The Harder They Die!

Prime finds that Cybertron is not the home he once knew.

=Marvel UK issues #98=

Writer: Simon Furman Art: Geoff Senior Lettering: Annie Halfacree Colors: Steve White Editor: Ian Rimmer


 * Major Characters (in order of appearance:) Decepticon bully, Outback, Optimus Prime, Megatron, Straxus, Guardian, Rack'n'Ruin, Springer, Ultra Magnus, Sandstorm, Roadbuster, Twin Twist.
 * Minor charcters (in order of appearance:) Hoist (G1), Gears, Bumblebee, Wheeljack, Ratchet, Tantrum, Rampage, Divebomb, Razorclaw, Headstrong, Blaster.


 * Originally published: 31st January 1987

Synopsis
Optimus Prime is on Cybertron. He wanders the desolated streets, shocked at what has become of his beloved home planet. Finding a Decepticon holding an Autobot at gunpoint, he challenges the bully, only to find that his foe is powerful. Only a stroke of luck allows Prime to triumph. The Autobot, Outback, thanks Prime for the help; when Prime heads off alone, Outback follows discreetly.

Megatron is also on Earth, and congratulates the current Decepticon leader -- Lord Straxus, now reduced to a head in a jar -- on having pushed the Autobots back and crushed their spirit. Straxus is furious at Megatron for bringing Prime to Cybertron. Megatron explains that he had little choice: the Predacons betrayed him, attacking him and leaving him vunerable to a followup attack from a fighting-mad Optimus. Desperate to escape, Megatron summoned the Space Bridge, only to have Prime hurl them both through the portal before it was stable.

Megatron has already put out word through certain networks that the Decepticons have created a fake Optimus Prime and set him loose on Cybertron. Prime, meanwhile, despairs at the ruins of Iacon. He doesn't have long to lament, however; the misinformation campaign has done its job, and Prime soon finds himself under attack, imprisoned, and sentenced to execution by the Autobot band known as the Wreckers!

Items of note

 * Straxus's body was destroyed in The Bridge to Nowhere!. The US comics left him for dead, but the UK series uses him as a major player for quite some time to come.