On the Edge of Extinction!

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"On the Edge of Extinction!"
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First published	December 1990
Cover date	February 1991
Writer	Simon Furman
Artist	Geoff Senior
Colorist	Nel Yomtov
Letterer	Rick Parker
Editor	Rob Tokar
Continuity	Marvel Comics continuity

Unicron drops by for a light lunch.

Synopsis

How do the physics of this even work?!

With Unicron looming over the planet Cybertron, the assembled Transformers flee in a blind panic. The Dark God rips into the planet's surface, sampling its metal (and Brainstorm) and declaring it "succulent".

Primus—still possessing the form of Xaaron—urges Optimus Prime and Scorponok to calm their warriors and unite them in battle against the Chaos-Bringer, but even the two leaders are overwhelmed by the sheer immensity of their foe. Primus himself initiates an attack on Unicron—but the dark god sees through what is essentially a ruse, and destroys Xaaron.

Galvatron blasts Unicron at full power; while it does virtually no damage, it does what Galvatron had hoped—inspires the Transformers to stand and fight. Soon a planet-wide battle is raging; many Transformers are killed in the fighting, most notably Scorponok, who makes a final stand to live up to his legacy as a Decepticon warrior. The Neo-Knights also attempt to engage, but their powers are no match for Unicron, and Circuit Breaker remains catatonic, despite G.B. Blackrock's attempts to revive her.

Reinforcements arrive in the form of the Ark, which is filled with Autobots reactivated by the Nucleon retrieved by Grimlock. Grimlock has the ship sideswipe Unicron, damaging it and forcing them to abandon it in flight.

As Optimus Prime struggles to keep his Powermaster bond from coming apart, the tainted Creation Matrix suddenly arrives at Cybertron, with the possessed Thunderwing at its core. The Matrix confronts its old foe, Unicron. But with its virtuous nature stripped away, the Matrix no longer has any advantage over Unicron, who unleashes a power burst that tears Thunderwing limb from limb and devastates the surface of Cybertron. As the blast passes, Prime spots the Matrix.

Tiring of the battle, Unicron reverts to his planet mode and prepares to devour Cybertron entirely. But as he begins, he is blasted by the revived Circuit Breaker, who pours every bit of her power at him in an insane rage. The distraction gives Optimus Prime enough time to reach the Matrix. His mind free from doubt, he reclaims it, purges it of darkness, and plunges it—and himself—into Unicron's maw. Overloaded with "terrible, wonderful life", Unicron explodes while the survivors on Cybertron's surface look on in awe.

Some while after the battle, Battletrap and Runabout are walking somewhere on Cybertron. Runabout goes to investigate some movement in the shadows. He is promptly snatched underground by a clawed hand and, as observed by a hidden Hi-Q, devoured.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons	Humans	Nebulans	Misc
Xaaron (3) Kup (4) Optimus Prime (5) Highbrow (6) Sureshot (10) Cloudburst (13) Brainstorm (15) Nightbeat (29) Siren (30) Jazz (31) Hot Rod (32) Hardhead (35) Waverider (37) Joyride (39) Grimlock (40) Prowl (41) Snarl (42) Skids (43) Silverbolt (44) Ironhide (45) Sunstreaker (46) Blaster (47) Wheeljack (48) Slag (49) Swoop (50) Sludge (51)	Scorponok (1) Squeezeplay (2) Bludgeon (7) Stranglehold (8) Octopunch (9) Iguanus (12) Mindwipe (14) Ravage (16) Apeface (17) Skullcruncher (18) Shockwave (19) Starscream (20) Galvatron (26) Dreadwind (27) Darkwing (28) Finback (33) Misfire (34) Bomb-Burst (36) Quake (38) Thunderwing (52) Fangry (54) Weirdwolf (55) Battletrap (56) Runabout (57)	Thunderpunch (21) Circuit Breaker (22) Dynamo (23) Rapture (24) G.B. Blackrock (25)	Hi-Q (53)	Primus (3) Unicron (11) Creation Matrix/Dark Matrix (52) Demon (58)

Quotes

"Hypothesis... I--I have no hypothesis. This is beyond analysis, beyond logic. My vast data grid simply... cannot compute. However, I believe I can give an accurate probability projection. I am 100% certain that Cybertron, and every Transformer on it, is doomed!"

—Shockwave

"Duh-do...something! Brainstorm, you're the clever one... tell us what to do!"
"I -- No No No No No No No No No"

—Cloudburst spurs Brainstorm to take on a god with firepower

"I'll rip you to pieces with my bare claws, tear your circuits out with my teeth and spit your diodes back at you! Die, Unicron -- DIE!"

—Scorponok's final stand

"Erm, Grimlock.... was that wise? I mean, we've all just come out of a state close to death, reanimated by an untested and highly unstable form of energy. Perhaps we should --"
"Should what?! Have holiday? Put feet up? We Autobots, Wheeljack -- we fight, not worry about health! And now we kick Unicron's tail across universe!"
sigh "Maybe deactivation wasn't so bad after all!"

—Wheeljack and Grimlock, still not seeing eye to eye 40 issues later

"Huuuu-- Puh-Prime? Did -- Did...kuh... I do... good?"
"Yes old friend... you did good."

—Scorponok shares his final words with Optimus Prime

"I tire of these games... It is time to feast! The end comes, Transformers. Eternal black night descends. You are about to become one with the great void... I envy you --"

—Unicron returns to planet mode to devour Cybertron in one go

"Today we end a battle begun eons ago. I thought you created us to die, Primus -- to perish in your place. But now I understand. You created us to carry on after you are gone! You must die, Primus -- so that all might live!"

—Optimus Prime's last words before plunging the Matrix -- and himself -- into Unicron's maw

"You see what I mean, Battletrap? I sort of thought coming so close to death myself would change me, make me a better robot. I thought I'd come out here today and want to embrace life. In fact I really want to destroy something!"

—Runabout philosophizes

Notes

Artwork and technical errors

• There are, of course, the errors of scale typically associated with the supposedly planet-sized Unicron.
• On the first page, when Unicron sinks his claws into Cybertron's surface, the back half of his hand is colored orange like his "sleeve".
• The Autobot Pretenders had their shells confiscated back on Earth by Scorponok's Decepticons when they surrendered in issue #71. Last issue after all the Transformers were teleported to Cybertron by Primus, the Autobot Pretenders were without their shells. This issue they are wearing their shells, without explanation; the story doesn't leave much if any time for them to be retrieved from wherever the Decepticons stashed them.

Continuity errors

• When Primus is killed while inhabiting Xaaron's body, it's Scorponok who screams out Xaaron's name in shock and Optimus who calls out for Primus (despite being an old comrade of Xaaron's). Perhaps it is not an outright error and more of a creative choice, but still a bit odd.
• Among hundreds, thousands, maybe millions of Transformers... Circuit Breaker's the only being on the planet who can manipulate electricity? Shrapnel hadn't been seen in donkey's years and may have been long dead, so this isn't as jarring as it could have been.

Continuity notes

• The grand battle with Unicron concludes a storyline that began way back in issue #60.
• The imagery of Unicron's internal systems (Page 4) is based on similar views in opening scenes of The Transformers: The Movie.
• Likewise, Galvatron uses his cannon as a means of propulsion, an idea first seen in the animated movie.
• Grimlock's reinforcements were fueled with Nucleon in the previous issue.
• Grimlock's (shown) reinforcements are the same cast as Earthforce, more or less.
• Unicron recalls the destruction of Thunderwing and the Matrix in issue #66.
• Most of the surviving Transformers, including Soundwave, Prowl, Wheeljack, Blaster, Bumblebee and Jazz show up in the Action Masters line. While most never transform after this issue, Prowl clearly retains his ability to do so.
• While Primus is outright said to be dead deadity dead, the later retcon of the Primus/Unicron plan would say he isn't.
• Cybertron continues to be drawn based on the cartoon model, a convention that started around issue #71.

Furminated

Everyone's all like Oh Galvatron, you're so dreamy, you were the one who opened fire on Unicron, but Brainstorm shot first!

You're misfired.

Flathead.

This issue's high body count brought Furman's reputation for mass carnage to US readers. Casualties in this issue include:

• Brainstorm, skewered on Unicron's fingernail and devoured
• Xaaron, blasted to cinders by an optic blast
• Cloudburst, exploded after colliding with Unicron's fire-breath
• Highbrow, crushed between Unicron's hands
• Finback, vaporized when the gun battery he's on explodes; Misfire is caught in the shockwave as well and is never seen again.
• Hardhead and Bomb-Burst, crushed under Unicron's foot
• Joyride and Waverider, slagged by an optic blast
• Scorponok, melted by fire breath
• Thunderwing, shredded by Unicron's power-burst explosion; Mindwipe is among those caught in the shockwaves
• Unicron, blown apart by the energies of the Matrix
• Runabout, eaten by Demons
  • Joyride and Mindwipe show up alive and well in Generation 2. Quake, who was with Joyride and Waverider when they were blasted, is not shown getting hit—and is fine just a couple of issues later.
• The next issue's opening page would reveal several more deceased Transformers: Apeface, Sureshot, Hosehead, and Runamuck (who nevertheless appeared in Generation 2 long enough to die again.) Prime's gruesome fate would be revealed as well, as he was still within Unicron during the explosion.
• Ironically, many of the casualties here are Transformers who managed to survive the Underbase Saga. Even more ironic is the fact that they die just as the casualties of the Underbase Saga are revived and brought back into the story.

UK printing

Issue #319:

• Other strips: Machine Man - "If This Be Sanctuary?!" and Combat Colin
• AtoZ: Fangry

Issue #320:

• Other strips: Machine Man - "If This Be Sanctuary?!" and Combat Colin
• AtoZ: Squeezeplay

Issue #321:

• Other strips: Machine Man - "If This Be Sanctuary?!" and Combat Colin
• AtoZ: Siren

Issue #322:

• Other strips: Machine Man - "Rime of the Ancient Wrecker!" and Combat Colin
• AtoZ: Kup
• Once again, the Machine Man story was previously printed, starting way back in issue #35

Other trivia

• Billed as an "anniversary" issue despite not being a year after anything in particular, this issue was double-sized and ended up being Geoff Senior's final contribution to the Marvel Generation 1 series. Way to go out with a bang!
• Transformers Universe profiles for Fangry and Squeezeplay are found after the main story.
• The "next issue" blurb plays on Grimlock's reprimand to Wheeljack, quoted above.
• The closing narration plays on the intro blurb that has been running on the book's opening page since issue #62.
• This was the last Dutch Generation 1 comic printed by Junior Press.
• It was also the last Polish Generation 1 comic printed by TM-Semic.
• In the credits, editor Rob Tokar and editor-in-chief Tom DeFalco are jointly credited as "Certainly Doomed".

Bot Roster

• At this point, the story has left the isolated battlefield of Earth, and the Earth Transformers are no longer a distinct group. However:
  • Of 34 active Autobots:
    • 8 are confirmed killed in this issue and next
    • 13 are later confirmed as survivors
    • 13 remain MIA
  • Of 28 offline and 24 presumed offline Autobots, 7 are confirmed reactivated, leaving 45 MIA
  • Decepticons: of 28 active or rogue, 7 are confirmed killed in this issue and next, while 11 are eventually confirmed as survivors. Nothing is heard of the 50 confirmed and presumed Underbase casualties.

Covers (5)

• US issue #75 cover: Unicron devouring Cybertron, by Geoff Senior.
• UK issue #319 cover: recolored version of US cover, by Robin Bouttell.
• UK issue #320 cover: Unicron destroying Xaaron, by Stewart Johnson.
• UK issue #321 cover: Optimus Prime and the defeated Scorponok, by Stewart Johnson.
• UK issue #322 cover: Prime entering Unicron with the Matrix, by Stewart Johnson.

• 
  US issue #75 - Cybertron - with delicious crunchy filling!
• 
  UK issue #319 - UK Cybertron - strawberry flavoured.
• 
  UK issue #320 - I can hear the fangirls crying...
• 
  UK issue #321 - "Wasn't me guv, it was that big orange guy with horns."
• 
  UK issue #322 - Come on, how awesome is this?

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US

• Cocoa Puffs cereal - inside front cover
• Capri Sun fruit drink - between pages 4 & 5
• CAPCOM MegaMan 3 for Nintendo Game - between pages 5 & 6
• NBA Hoops basketball trading cards - between pages 7 & 8
• CAPCOM Destiny of an Emperor for Nintendo - between pages 8 & 9
• Arcadia Silver Surfer for Nintendo - between pages 32 & 33
• TSR Dungeon board game - between pages 33 & 34
• Marvel subscription service - between pages 35 & 36
• Complete Guide to Nintendo Video Games - between story and Fangry profile
• Transmissions
• Ultra Games Ski or Die for Nintendo - inside back cover
• LJN The Punisher for Nintendo (back cover)

UK

????

Reprints

• Transformers: End of the Road TPB: Galvatron, Grimlock, Bludgeon, Prowl and half of Unicron, by Andrew Wildman.
• Transformers: End of the Road HC: Galvatron and generic Decepticons, by Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie & Chris Blythe.
• The Transformers: The Best of Simon Furman cover: Cybertron, by Don Figueroa.
• Best of Transformers: Eye of the Storm: Optimus Prime, Ravage and Skywarp, by Andrew Wildman.

• 
  Transformers: End of the Road TPB
  (Titan Books, 2002)
• 
  Transformers: End of the Road HC
  (Titan Books, 2003)
• 
  The Best of Simon Furman
  (IDW Publishing, 2008)
• 
  Best of Transformers: Eye of the Storm
  (Titan Books, 2008)

• Classic Transformers Volume 5: A scrapbook of images from issues #76–80, all by Andrew Wildman and Stephen Baskerville.
• The Transformers Classics, Vol. 6: Blitzwing, by Guido Guidi.
• Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection:Volume 18: Edge of Extinction: Grimlock, above an interior scene (issue #74) of Powermaster Optimus Prime battling the Acolytes of Unicron. Grimlock art by Guido Guidi, Retro art by Andrew Wildman (pencils) and Stephen Baskerville (inks).

• 
  Classic Transformers Volume 6
  (IDW Publishing, 2010)
• 
  The Transformers Classics, Vol. 6
  (IDW Publishing, 2013)
• 
  The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 18: Edge of Extinction
  (Hachette Partworks, 2017)