Salvage!

The name or term "Salvage" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Salvage (disambiguation).

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The new series of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) doesn't go well.
"Salvage!"
Publisher	Marvel Comics
Cover date	9th April 1988 - 16th April 1988
Script	Simon Furman
Art	Lee Sullivan
Colour	Euan Peters
Letters	Tom Frame (16), Glib (161)
Continuity	Marvel Comics continuity

Shockwave resurrects Megatron and primes him as a weapon to use against Galvatron.

Synopsis

In London, Virgin boss Richard Branson finances a clean-up operation to remove the remains of Megatron and Centurion from the bottom of the River Thames where they had been since their battle in "Ancient Relics!"

Richard Branson begins his quest to get a cameo role in everything.

No sooner have they been lifted clear than the Seacon Jawbreaker leaps from the water and cuts the chains holding them to the cranes. Thrust, Dirge, Ramjet and Blitzwing then swoop in and attach suction cups and carry them away to Shockwave.

A few hours later the Sparkabots finish digging Ultra Magnus out from underneath Mount Verona. Ultra Magnus is at first disoriented; haunted by the memory of Galvatron and the many defeats he had suffered at his hands. Catching sight of Megatron and Centurion being flown past by the Decepticons they decide to follow after them.

Some time later in the Decepticon Fortress, Snaptrap has repaired Megatron’s body but his mind is broken. Shockwave is planning to use him as a weapon against Galvatron and so orders Snaptrap to use the psycho-probe in an attempt to repair his mind.

Ultra Magnus and the Sparkabots have made their way to the base of the fortress and are discussing how they will stop the Decepticons from reactivating Megatron, when to Ultra Magnus’ dismay, Galvatron, who has been spying on Shockwave, reveals his presence and tells them that he cannot allow them to interfere with Megatron’s resurrection.

Inside the fortress the psycho-probe is forcing Megatron to confront his deepest fears through a series of visions; unfortunately he is not handling this very well and is terrified of an image of Optimus Prime.

Ultra Magnus is having similar problems outside when confronted by Galvatron and is also cowering in fear, much to Galvatron’s amusement.

Megatron is confronted by a second image, this time of Lord Straxus, the Decepticon leader from Cybertron, who had attempted to take over his body in "Resurrection!". Straxus taunts Megatron and destroys the image of Optimus Prime, telling Megatron that soon he will be in control. This finally snaps Megatron from his fearful state, he attacks and rips the image of Straxus apart.

Having finally defeated his inner demons his mind snaps back to sanity. Shockwave takes advantage and uses the psycho-probe to brainwash Megatron into believing that Galvatron is his enemy and that he must destroy him

Outside Galvatron is taunting Ultra Magnus, who has become paralysed with fear. Galvatron begins to beat up the Sparkabots, while Ultra Magnus stands impotently by. Still haunted by his many defeats Ultra Magnus ultimately forces himself to confront his fear and he attacks Galvatron. Driven by fear turned to rage he manages to beat Galvatron who retreats. Ultra Magnus, with a renewed confidence, declares that the next time he meets Galvatron will be the last.

Note: this story is continued in "Dry Run!".

Featured Characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons	Humans	Others
Fizzle (9) Guzzle (10) Ultra Magnus (11) Sizzle (12) Optimus Prime (16)	Straxus-Megatron (1) Jawbreaker (4) Ramjet (5) Thrust (6) Blitzwing (7) Dirge (8) Galvatron (13) Shockwave (14) Snaptrap (15) Lord Straxus (17)	Richard Branson (3)	Centurion (2)

Errors

• What qualifies Snaptrap to perform repairs on Megatron?

Items of note

• Shockwave decided to use Megatron as a weapon against Galvatron at the end of "Enemy Action!"
• Here Megatron is forced to confront a vision of Lord Straxus, whose mind has infected Megatron’s after the botched mind swap in "Resurrection!" He defeats him subconsciously, thereby giving him the strength to reassert his own personality. Ironically this Megatron is later shown to be a clone created by Straxus that became infected with Megatron’s personality. Two Megatrons!
• Despite Ultra Magnus' vow to defeat Galvatron once and for all the next time they meet, this is actually the last time that they will come face to face. So he didn't really break his promise, the opportunity just never came up.
• The Decepticon Fortress was first built by the Decepticons in Power Play and later abandoned.
• Dirge is uncharacteristically alive in this story because the UK continuity ignored the events of the G.I. Joe and the Transformers mini-series in which he was killed off.

Back-Up Stories

Issue #160:

• Action Force - "Serpentor" Part 4
• Combat Colin

Issue #161:

• Action Force - "Road Safety - from the Air!"
• Action Force - "Battle Island"
• Combat Colin

Reprints

• This story was reprinted in the Summer Special 1994.

• It was reprinted again in the Titan Books trade paperback Space Pirates.

Covers (4)

• 
  160 Cover
• 
  161 Cover
• Summer Special 1994 Cover
  Summer Special 1994 Cover
• 
  Space Pirates TPB Cover

• UK issue 160 cover: Ultra Magnus rising from the lava, by Bryan Hitch
• UK issue 161 cover: Megatron confronted by Prime, by Bryan Hitch
• Summer Special 1994 cover: Optimus Prime opening the Matrix, by Stewart Johnson
• Space Pirates TPB cover: Rodimus Prime, Arcee and Wreck-Gar have a little problem with Quintessons, by ???