Under Fire!

	; Were you one of the unfortunate few NOT to get a sword with Ultra Magnus?
	"Under Fire!"
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First published	31st January 1987
Cover date	7th February 1987
Script	Simon Furman
Art	Jeff Anderson
Colour	Steve White
Letters	Annie Halfacree
Editor	Ian Rimmer
Continuity	Marvel Comics continuity (Marvel UK)
Chronology	1986

Prime and Outback make a desperate bid for freedom.

Synopsis

Outback is fretting that he's going to die, but that this doesn't stop him as he feels a kinship with Optimus Prime. He races to the scene where Ultra Magnus and the Wreckers are about to execute Prime because of Decepticon disinformation stating that Prime is in actuality a disguised Decepticon agent. Interrupting proceedings, Outback argues that the Autobots are acting in haste on disinformation and that Ultra Magnus is reckless because he feels guilty about the death of Impactor. This comment riles Magnus who threatens to execute Outback as well.

Outback discreetly neutralises Optimus Prime's energy restraints before throwing a gas particle bomb. In the confusion, Outback and Prime transform and escape, observed from the shadows by Ratbat. Ultra Magnus declares that he has once again caused defeat through his own errors and demands twenty breems to bring back the prisoners with the aid of three Guardian units.

In Polyhex, Megatron is furious that Optimus Prime has escaped, and orders that Decepticon search parties be dispatched to kill Prime, with disinformation leaked to the Autobots that this is only to punish their agent for his failure. Neither Ratbat nor Straxus are impressed with Megatron's anger and instability, and Straxus announces that he is having equipment assembled, and when complete he will strike at Megatron and "truly live again!"

Ultra Magnus is still searching, his thoughts wondering if Outback is right that he is trying to use the whole affair to make amends for his failure to return to Cybertron in time to save Impactor. He also regrets splitting up his search party because Guardian units can interpret orders too literally. Suddenly he sees an explosion as two of the Guardian units catch up with Prime and Outback.

The two fugitive Autobots fight and destroy the Guardians, but, in the process, Outback is severely wounded. Optimus Prime sits with his wounded comrade and contemplates the situation out loud, declaring that he must do everything he can to save Outback's life. In his thoughts, Outback wishes he had the strength to speak so he could tell Prime this is a waste of time. In the shadows, Ultra Magnus listens but does not approach.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons
Outback (1) Springer (2) Roadbuster (3) Optimus Prime (4) Twin Twist (5) Ultra Magnus (6) Guardian units (11-13)	Ratbat (7) Megatron (8) Straxus (9) Octane (10)

Quotes

"That's me alright. Outback—the only Autobot born to be a casualty!"

—Outback is a pessimist.

"I don't get it, Magnus! It's not like you to be so reckless. What are you trying to prove? Is it guilt? Do you still blame yourself for not getting back from Earth in time to save Impactor? Is that it? There's a thin line between atonement and revenge, you know. And revenge, as they say, is a two edged--blade? Urrk!"
"Enough! One more word and I'll have you executed alongside him! Do you undertand?!"

—Outback tries to reason with Ultra Magnus and almost gets a faceplate of sword for his trouble.

"But it's not the end is it? It's never the end. It just goes on and on - one battle blurring into the next. Are we no better than those two mindless creatures we have just committed to the scrap heap? They fought without question, without mercy. Where is the difference between them and us?"

—Optimus Prime

Notes

Continuity notes

Impactor's death occurred in issue #88.
Ratbat makes his debut in this story, well in advance of his first appearance in the US series, which will not be reprinted in the UK series for another three months.
When Optimus Prime transforms, he does not have his trailer with him; this is because, as flashbacks showed last issue, he left it on Earth.

Continuity and plotting errors

Sandstorm was among the Wreckers when they appeared at the end of last issue, but he's disappeared from the group in this issue.
Ultra Magnus has a red sword that he's never had before, and he'll never have again. It serves no in-story purpose, save for the fact he seems to be about to lower it as a way of giving the order to execute Prime; it appears it's only part of the story to fit with Outback's "double-edge blade" line, quoted above.

Artwork and technical errors

Lee Sullivan draws some very nice toy-accurate guns for the Wreckers firing squad seen on the cover of this issue; from left to right, they belong to Twin Twist, Sandstorm, Roadbuster, Broadside, Springer and Topspin. However, within the issue itself, only Twin Twist, Roadbuster, and Springer appear.
Ultra Magnus's missile launchers periodically disappear and reappear throughout the issue. They're missing on page 2; they reappear halfway through page 3; the left launcher disappears on page 4; then both launchers are present for the rest of the story.

Back-up material

Back-up strips: Action Force ("Improvisation on a Theme," Part 1) and Robo-Capers; Action Force debuts this issue for a limited run, intended to promote the launch of the new Action Force comic series in March.
Free Gift: Ultra Magnus sticker badge, featuring art by Geoff Senior; this issue's Robo-Capers tells the story of a robot used by the Marvel offices to apply the badges to each issue, and sticky situation it gets into!