The Lesser Evil!

« The Transformers (UK) #286 » « Earthforce
Aw, sweet.
"The Lesser Evil!"
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First published	1st September 1990
Cover date	8th September 1990
Writer	Simon Furman
Pencils	John Marshall
Inks	Jeff Anderson
Lettering	Peri Godbold
Continuity	Marvel Comics continuity/Earthforce

In order to save Snarl, Grimlock must first save Starscream.

Synopsis

These stories do not fit into the normal Marvel continuity. See Earthforce for details.

As the Autobots battle Megatron and Shockwave, Grimlock is forced to send Sludge and Swoop to save Starscream, an order he hates giving. Meanwhile, Grimlock and Slag pound the ex-Decepticon leaders, sending them running with swords in them and roasted backsides.

Inside the Decepticon Louisiana bayou base, Swoop and Sludge join with Soundwave and Starscream as they face down Bludgeon, Octopunch, and Stranglehold. The three Pretenders' reputation proves to be overrated and they are soon sent fleeing as well.

Grimlock tells Starscream they now have no chance of capturing him unaware, but Starscream explains that Swoop told him about Snarl's Corrodia Gravis and need for a transfusion from a compatible Transformer and that he is willing to provide it if the Autobots will help should Megatron and Shockwave return again. Prowl notes that this also means the lesser evil will be in control and Grimlock agrees. But Starscream isn't so sure he's the less evil...

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons
Grimlock (1) Prowl (3) Ironhide (5) Sludge (6) Swoop (7) Slag (13)	Shockwave (2) Megatron (4) Soundwave (8) Stranglehold (9) Octopunch (10) Bludgeon (11) Starscream (12)

Quotes

"Go help Starscream!"

—Grimlock utters a truly rare sentence.

"Die!"
"No...you die!"

—Shockwave and Grimlock are simple souls sometimes.

"Uuh! I've heard of forgive and forget, but this is ridiculous!"

—Even Starscream can't believe someone would want to help him.

Notes

Artwork and technical errors

• Soundwave's shoulder cannon is missing from his first panel appearance but appears for his second and final.

Continuity errors

• TPB

Continuity notes

• Although the story ends with Snarl due to get the treatment he needs, the previously published story "Destiny of the Dinobots!" shows Snarl suffering from the disease in 1992; either they're not in continuity or Starscream's donation didn't work. And, of course, this raises the spectre of where exactly the Earthforce stories are meant to fit into the comic continuity...

Real-life references

• TPB

Other trivia

• TPB

Back-up material

• Additional Transformers story: "Deadly Obsession"
• Other strips: G.I. Joe the Action Force - "Fair Trade" and Combat Colin
• AtoZ: Twin Twist and Ultra Magnus

Cover

• Issue #286 cover: Starscream cozies up to Grimlock over Bludgeon's body, by Andrew Wildman.

• 
  Issue #286 - "I'll hug him and squeeze him and call him Grimlock!"

Reprints

• Transformers: Fallen Star : Megatron and Shockwave fight at Memphis Airport. Cropped from the cover of issue #277, art by Stewart Johnson.
• The Transformers: Best of Starscream: Starscream, by Klaus Scherwinski.
• Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 20: End of the Road: Bludgeon (art reused from Dreamwave's More than Meets the Eye profiles) above an interior scene of Grimlock punching through Fangry (from US issue #80), by Andrew Wildman.

• 
  Fallen Star
  (Titan Books, 2005)
• 
  Best of Starscream
  (IDW Publishing, 2010)
• 
  The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 20: End of the Road
  (Hachette Partworks, 2018)