Resurrection!

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Specifics: Best of UK covers
« The Transformers (UK) #103–104 »

So we will walk through the fire
And let it
Burn
Let it burn
"Resurrection!"
Publisher Marvel Comics
Cover date 7th March - 14th March 1987
Script Simon Furman
Art Will Simpson (103), Jeff Anderson (104)
Colour Steve White
Letters Annie Halfacree
Editor Ian Rimmer
Continuity Marvel Comics continuity

Whilst Optimus Prime brings new life to the Autobots on Cybertron, Lord Straxus faces down Megatron.

Synopsis

On Cybertron, Octane delivers a report about an Autobot attack on a Decepticon fuel store, led by Optimus Prime and the Wreckers. Octane states he threw himself into battle whilst other Decepticons were unnerved, but the sheer weight of numbers overwhelmed him. The Autobots took the energon cubes and slaves with them.

In actual fact, Octane tried to run like a coward and tripped over a fuel pipe, smashing into a wall.

Straxus is not fooled by Octane's report but the more important matter is that Optimus Prime's return has led to numerous successful attacks by the Autobot resistance. Straxus curses Prime, and also Megatron for bringing him here.

Straxus recalls the recent events of Optimus Prime and Megatron being thrown over the space bridge, Prime being nearly executed as an imposter, but successfully proving his identity.

As well as a renewed spirit in the Autobots, Straxus is also facing the problem of an unstable Megatron. Ratbat arrives, reporting how Megatron nearly tore two guards apart for betting on where Optimus Prime would strike next, and agrees that Megatron is becoming even more of a menace. Straxus declares he must act now and his technicians report that they have finished constructing a device.

Meanwhile, in Iacon, the Autobots are holding a rally celebrating the return of Optimus Prime. However, Prime himself announces that he will soon have to return to Earth to tackle the Decepticons there, as otherwise they will have an unlimited source of fuel and will triumph on Cybertron. He states he will return again to lead the Autobots to their final victory. At a private meeting afterwards, Emirate Xaaron unsuccessfully tries to convince Optimus Prime to stay. Prime also dismisses the offer of Ultra Magnus to come to Earth as well, even though the latter previously helped defeat Galvatron.

Galvatron has returned! This news is being discussed by the Autobots on Earth, now that Perceptor, Blaster, and the other arrivals from Cybertron have reached the Ark. They detail their encounter and how the Dinobots saved them. This makes Ironhide especially frustrated as the Dinobots' power is now needed the most, because the Autobots believe Optimus Prime is dead.

But Optimus Prime is very much alive, as Straxus reminds Megatron. He suggests Megatron return to Earth in the hope that Prime will follow. But Megatron gets angry and threatens to smash Straxus's life support machine and crush his head. Straxus decides to act. As his device blasts Megatron, he declares that they will be swapping bodies and then he will terminate Megatron completely. Megatron struggles as the device continues to blast him.

Finally, the body of Megatron rises and smashes the life support machine then crushes the head of Straxus. Octane pulls a gun and asks if that is Straxus in there. Megatron's body declares that Megatron is dead and Straxus lives on!

On Earth, the Autobots have buried what they believe is the body of Optimus Prime (but is in fact a facsimile construct), in accordance with Earth tradition in honour of Prime's actions in saving many humans. Blaster whispers to Perceptor that he would rather the body was blasted into space in accordance with Cybertronian tradition, but Perceptor responds that the Autobots who decided on this course of action had spent the last few years fighting alongside Prime and said it was what he would have wanted.

What Optimus Prime wants is Megatron's head. He sends the Wreckers on a diversion to draw the Decepticon guards to the fuel store, so that he and Ultra Magnus can invade Polyhex.

Inside the Polyhex Decepticon stronghold the body of Megatron sits on a throne, racked by confusion. First he thinks he is Megatron, then he thinks he is Straxus. He thinks back to the mind transfer, first thinking it was a failure, then it was a success. The two personalities conflict inside his mind. Megatron/Straxus regains a sense of purpose when Ratbat reports an Autobot attack, but the cunning bat rapidly deduces that the experiment has only succeeded in creating a dual-minded being.

I hate it when he looks at me like that.

Megatron/Straxus wanders through the base, trying to remember recent events, but only recalling a battle with Optimus Prime. Suddenly, he is attacked by Prime and Magnus, the latter who feels he has a chance to redeem his failure to save Impactor. The two Autobots subdue Megatron/Straxus, who resorts to his little-used anti-matter channeling ability, causing a cloud of the volatile substance to emanate from his eyes. This causes an explosion that sends Prime and Magnus reeling, but Megatron stands unaffected, his anti-matter cloud growing larger. Monitoring the battle from elsewhere in the base, Ratbat realises that if unchecked, Megatron/Straxus will destroy them all. He orders Octane make the space bridge materialise right next to the combatants; another explosion results, sending Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Ultra Magnus to Earth. Ratbat turns to see that the Predacons have just returned to Cybertron, as Shockwave had correctly deduced that that was where Prime and Megatron had gone. Razorclaw realises that if Megatron is back on Earth again, then Shockwave is probably as good as dead.

Figures the one time he gets a gravestone is one of the few times he's not actually dead.

All three Transformers materialise in different places. Megatron arrives at the Decepticon coal mine base and merely berates Shockwave for doing nothing in his absence. Soundwave discreetly reads Megatron's mind and notes that the entire incident with the Predacons has been erased by amnesia stemming from the two conflicting personalities. Shockwave realises he is back to square one but there will be another time...

Optimus Prime materialises by his grave stone, of which he approves. He starts to answer the Autobots' questions.

Ultra Magnus finds himself alone in woods. He realises he will have a chance to explore as he seeks the Ark—a prospect he likes.

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots Decepticons

Quotes

"But fear not. When I return here, it will be to lead you to our ultimate victory over tyranny and oppression! And all will be one!"

-Optimus Prime inspires the Cybertron Autobots.


"Galvatron! Aww no, tell me it isn't so! I thought we'd got rid of him for good after his last visit."
"Sadly, your analysis was an evident misconception, considering the variables inherent in traversing the time stream."
"Huh?"

-Ironhide confounded by Perceptor.


"Optimus Prime still lives! What are you going to do about it, eh? Render a few more of my troops inoperative, perhaps?"

-Straxus gets his sass on.

Notes

Artwork and technical errors

  • Megatron has his fusion cannon in the flashback when he and Prime crossed the space bridge, but Divebomb had stolen it at that point.
  • Outback's wound in the flashback is on the right side of his body, not the left.
  • Optimus Prime calls Ultra Magnus "Ultra Magus".
  • Like last issue, Blaster is still drawn with his cartoon head instead of his visored comic head.
  • Ultra Magnus's shoulder rockets appear and disappear across different panels in both parts.
  • Soundwave's shoulder cannon also vanishes in his brief appearance in part two.
  • Even Bumblebee's horns are not immune.

Continuity errors

Continuity notes

  • Tailgate makes a cameo in the audience on Cybertron. He would not appear in full until issue #245.
  • Optimus Prime's real funeral in "Funeral for a Friend!" would see his body blasted into space, as Blaster preferred. This may be the result of an off panel request between the two stories, but alternatively one of the minor continuity divergences between the US and UK stories at this time is that in the US continuity many of the original Autobots are assumed to have been non-functional since "Prime Time!" but most have been seen functioning in the UK stories.
  • This issue marks one of the extremely rare times when Megatron uses the ability to link up with a black-hole to boost his powers mentioned in his tech specs - he had previously only used it during "Raiders of the Last Ark". Considering the result of that power seems to be the ability to generate a massive anti-matter explosion that would kill himself and everyone around him, perhaps it's not a surprise...
  • With the loss of Straxus Ratbat begins his rapid ascent up the ranks of the Decepticons without ever needing to assassinate a predecessor.
  • A new perspective on this issue is given in the later story "Two Megatrons!" which details Project Re-Birth and gives rise to one of the biggest continuity nightmares in the comic.

Real-life references

Other trivia

Back-up material

Issue #103:

Issue #118:

  • Back-up strips: The Inhumanoids - "The Coming of the Inhumanoids Part 1" and Robo-Capers

Covers (8)

  • Issue #103
    Issue #103
  • Issue #104
    Issue #104
  • Transformers Comic-Magazin #10 - The true origins of G2
    Transformers Comic-Magazin #10 - The true origins of G2
  • Issue #103 cover: Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus fight through the flames, by Martin Griffiths & Robin Bouttell.
  • Issue #104 cover: Prime and Magnus give Megatron a damn good thrashing, by Geoff Senior.
  • Transformers Comic-Magazin #10 cover: Straxus uses his eye-beams on a selection of multicoloured Primes.
  • Issue #229
    Issue #229
  • Issue #230
    Issue #230
  • Issue #231
    Issue #231
  • Issue #232
    Issue #232
  • Prey TPB
    Prey TPB
  • The Transformers Classics UK Volume 3
    The Transformers Classics UK Volume 3
  • Prey TPB cover: Optimus Prime staves off Razorclaw while Ultra Magnus broods, by Lee Sullivan.
  • The Transformers Classics UK Volume 3: Impactor, Megatron vs Guardian, Straxus's head, Xaaron, Galvatron riding Ultra Magnus and Outback, by Andrew Wildman.

Reprints

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