Final Transformations

« G.I. Joe Starring Snake-Eyes and Transformers: Generation 2 #142 »
It's true what they say about 'Cons with big feet.
"Final Transformations"
Publisher	Marvel Comics
Cover date	November 1993
Script	Larry Hama
Pencils	Jesse Orozoco and William Rosado
Inks	Chip Wallace (pages 1–4, 6–9, 18, 20, 22), Tim Tuony, Arienne and Steve Alexandrov
Colors	Andre Ani and Chi
Letters	Rick Parker
Editor	Mike Lackey
Continuity	Marvel Comics continuity

Megatron breaks a deal... and a few Autobots.

Synopsis

File:Overrideg1dies.jpg

Override should never have accepted an invitation to the Decepticon Taffy Pull.

In the Cobra-dominated town of Milleville, Megatron is about to squish Scarlett like the puny fleshling she is, when he is distracted by the arrival of a squad of Autobots, led by Hot Spot. The assorted humans scatter as Megatron starts kicking their tailpipes. Cobra Commander protests to Megatron about the damage to his real estate. Megatron grants that he has a point about protecting valuable assets, and tucks Doctor Biggles-Jones into a compartment in his chest. As Cobra begins to attack the Autobots, Megatron takes the opportunity to kill Steeljaw and Chase. The remaining Autobots retreat to make sure their vessel is secure.

Megatron locates their ship, but is attacked by Brawn as he approaches it. Megatron sneers at him. He announces he now has the ability to excite electrons and implode neutrons, then demonstrates, killing Brawn and destroying the Autobots' ship. The surviving Autobots team up with the Joes to form a plan for getting on board the Ark. While Override distracts Megatron, Skydive deactivates himself, and allows to Joes to ferry him (and Spike Witwicky) onto the Ark, thus not setting off the Autobot-detectors.

The plan works, though Override is ripped to pieces by Megatron. The Joes and Scarlett rescue Doctor Biggles-Jones, but are pursued by Megatron. Impressed by Override's selflessness, the doctor gives herself up to save the rest. Megatron takes her in hand, proceeds into the Ark, and lifts off, ignoring Cobra Commander's protests. Megatron muses about how the doctor had introduced a computer virus into the OS for his new rail gun... which he promptly removed and implanted into the Cybertronian technology he gave to Cobra.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons	Humans	G.I. Joe	Cobra
Hot Spot (4) Skydive (5) Steeljaw (6) Override (7) Chase (8) Brawn (9)	Megatron (1)	Spike Witwicky (15)	Scarlett (2) Snake-Eyes (12) Spirit (16) Freedom (17) Storm Shadow (18)	Sidney Biggles-Jones (3) Cobra Commander (10) Zarana (11) Slice (13) Dice (14)

Quotes

"You'll be safer inside, Dr. Biggles-Jones!
"Safer for what? All you want is my central nervous system!"

—Megatron and Doctor Biggles-Jones

Zarana: "Shoot her, you idiots!"
Scarlett: "You trust their aim that much?"
Alley Viper: "Who's gonna aim? Zarana don't sign my check--"

Notes

• The cover title of the series for this issue is G.I. Joe Starring Snake-Eyes Featuring Transformers Generation 2. However, the title in the indicia (and hence the legal title) is G.I. Joe A Real American Hero.
• In "Goin' South", Optimus Prime strongly implied that he and Bumblebee would be coming to Earth themselves, but apparently he changed his mind.
• The Autobot team that arrives instead is very random, consisting of one Protectobot, one Aerialbot, one Mini-Cassette, one Triggerbot, one Throttlebot, and one Mini Vehicle. Only Hot Spot and Brawn are even close to the strength and endurance needed to take on Megatron. Only Hot Spot and Skydive survive.
• This is Steeljaw's first and only appearance in US Marvel comics continuity (and he dies, perhaps as a sign of things to come). And it isn't even in the Transformers comic.
• Megatron determines that the Autobots' ship is located in "Sector Seven". This is probably a big ol' coincidence.
• The title of this story was probably inspired by this being the last appearance of the Transformers in the G.I. Joe comic.
• While the plot of this issue continues in the first issue of the Transformers Generation 2 comic series, "War Without End!", this arguably represents a branching point in the G.I. Joe continuity. While many G.I. Joe characters appear in the Generation 2 comic series, the Earthwide devastation that happens later on (e.g., the annihilation of San Francisco in "Dark Shadows!") is not reflected in the regular G.I. Joe comic series.
• Cobra Commander's vocabulary lessons for the day:
  • hebetation: The state of being dull or obtuse.
  • resipiscence: Recovering one's senses.
  • rampallion: A good-for-nothing scoundrel.
  • fustilarian: A low fellow; a stinkard.
  • oligophrenic: Exhibiting mental deficiency.
  • megapod: Having large feet.

Errors

• Hot Spot is called "Hotshot" at one point.
• Steeljaw's name is parsed as "Steel-Jaw".
• Chase is consistently miscolored as white and drawn with Searchlight's head, repeating (and possibly copying) an error first seen in issue #30 of the Generation 1 book.
• Megatron locates the Autobots' ship by comparing mud caked on Chase's leg to a soil analysis of the entire region. He then locates the ship in... a warehouse district.
• The Cobra Detonator the Joes use to sneak Skydive in the Ark is repeatedly miscolored in army greens.

Covers (1)

• Cover A: Megatron about to stomp on folks by William Rosado

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• None yet identified.

Reprints

• 2012 — Classic G.I. Joe Volume 14 (IDW Publishing, ISBN 978-1613771532
• 2012 — G.I. Joe/Transformers Volume 1 (IDW Publishing, ISBN 978-1613773529)