Burning Sky!

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« The Transformers (UK) #115–116 »

Galvatron teabags Ultra Magnus!
"Burning Sky!"
Publisher Marvel Comics
Cover date 30th May–6th June 1987
Script Simon Furman
Art Dan Reed (115), Geoff Senior (116)
Colours Steve White
Letters Richard Starkings
Continuity Marvel Comics continuity

Ultra Magnus finds his peace shattered—twice over!

Synopsis

Since arriving on Earth once more, Resurrection! Ultra Magnus has been enjoying the beauty of Earth and a peaceful lifestyle, but this is interrupted when he is caught in an earth tremor. Investigating, he finds a camper van has been knocked over and caught fire. Two of the passengers, Cindy Newell and Judy, have escaped, but Corrinne is trapped inside. Ultra Magnus picks up the van and pulls Corrinne out safely just as it explodes. He then transforms and transports all three ladies, learning from them that they have come to see a volcano. This triggers a bad memory, as Ultra Magnus recalls his failure to save Impactor. Target: 2006 Cindy tells Magnus that they're going to have a great time, but Magnus isn't so sure of what the future holds for him...

File:MarvelUKTimeMachine.jpg
"You can't deal with that right then!"

Twenty years later, Ultra Magnus is in Autobase on Cybertron, arguing with Rodimus Prime about the wisdom of travelling back in time. Magnus believes that Rodimus's departure will make it easier for the Decepticons to overwhelm them and that the Autobots of 1987 can handle Galvatron, but Rodimus is determined to rectify his mistakes that have sent both Galvatron and Death's Head into Earth's past. He, Kup and Blurr stand on the time travel device and trigger it. Suddenly, as they dematerialise, Wreck-Gar touches Blurr and disappears with them.

Back in 1987, Magnus and the three ladies have come across a forest fire, which Corrinne believes is the result of an eruption. Cindy urges Magnus to stop the fire before it engulfs a nearby town. Magnus agrees and tells the ladies to hide. He proceeds to knock down many trees to prevent the fire spreading. However, as he does so, he notes he can't see any evidence of volcanic activity and that the fire encircles the volcano—almost as though it was a deliberate barrier.

But Magnus is distracted as a tearful Cindy runs up, begging forgiveness. She met a being that she thought was a friend of his, not noticing the different badge, and told this being about Magnus. The mention of his name caused the being to seethe with rage. Magnus asks who the being is, but hears the reply from its own circuits: "Me! Galvatron!"

At a ranger station at the base of Mount Verona, a sheriff is radioing control that the fire is now out. He sees a ranger running towards him, screaming about big trouble. Suddenly, both the ranger station and the sheriff's car are crushed as Galvatron knocks over Ultra Magnus. Galvatron viciously attacks Magnus, whose only concern is for Cindy.

Galvatron screams at Magnus that "all followers of Rodimus Prime will die!" but Magnus responds with a declaration of loyalty to Optimus Prime and assumes Galvatron is confused. Magnus tries to fight back, but Galvatron is as unstoppable as ever. Only concern for Cindy prevents Magnus from giving up, and he fights back, eventually knocking out Galvatron.

Leaving his unconscious foe behind him, Magnus looks for Cindy, realising she is in danger, but also wondering if he should finish off Galvatron for good. Whilst he agonises, Galvatron rises and transforms into his cannon mode, blasting down Magnus.

Meanwhile, Cindy has become trapped by the fire and screams for help. Suddenly, there is a blinding light, and then metal feet appear in front of her.

The new arena!

Galvatron drags Ultra Magnus to the top of the volcano to show his latest scheme: he has built a power siphon to tap the energy of the Earth's core, in the hope of powering himself up to god-like status.

Cindy has encountered Rodimus Prime, Kup and Blurr, newly arrived in 1987. Rodimus has heard Cindy calling out for Ultra Magnus, and states that he is a friend, but Cindy doesn't want to make the same mistake twice. Rodimus responds that only the three Autobots can stop Galvatron and Death's Head!

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots Decepticons Junkions Humans

Errors

  • Ultra Magnus's shoulder rockets appear and disappear across different panels in both parts.

Items of note

  • This is one of very few Marvel Comics stories involving time travel that feature the same unaltered character in more than one time zone.
  • The Ultra Magnus of 2007 does not appear to have any awareness of the events we see in 1987, suggesting that the parallel universe theory of time travel may be at hand.
  • The location of Mount Verona in Oregon is not stated until the start of the second part.
  • The Ultra Magnus of 1987 declares loyalty to Optimus Prime, not being aware that Prime has recently died.
  • It is never revealed which four present day Transformers are displaced to make way for Rodimus Prime and co.
  • The fate of Wreck-Gar is dealt with in the next story, which also reveals what Death's Head (absent from this story) has been up to.
  • Judy and Corrinne simply disappear before the end of the first issue, with no means of transport, in the middle of a forest fire, in the presence of Galvatron. When we see Cindy without them, she's very upset with Galvatron hot on her trail. It's possible that they got away.
  • Cindy's suspicious reaction to Rodimus and co. is a bit odd. She has stated before that she realized Galvatron's badge was different from Ultra Magnus's, so why doesn't she take seeing Ultra Magnus's symbol on the three other robots as a clue they're on his side?

Back-Up Stories

Issue #115:

Issue #116:

  • The Inhumanoids - "Coming of the Inhumanoids" Part 14
  • Robo-Capers

Reprints

Covers (4)

  • Issue #115
    Issue #115
  • Issue #116
    Issue #116
  • Transformers Comic-Magazin issue #11: I... see...
    Transformers Comic-Magazin issue #11: I... see...
  • Fallen Angel TPB
    Fallen Angel TPB
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