Escalation!

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

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<tr style="background-color:#e7d492;text-align:center;font-size:12px;"> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; background-color:#e7d492; color:black;font-weight:bold;" align="center"> <table width="100%" style="background-color:transparent">

<tr style="font-size:14px;"> <td class="tti_buttonlink">« </td><td align="center">Transformers: Generation 2 #8 </td><td align="right" class="tti_buttonlink">» </td></tr> <tr class="tt1_secondarynav"> <td class="tti_buttonlink"> </td><td align="center"> </td><td align="right" class="tti_buttonlink"> </td></tr></table> </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 12px; background-color:#ffffff;" align="center"> <img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/c/c0/MarvelUSG2-08.jpg/230px-MarvelUSG2-08.jpg" width="230" height="348" border="0" /><br />My Buddy, My Buddy, My Buddy and Me! </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; background-color:#e7d492; color:black;font-weight:bold;" align="center"> "Escalation!" </td></tr> <tr> <td>Publisher </td><td> Marvel Comics </td></tr> <tr> <td>Date published </td><td> April 1994 </td></tr> <tr> <td>Cover date </td><td> June 1994 </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Writer </td><td> Simon Furman </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Artist </td><td> Derek Yaniger ("Tales of Earth Part Five") </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Penciler </td><td> Manny Galan ("Escalation!") </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Inker </td><td> Jim Amash ("Escalation!") </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Colorist </td><td> Sarra Mossoff </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Letterers </td><td> Richard Starkings with O'Neil </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Editor </td><td> Rob Tokar </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Continuity </td><td> Marvel Comics continuity </td></tr>

</table> Autobots <small>and Decepticons</small> wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of the <strike>Decepticons</strike> Cybertronian Empire!

This issue contains a main story, "Escalation!", and a backup story, "Tales of Earth Part Five". However, the backup story is located in the middle of the main story. As such, both have been combined together for the purposes of this article.

Synopsis

Smokescreen, you bozo, get back over by the "Fa-tow" sound effect!

Jhiaxus has had enough. Talking to himself (or possibly to some unseen troops) he declares that the Cybertronian Empire will sweep across the stars, killing all non-Transformer life, cyberforming all suitable worlds, obliterating all others, creating a perfect universe. When the Autobots come out to try and stop them, they too will be wiped from the heavens like a blotch of grease. So let it be written, so let it be done.

Meanwhile, on Earth, Optimus Prime (still on his repair-bed) is visited by the half-dead Megatron. They are about to have a serious talk, when Grimlock slams Megatron into a wall. Prime convinces Grimlock that Megatron is here to talk, and Prime and Megatron agree to an anti-Imperial alliance.

At that moment, Sideswipe arrives to report that a nearby world, Ethos, is being systematically destroyed by unknown attackers. Prime orders the Autobots into action, but Megatron refuses to waste resources on this peripheral threat.

The Autobots arrive on Ethos barely in time to save the last few survivors. The attackers are (of course) the Cybertronian Empire. While the battle initially goes in the Autobots' favor, the brutality of the Imperials begins to tell, and Smokescreen and Inferno are killed. The tide only turns when, unexpectedly, the Decepticons show up to save the day.

After the battle is won, Megatron tells Prime that the only reason he came was that he learned the attackers were Imperial troops. Prime says the fact that he came is sufficient for now. Soundwave then reports some bad news: Starscream is mysteriously missing...

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

<table border="5" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" align="center" style="border:#800000"> <tr> <th style="background:#FFEEEE"> Autobots</th><th style="background:#EEEEFE"> Decepticons</th><th style="background:antiquewhite"> Cybertronians </th></tr> <tr> <td style="background:#FFEEEE" valign="top">

• Optimus Prime (3)
• Grimlock (4)
• Jazz (5)
• Silverbolt (6)
• Prowl (7)
• Sideswipe (8)
• Slag (14)
• Snarl (15)
• Sludge (16)
• Swoop (17)
• Inferno (18)
• Springer (19)
• Smokescreen (20)
• Ironhide (21)
• Slingshot (22)
• Skydive (23)
• Air Raid (24)
• Fireflight (25)

</td><td style="background:#EEEEFE" valign="top">

• Megatron (2)
• Sizzle (9)
• Skywarp (10)
• Starscream (11)
• Soundwave (12)
• Thundercracker (26)

</td><td style="background:antiquewhite" valign="top">

• Jhiaxus (1)
• Assorted Imperial soldiers (13)

</td></tr></table>

Quotes

"Appearances to the contrary, I don't think Megatron's here to fight! I believe he has an offer!"<br /> "Ha. Hahahaha! Prime is, of course, right. Prime's always right!"

—Optimus Prime and Megatron know each other inside and out.

Grimlock: Me show you exactly where you can stick your "alliance."<br /> Megatron: Prime, really! Doesn't he have a muzzle!<br /> Grimlock: Muzzle?! Me will —<br /> Prowl: Grimlock, hey! Down boy!<br />

—The Autobot-Decepticon alliance gets off to a shaky start.

"Dinobots... as our esteemed, if somewhat linguistically strangled leader, Grimlock, would say — it time to munch metal!"

—Swoop

"Decepticons. I don't believe it. We've been rescued by Decepticons. How... humiliating!

—Air Raid

Items of note

• Cameos: Ransack, Joyride, Getaway, Hound, Broadside, Bumblebee, Hot Rod, Kup, Vortex, Leadfoot, Manta Ray, Jolt, Frenzy, Fangry, Weirdwolf
• This issue's letters column broke the news that the series would be canceled after issue #12.

Covers (1)

• Megatron and Prime fighting together by Derek Yaniger

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• None yet identified.