The Gathering Darkness

« Transformers: Generation 2 #6 »
Optimus should've stayed in bed today.
"The Gathering Darkness"
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First published	February 1994
Cover date	April 1994
Writer	Simon Furman
Artist	Derek Yaniger ("Tales of Earth Part Three")
Penciler	Manny Galan ("The Gathering Darkness")
Inker	Jim Amash ("The Gathering Darkness")
Colorist	Sarra Mossoff
Letterers	Richard Starkings with Gaushell
Editor	Rob Tokar
Continuity	Marvel Comics continuity

Megatron solidifies his control of the Decepticons; Prime wants to talk.

Synopsis

"Tales of Earth Part Three"

Swindle gives Megatron a tour of the Warworld and Megatron is favorably impressed. He asks why Bludgeon was trying to lure Optimus Prime out of hiding, and Swindle shows him the supply of Decepticon shells Bludgeon created, which are ready and waiting to be brought to life by the Creation Matrix. Megatron really likes this plan.

Meanwhile, in the skies of Earth, Starscream is chatting interminably about how much he likes mindless destruction, his plans for the future, how silly humans are defending such strategically pointless land, and generally driving his fellow Seekers crazy with his babbling. Ramjet can't fathom why Megatron brought Starscream back to life.

Back on the Warworld, Soundwave is putting exactly the same question to Megatron. (Meanwhile, a team of Decepticons are trying to revive Darkwing.) Megatron tells Soundwave that Starscream's flight abilities have proved useful recently, but that he is well aware of his potential for treachery, and may "retire" him soon...

Among the humans, Hawk of G.I. Joe is leading the counter-offensive, and tells Flint that, unless they get some serious Autobot reinforcements, they may lose the planet. At that moment, Skydive shows up with reinforcements, in the form of Optimus Prime... alone.

"The Gathering Darkness"

Hawk is royally torqued that the only reinforcement he's getting is one Autobot, even if it is Optimus Prime. Prime explains that he wants to reason with Megatron, and try to gain him as an ally against the Cybertronians. Hawk and Flint are skeptical.

Above, in the Warworld, Soundwave reports to Megatron that Optimus Prime is on Earth, alone. Megatron smiles.

At the Autobase, Grimlock is planning to disobey orders again, and take the troops to Earth, to "help" Optimus Prime by kicking Megatron's exhaust port. Prowl tells him that he may ruin all of Prime's plans if he does this.

Back on Earth, Optimus Prime opens negotiations by demolishing Tantrum, then gets knocked down by a surprise attack from Megatron. Optimus tries to explain about the Cybertronians, but Megatron just zaps him, then drains the needed creation energy from Prime's chest. As Megatron is about to kill Optimus Prime, Grimlock charges in with the cavalry. The battles seems fairly evenly matched, but Megatron decides it's a waste of time, and the Decepticons withdraw to the Warworld. Prime, though badly injured, nevertheless seems hopeful that all this may work out to his advantage.

On the far-distant world of Fara, a group of semi-robotic aliens known as the Esk clones are peacefully harvesting solar radiation, when night falls unexpectedly... the Swarm has come, and it is hungry...

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons	G.I. Joe	Others
Optimus Prime (12) Skydive (13) Prowl (14) Grimlock (15) Swoop (18) Blades (19) Sludge (20) Snarl (21) Jazz (22) Slag (23) Ironhide (24) Hot Rod (25) Hound (26)	Megatron (1) Swindle (2) Thundercracker (3) Starscream (4) Ramjet (5) Soundwave (6) Darkwing (7) Frenzy (8) Rumble (9) Tantrum (16) Bonecrusher (17)	Hawk (10) Flint (11)	Assorted Esk clones (27) Swarm (28)

Quotes

"This...Warworld is truly a craft worthy of bearing the Decepticon banner. Had I grasped the breadth of Bludgeon's vision and achievement, given such limited time and resource - I may not have removed him quite so entirely from the picture. Still...I've never been one to look back."

—Megatron ponders as he strolls past Bludgeon's mounted skull.

"Y'know, Thundercracker, much as I never cared for Bludgeon as a Cybertronian - much less a leader - there's no faulting his joyous disregard for human life. I mean giving you all free reign to blow this irritating little world to kingdom come, just so's to bring Prime outta hiding - you gotta love him for that!"

—Starscream is one sick little monkey.

"[Thinking] Nnn. Doesn't he ever shut up? Why, of all the possible Decepticons Megatron could have reanimated - did he choose Starscream?"

—Ramjet asks a good question.

"If I live to be a billion, I'll never understand why they call destruction mindless. Destruction's all I think about!"

—The closest we'll ever get to Spotlight: Tantrum.

"I must make Megatron see that, unless we stand together - we are all doomed to extinction!"

—Uh huh. Tell us how that goes, Optimus Prime.

"Do you really want to risk storming in there, [Grimlock]...and wreck everything?"

—Prowl asks a stupid question.

"Wait! You must listen to me! Beyond the K'Tor cluster, on the fringes of Fahl space, there are other Decepticons! A second generation that poses a greater threat than you can possibly imagine!"
"Oh, I don't know...I can imagine some quite devastating threats! Can't you?"

—Optimus Prime tries to warn Megatron about Jhiaxus with little success.

Notes

Artwork and technical errors

• Like Starscream before him, in this issue, Swoop and Sludge have weird segmented tongues.
• Soundwave asks Megatron, "You must forgive me for this most improper query, Lord Megatron... but why, Starscream?" The comma after the "why" shouldn't be there.
• In his initial appearance, Skydive's lower body is missing.
• At the Autobase, some of Prowl's dialogue is mistakenly attributed to Grimlock.
• In one panel Megatron's teeth are weirdly spread out making it look like he's missing a few.

Continuity notes

• Megatron choosing to resurrect Starscream is not unprecedented; he first brought the Seeker back from the dead (with Ratchet's help) in "All the Familiar Faces!". It's also not entirely stupid, as Megatron clearly intends to kill Starscream very soon and in the US comics continuity Starscream has never explicitly betrayed Megatron. (Mostly because, in this continuity, Megatron spent very little time as the actual leader of the Decepticons...)
• This is the first time Optimus Prime and Megatron have faced each other in combat in the US continuity since issue #24 of the US Generation 1 comics (over sixty issues of continuity previously)—and even that was only a computer simulation of actual combat.
• This is the last appearance of G.I. Joe characters in the Generation 2 comic. The Decepticon attack on Earth goes completely unmentioned in their own comic.
• The Decepticons' global onslaught is said to have hit Moscow, Tokyo and London as well as Washington, D.C.; they currently are hitting Delhi, forcing an evacuation (which they're also hitting), and are fighting in North Africa.
• The panel showing Megatron ripping off Optimus's chest is reprinted next issue, as one of Megatron's fondest memories.

Furminated

• Tantrum is shot right in the fuel tanks and then rammed by Optimus Prime, exploding.
• The nameless Esk clones are devoured by the Swarm.

Cover

• Transformers: Generation 2 #6: Optimus Prime gets in the firing line, by Derek Yaniger

• 
  Don't bring a knife to this gun fight!

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Reprints

• Transformers: Dark Designs TPB: Megatron, Swoop, Bludgeon, Grimlock's toe and half of the Liege Maximo, by Andy Wildman.
• Transformers: Dark Designs hardback: Megatron and the graves of Starscream, Bludgeon, Fortress Maximus and Optimus Prime, by John Byrne and Chris Blythe.
• The Transformers: Greatest Battles of Optimus Prime and Megatron: ("The Gathering Darkness"): Optimus Prime and Megatron dancing, by Don Figueroa.
• Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 90: Generation 2 Part 1: Red Alert, by Dreamwave Productions and Kup, by Derek Yaniger.

• 
  Dark Designs TPB
  (Titan Books, 2002)
• 
  Dark Designs hardback
  (Titan Books, 2002)
• 
  Greatest Battles of Optimus Prime and Megatron
  (IDW Publishing, 2007)
• 
  The Definitive G1 Collection Vol. 90: Generation 2 Part 1
  (Hachette Partworks, 2020)