Gone but Not Forgotten!

As the Decepticons relocate to a new base, Shockwave plays a gambit to finally destroy Megatron.

Marvel US issue #25

(Story also appears in: Marvel UK issues #107-108)

Script: Bob Budiansky
Pencils: Don Perlin
Inks: Ian Akin and Brian Garvey
Lettering: Janice Chiang
Colors: Nelson Yomtov
Editor: Don Daley

• Major characters (in order of appearance): Soundwave, Shockwave, Laserbeak, Megatron, Brawl, Swindle, Motormaster, Onslaught, Dead End, Vortex, Blast Off, Drag Strip, Razorclaw, Headstrong, Rampage, Divebomb, Tantrum, Predaking

• Originally published: February, 1987

Synopsis

The United States army prepares to invade the Decepticon base. Unknown to them, the Decepticons are already planning to abandon this base for a new one off the Florida keys, intending to make better use of the stolen hydrothermocline to meet their energy needs. Megatron has other concerns on his mind. He is preoccupied with the death of Optimus Prime, unable to fully believe that his enemy is, in fact, dead. This uncertainty drives him mad.

As the other Decepticons abandon their base, Shockwave and Soundwave stay behind to arrange for the Predacons to attack and destroy Megatron. To further Megatron's confusion, the Predacons have been fitted with Autobot symbols, to make him think that they have been sent by Optimus Prime.

The Predacons locate and attack Megatron who, despite being outnumbered five-to-one, is able to defend himself (although not unscathed by any means). Finding Megatron too strong for them to defeat in their individual forms, the Predacons combine into Predaking. However, Predaking just proves to be a bigger target, and Megatron defeats him with one blast of his fusion cannon.

When the Decepticons arrive at their new base, a Decepticon soldier (it is unclear who) locates a laser disk inside Predaking, which Soundwave then plays back to reveal Shockwave's attempt to have Megatron killed. As Megatron threatens to destroy Shockwave, Shockwave explains that he recorded major portions of his personality on the disk he gave to the Predacons: "I controlled the Predacons. I was with them as much as I am with you now!"

This revelation causes Megatron to reflect on Optimus Prime's death. He now knows what he did not see at the time: that Optimus Prime's personality had been saved on a computer disk. This awareness drives him mad once again, and he blows up the space bridge to Cybertron with himself on it. Both disappear, and Shockwave reflects that it was not he himself who destroyed Megatron, but "a memory did!"

Errors

• On page 8, the caption reads that Megatron "commands Drag Strip to carry him to their destination," and the coloring is consistent with this. The art, however, shows Megatron entering Dead End.

Items of note

• Brawl is seemingly killed in this issue. Don't worry, though. Even though his head is crushed, he later gets better.

References

• The hydrothermocline was stolen in "Afterdeath," the previous story.

• Page 4 consists entirely of flashbacks to "Afterdeath."

• In the US version of this story, Shockwave instructs Soundwave to radio Cobra, a reference to alliance they made in the original Marvel GI Joe/Transformers mini-series.

UK Printing

• Issue #107 featured a Megatron cover by Dave Hine and Robin Bouttell.

• Issue #108 used an extensively recoloured version of US issue #25's cover, with some new word balloons.

• This story is probably the most editted of any US story printed in the UK comic.

• The Dead End mistake mentioned in the errors section was fixed for the UK printing. Dead End was recoloured in red, and the caption box was corrected, referring to him by his actual name.

• Page 11 of the US comic was editted to make a better cliffhanger for UK issue #107. Megatron was given new dialogue, replacing a speech bubble of Dead End questioning his leader's sanity.

• According to issue #107's letters page Grimlock considers the 23rd of August 1986, his birthday. That's the date he took over the Transformers letters page. He also thinks he could take out Soundwave in a fight.

• Megatron and the Predacons had met before in UK continuity. In the story arc beginning with "Prey" Shockwave employed the Predacons to hunt down and kill Megatron. However he was so deranged (and befuddled), that he didn't remember this first encounter. To reflect this previous meeting a lot of dialogue was changed for the UK version of this issue.

• On US page 9 Shockwave gives Razorclaw his assignment on Earth. In the UK version Razorclaw worries that Megatron will recognise the Predacon. Shockwave quickly allays those fears.
• On US page 12 the Predacons lament having to change into Earth forms. In the UK version they lament having to stay in those forms since their last visit.
• Some caption boxes on page 12 were changed to reflect the Predacons' previous visit. In particular the caption The Predacons have arrived! on was changed to The Predacons have returned! for the UK version.
• On US page 13 Razorclaw says Megatron doesn't know the Predacons. In the UK version he says Megatron doesn't remember them.

Considering the theme of memory and its importance running through this issue, these changes to the UK story almost seem appropriate.

• US page 2 was also editted, but this time to reflect the fact that the G.I. Joe vs. Transformers story was not 'in continuity' for the UK comics (and wasn't printed until years later). In the US version Shockwave suggests contacting Cobra and telling them about the Decepticons' moving base. In the UK version Shockwave talks instead about Megatron's mental instability.
  
  
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