Transformers #8 (1985)

Continued from last issue... After making a deal with Megatron to destroy Shockwave in exchange for getting the Ark and deactivated Autobots back, Ratchet has traveled to the South Pole in a region of Antarctica called the Savage Land to revive the long lost Dinobots who disappeared four million years ago after fighting and defeating Shockwave. On his mobile medical unit, he travels through the Savage Land's rough terrain and blasts away a serpent that gets too close. While back at the Ark, Megatron is visited by Shockwave who has come to collect the still-active head of Optimus Prime to Blackrock's Aerospace plant so that he can exploit the Creation Matrix within Prime to breath life into a new generation of Decepticons. Megatron plays the role of a subservient subordinate while secretly hoping that Ratchet's plan succeed and Shockwave is ultimately destroyed. In the Savage Land, Ratchet manages to free Slag from the tar pits and begin probing his memories. He learns that the Dinobots were reactivated by the Ark's computers when it detected that Shockwave had arrived on Earth. Reconfiguring himself, Grimlock, Sludge, Snarl and Swoop to transform into the likeness of Earth's dinosaurs, they flew to the Savage Land where they attacked Shockwave. Shockwave would have the upper hand, knocking Swoop into a tar pit at the bottom of a cliff, and knocking the other Dinobots around it. However, before Shockwave could blast them to oblivion, Snarl would bash the side of the cliff causing an avalanche that would force the other Dinobots into the tar pits and bury Shockwave under tons of rock. In order to preserve themselves, they would all go into stasis. When Slag suddenly comes to life, Ratchet is almost trampled by the Dinobot until he shows that he is an Autobot. As Slag helps Ratchet uncover the other Dinobots, Ratchet realizes that Shockwave must have been in stasis as well until the probe the other Autobots launched accidentally freed him. While outside Blackrock's Aerospace plant, G.B. Blackrock himself answers to the media and puts his full confidence that the military can force the robots who have invaded his plant out. However, this confidence is dashed when Shockwave returns with the head of Optimus Prime and easily blasts the military aside. Entering the base, Shockwave hooks Optimus Prime's head to the six new Decepticon memory components that he has already given life to with the Creation Matrix, Shockwave intends to continue exploiting Prime's Matrix in order to create a veritable army of Decepticons. While at the hospital, Josie Beller sheds a tear for the continued trouble caused by her boss. However, despite the fact that she is crippled she is hardly unproductive as she has created a circuitry mesh that fits over her arm to allow it full mobility. Back at the Ark, Megatron gets a call from Ratchet confirming that Shockwave has been destroyed. However, knowing that Megatron likely intends to double cross him, Ratchet shows him the footage of Shockwave's defeat from four million years ago, passing it off as something that just happened. Impressed, Megatron agrees to meet with Ratchet at the ski-hill that they agreed to meet at not far from the Ark. There, Megatron—as expected—reveals that he intended to betray Ratchet all along. Before Megatron can attack the Dinobots, sent ahead to the location by Ratchet, burst out of the snow and attack Megatron. Much to Ratchet's dismay the five Autobot warriors are easily knocked aside by Megatron who gloats over his strength. Noticing that Megatron is standing over the edge of a cliff, Ratchet attempts to knock the tyrant off the cliff, however, fails. As Ratchet bounces off Megatron's body, Megatron laughs but before he can destroy Ratchet his weight causes the edge of the cliff to snap off. As Megatron plummets to the ground below, he transforms into his gun mode to avoid any damage from the fall and is lost in the snow. With Megatron defeated, Ratchet and the Dinobots head to the Ark to repair their friends. Back at Josie Beller's hotel room, Josie tests her new invention out by firing a bolt of energy across the room and destroying one of the computers set up for her. With the test a success she intends to check out of the hospital.