cornered Whisper, who has an open-ended contract on all of Autobot High Command, and are closing in. As Optimus monitors the battle - ordering no harm comes to human or animal life - he briefly considers reviving Silverbolt, only to wonder if he'd resent being chosen when others weren't. His musing is interrupted when the Rescue Patrol comes under attack by Whisper's [[Air Strike Patrol|Air Strike Patrol]] buddies. The resulting battle trashes a forest, and in monitoring it Optimus gets a computer report on the environmental knock-on damage being caused.


Optimus suddenly realises how much damage their war has done to [[Earth|Earth]] without him realising. He calls the Rescue Patrol back to base and sends the Matrix fragment into Earth's atmosphere, causing rain that repairs the damage the battle has done to the environment. "He has a gift, the greatest gift of all... he gladly gives it to the Earth!"
His dilemma is interrupted by a report: [[Stakeout (G1)|Stakeout]] and the [[Rescue Patrol (G1)|Rescue Patrol]] have cornered [[Whisper (G1)|Whisper]], who has an open-ended contract on all of Autobot High Command, and are closing in. As Optimus Prime monitors the battle—ordering no harm comes to human or animal life—he briefly considers reviving [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]], only to wonder if he'd resent being chosen when others weren't. His musing is interrupted when the Rescue Patrol comes under attack by Whisper's [[Air Strike Patrol]] buddies. The resulting battle trashes a forest, and, in monitoring it, Optimus gets a computer report on the environmental knock-on damage being caused.


Optimus Prime suddenly realises how much damage their war has done to [[Earth]] without him realising. He calls the Rescue Patrol back to base and sends the Matrix fragment into Earth's atmosphere, causing rain that repairs the damage the battle has done to the environment. "He has a gift, the greatest gift of all... he gladly gives it to the Earth!"


==Featured characters==
==Featured characters==
(''Numbers indicate order of appearance.)''
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] (2)
*[[Stakeout (G1)|Stakeout]] (3)
*[[Seawatch]] (4)
*[[Fixit (G1)|Fixit]] (5)
*[[Red Hot]] (6)
*[[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] (8)
|c2=
*[[Whisper (G1)|Whisper]] (7)
*[[Tailwind (G1)|Tailwind]] (9)
*[[Nightflight (G1)|Nightflight]] (10)
*[[Storm Cloud (G1)|Storm Cloud]] (11)
}}


==Quotes==
"When asked how he chose which Autobot to give life to, the Autobot's leader replied 'I flipped a coin.' No, I don't think so..."
:— '''Optimus Prime''' decides against random selection.


<table border="5" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" align="center" style="border:#800000">
<tr>
<th style="background:#FFEEEE"> [[Autobots|Autobots]]</th><th style="background:#EEEEFE"> [[Decepticons|Decepticons]]
</th></tr>
<tr>
<td style="background:#FFEEEE" valign="top">
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (1)
* [[Stakeout|Stakeout]] (2)
* [[Seawatch|Seawatch]] (3)
* [[Fixit|Fixit]] (4)
* [[Red Hot|Red Hot]] (5)
* [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] ''(deactivated)'' (7)


</td><td style="background:#EEEEFE" valign="top">
"We've got him cornered, Prime. With his wings clipped, there's nowhere left to go!"
* [[Whisper (G1)|Whisper]] (6)
:— '''Stakeout''' enjoying his work.
* [[Tailwind|Tailwind]] (8)
* [[Nightflight (G1)|Nightflight]] (9)
* [[Storm Cloud (G1)|Storm Cloud]] (10)




"He has a Christmas gift...the greatest gift of all...he gives it gladly to the Earth!"
:— '''Closing narration'''


==Notes==
===Artwork and technical errors===
*TBD
===Continuity errors===
*TBD


</td></tr></table>
===Continuity notes===
==References==
*This is the last UK strip that ties into the US strip—after this comes a four-part (and last) post-movie strip, and then [[Earthforce]].
* The scores of Autobot wounded are primarily from ''[[Dark Star!|Dark Star!]]'', when the [[Underbase|Underbase]]-powered [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] decimated their ranks.  
*It's also the last Marvel UK Christmas story in strip form! *sob* British fans would have to put up with "[[Dreadwind's Xmas!]]" the following year and then wait until [[Transformers Comic issue 2.19|2010]] for another one.
*Seaspray has been taken offline at some point since we saw him in issue [[The Man in the Machine!|#212]].
*The Air Strike Patrol appear to have gone AWOL from the Decepticons after "[[Skin Deep]]" - they're targeting Autobot leaders for money, not under orders.
*The Matrix can heal organic life if used properly.
*The scores of Autobot wounded are primarily from "[[Dark Star]]", when the [[Underbase]]-powered [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] decimated their ranks.
*This takes place after [[Ratchet (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ratchet]] was presumed dead ("[[Skin Deep]]"), which is why Optimus needs a medic. However, Fixit, who is seen among the Earth Autobots in this story, has taken over the role by "[[Eye of the Storm]]".
*The Rescue Patrol arrived on Earth in "[[The Primal Scream]]".


* This takes place after [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] was presumed dead (''[[Skin Deep|Skin Deep]]''), which is why Optimus needs a medic.
===Real-life references===
*TBD


* The Rescue Patrol arrived on Earth in ''[[Primal Scream|Primal Scream]]''.
===Other trivia===
*On the cover, [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] is playing with a [[toy]] of himself. This would not be the last time a Bumblebee would do [[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|such a thing]].


==Items of note==
===Back-up material===
* This is the last UK strip that ties into the US strip - after this comes a four-part (and last) post-movie strip, and then [[Earthforce|Earthforce]].  
*'''Additional ''Transformers'' story:''' "[[Skin Deep]]"
*'''Other strips:''' ''[[Combat Colin]]''
*'''[[Transformers AtoZ|AtoZ]]:''' [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] and [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]
*Combat Colin is in a [[Christmas with Combat Colin|full-colour strip]] that references the Transformers' party depicted on the cover.
*This issue also featured a competition where readers could win one of 30 [[Rocket Base|Micro-master pocket bases]]{{sic}} by identifying which six Transformers had been mixed up in the matter transmitter — they were [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], Optimus Prime, [[Mirage (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Mirage]], [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]], [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] and [[Headstrong (G1)|Headstrong]].


* It's also the last Christmas story! Sob!
===Foreign Localization===
'''Swedish'''
:* ''Title:'' "'''Den största gåvan av alla'''" ("The Greatest Gift of All")


* Seaspray has been taken offline at some point.  
===Cover===
*'''Issue #250 cover:''' the Transformers' Christmas party, by [[Andrew Wildman]].
<gallery>
File:MarvelUK-250.jpg|'''Issue #250'''
</gallery>


* The Air Strike Patrol appear to have gone AWOL from the Decepticons after [[Skin Deep|Skin Deep]] - they're targeting Autobot leaders for money, not under orders.
===Advertisements===
*Kellogg's Rice Krispies
*[[Micromaster]]s [[Sports Car Patrol]], [[Rescue Patrol (G1)|Rescue Patrol]] and [[Battle Patrol]] sets
*Classified ads
*''[[Hulk|The Incredible Hulk]] Presents'' featuring [[Doctor Who]], {{w|Indiana Jones}} and [[Action Force (comic)|Action Force]] every week from [[Marvel Comics]]


* The Matrix can heal organic life if used properly.
===Reprints===
*'''Issue #332 cover:''' [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] about to dismember [[Wheeljack (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Wheeljack]]
*'''''[[Transformers: Way of the Warrior]]'':''' Carnivac and Springer stand victorious over a [[Limbo]] nightmare creature, by [[Simon Coleby]].
*'''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Vol 19: Perchance to Dream:''''' [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (from early IDW promo art), by [[Guido Guidi]] above a retro scene of the [[Battlecharger]]s (from [[Worlds Apart!|Marvel UK #255]] cover) by [[Stephen Baskerville]].


==Reprints==
<gallery>
* This story was reprinted in issue #332. Unlike other reprints around the time the story was reprinted in black &amp; white. It was reprinted again in the [[Titan Books|Titan Books]] trade paperback "Way of the Warrior".
File:MarvelUK-332.jpg|'''Issue #332'''; cover art by [[Andrew Wildman]]
File:Titan B&W Compilation-Way of the Warrior.jpg|'''''Way of the Warrior'''''<br>(Titan Books, 2005)
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v19.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection'' Vol. 19''' (Hachette Partworks, Ltd., 2017)
</gallery>




{{DEFAULTSORT:Greatest Gift of All!}}
[[Category:Marvel UK issues]]
[[Category:Marvel UK issues]]

Latest revision as of 19:47, 10 July 2024

The Transformers (UK) #250

"Incidentally... a happy Christmas to all of you at home!"
"The Greatest Gift of All!"
Publisher Marvel Comics
First published 23rd December 1989
Cover date 30th December 1989
Writer Simon Furman
Art Staz
Letterer Helen Stone
Continuity Marvel Comics continuity

Optimus Prime grants a gift to the Earth.

Synopsis

[edit]

It's Christmas Day, 1989. Longtooth's piece of the Creation Matrix has reached Optimus Prime. Now he can grant life to one of the many deactivated Autobots. He considers First Aid as they need a medic, Prowl for his leadership, one of the Dinobots for their strength... Optimus is suddenly revolted at the idea of playing god, and briefly decides to choose a random person to revive—settling on Seaspray—but cannot go through with such an arbitrary way of deciding who lives.

His dilemma is interrupted by a report: Stakeout and the Rescue Patrol have cornered Whisper, who has an open-ended contract on all of Autobot High Command, and are closing in. As Optimus Prime monitors the battle—ordering no harm comes to human or animal life—he briefly considers reviving Silverbolt, only to wonder if he'd resent being chosen when others weren't. His musing is interrupted when the Rescue Patrol comes under attack by Whisper's Air Strike Patrol buddies. The resulting battle trashes a forest, and, in monitoring it, Optimus gets a computer report on the environmental knock-on damage being caused.

Optimus Prime suddenly realises how much damage their war has done to Earth without him realising. He calls the Rescue Patrol back to base and sends the Matrix fragment into Earth's atmosphere, causing rain that repairs the damage the battle has done to the environment. "He has a gift, the greatest gift of all... he gladly gives it to the Earth!"

[edit]

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

[edit]

"When asked how he chose which Autobot to give life to, the Autobot's leader replied 'I flipped a coin.' No, I don't think so..."

Optimus Prime decides against random selection.


"We've got him cornered, Prime. With his wings clipped, there's nowhere left to go!"

Stakeout enjoying his work.


"He has a Christmas gift...the greatest gift of all...he gives it gladly to the Earth!"

Closing narration

Notes

[edit]

Artwork and technical errors

[edit]
  • TBD

Continuity errors

[edit]
  • TBD

Continuity notes

[edit]
  • This is the last UK strip that ties into the US strip—after this comes a four-part (and last) post-movie strip, and then Earthforce.
  • It's also the last Marvel UK Christmas story in strip form! *sob* British fans would have to put up with "Dreadwind's Xmas!" the following year and then wait until 2010 for another one.
  • Seaspray has been taken offline at some point since we saw him in issue #212.
  • The Air Strike Patrol appear to have gone AWOL from the Decepticons after "Skin Deep" - they're targeting Autobot leaders for money, not under orders.
  • The Matrix can heal organic life if used properly.
  • The scores of Autobot wounded are primarily from "Dark Star", when the Underbase-powered Starscream decimated their ranks.
  • This takes place after Ratchet was presumed dead ("Skin Deep"), which is why Optimus needs a medic. However, Fixit, who is seen among the Earth Autobots in this story, has taken over the role by "Eye of the Storm".
  • The Rescue Patrol arrived on Earth in "The Primal Scream".

Real-life references

[edit]
  • TBD

Other trivia

[edit]
  • On the cover, Bumblebee is playing with a toy of himself. This would not be the last time a Bumblebee would do such a thing.

Back-up material

[edit]

Foreign Localization

[edit]

Swedish

  • Title: "Den största gåvan av alla" ("The Greatest Gift of All")

Cover

[edit]
  • Issue #250 cover: the Transformers' Christmas party, by Andrew Wildman.

Advertisements

[edit]

Reprints

[edit]