Cold Comfort and Joy!

Just as Megatron has always told us...everything is Optimus Prime's fault.

=Marvel UK issues #198=

Plot: Simon Furman Script: Iam Rimmer Pencillers: Andrew Wildman Inks: Stephen Baskerville Lettering: GLIB Colour: Evan Peters Cover: Andrew Wildman


 * Characters: Optimus Prime, Slapdash, Joyride, Getaway, Broadside, Inferno, Sandstorm
 * Originally published: 31st December, 1988

Synopsis
Optimus Prime, having recently returned to life and the planet Earth, is having difficulty identifying with his past. It appears that his time as a computer-generated character has separated him emotionally from his own past experiences: he is aware of the "old" Prime's thoughts and beliefs, but cannot completely understand them. Most troubling for Prime is his lack of interest in Earth and its populace, and how he allowed protecting those people become his primary goal above stopping the Decepticons. Clearly the Decepticons are a threat to ALL life in the universe, so why did he previously forestall efforts to totally eradicate the enemy when it might have led to human losses? Why do the needs of the few so massively outweigh the needs of the many in his past actions?

Back at the Autobot shuttle, the Powermasters are expressing their concern about Prime while watching television, when suddenly a news report about a nearby "giant robot attack" catches their attention. They decide to leave Prime to his musings and capture the evil Decepticons they are sure were responsible.

Optimus continues his reverie, looking back on the Autobots' earliest encounters with the Decepticons after awakening on this planet. Astonishingly, he then recognizes that he already had the interests of humanity as top priority, even during the first battle on Earth at Witwicky Autobody Shop. He thinks back even further, to the Decepticon boarding party that led to the Ark's fateful crash on Earth...and with a cold realization comes to understanding his past actions.

At the devastated town of Border Flats, the Powermasters have arrived to survey the damage and look for clues about the attacking Decepticons. They pick up a trio of Transformer life signs and race off to confront them. To their total surprise, though, the "attackers" are Autobots, specifically three Wreckers who were stationed on Earth some weeks back. The red-faced Autobots explain how they tried to get involved in the celebration of Christmas, but only ended up panicking the humans and crashed into some buildings while trying to avoid stepping on the little guys.

Optimus Prime arrives, and shares in the Wreckers' grief over the harm the Transformers have caused the people of Earth. Optimus has finally remembered the key to his single-minded devotion to protecting Earth's people -- it was HIS hand that triggered the Ark's crashlanding on this planet, and caused the people of Earth no end of tragedy as Their War spread over Our World. Standing with his fellow Autobots, Optimus Prime renews his vow to protect these people from the Decepticons first and foremost, and give his life if necessary to help amend the mistake he made that fateful day.

Errors

 * In the flashback to the Autobots' awakening on Earth, Auntie is shown using a toaster oven blueprint during the reformatting. Wrong. Hilarious, but wrong.

Items of note

 * This is one of Marvel UK's annual Christmas issue specials.
 * The story is set between US #46-47, shortly after Optimus Prime and the Powermasters first return to Earth from Nebulos, and before they hook back up with the rest of the Autobots.
 * The Advance Surveillance Unit was established in UK #188.