Menace at the Dam
From Transformers Wiki
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| "Menace at the Dam" | |||||||||||||
| Publisher | Pickwick International | ||||||||||||
| First published | 1985 | ||||||||||||
| Writer | ? | ||||||||||||
| ISBN | ? | ||||||||||||
The Decepticons attack a hydro-dam.
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Synopsis
Both the Autobots and Decepticons are on the lookout for new energy sources. A patrol by Starscream has spotted a strange construction at Stanley Lake in the Scranner Mountain Range, which Ravage identifies as a hydro-electric power station, a type of power station unknown to the other Decepticons as they had long passed out of use on Cybertron. Leaving Laserbeak at the base, the Decepticons head out to investigate.
Unbeknownst to them, a rotating team of Autobots has been spying on their base and Windcharger, reports the Decepticon movement to Optimus. Prowl suggests either attacking the poorly-defended Decepticon base, or following Megatron and his men. Optimus decides to take a team and follow Megatron.
While the Decepticons reach Stanley Lake, the Autobots' human support network pass on news of Decepticon sightings, pointing them in the same direction. Skywarp plays a prank on the other Decepticons, hiding in the bushes and making engine sounds to make them think the Autobots have come. Megatron is not amused. The Decepticons invade the dam control center and demand to be shown how the generators work. The senior engineer stands up to them, and Rumble promptly throws him into the lake. The other engineers take them on a tour.
The senior engineer swims to the other side of the lake where he encounters the Autobots, who reassure him that they're on his side, and he tells them about the Decepticon invasion of the dam. After swapping notes, Optimus realizes that the dam's power will be useless to the Transformers, and the Decepticons will likely trash the dam when they work out the same thing. Optimus assigns Jazz to stay with the human, while he and the others try to lure the Decepticons out.
As they go down into the valley in front of the dam, Optimus tells his troops that if he calls a retreat, the Autobots must instantly withdraw. After spotting one of Sideswipe's flares, the Decepticons emerge in force and a great battle begins, though neither side gains the upper hand. Suddenly Optimus calls a retreat, and the Autobots disappear, leaving the Decepticons suddenly alone. The smug Decepticons celebrate their victory, until a sudden wall of water, the result of the dam's sluice gates opening, comes flooding down the valley and washes them away. Only Ravage manages to escape, and returns to the dam to confront Jazz and the human engineers. Jazz uses his sound and light show on Ravage, and the arrival of the other Autobots moments later means the Decepticon is badly outnumbered. Ravage slinks away, and the engineers shut down the sluice gates. While the dam's power is insufficient for the Autobots to use, Jazz at least can appreciate the location's natural beauty.
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | Humans |
|---|---|---|
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Quotes
"We will go into the buildings and make the stupid Earth people tell us just what the capabilities of this place are. Frankly I cannot see that it will serve our purpose, but at least now we're here we can investigate fully."
- —Megatron leads a half-hearted takeover of the dam.
Notes
Continuity errors
- Although Prowl isn't one of the Autobots named as going to Stanley Lake, he turns up again soon after the Autobots arrive there. His presence is not accounted for in later counts of the Autobots.
Continuity notes
- It is clarified that the Transformers' presence on Earth is only kept a secret from the general populace (with the occasional child being in on it too). Select members of the scientific community are well aware of the Transformers' existence. Nonetheless, despite going through the trouble of wiping their slaves' memories in the previous adventure, the Decepticons are pretty careless, alowing themselves to be seen by several human observers.
- Ravage notes that hydro-electric technology was used on Cybertron when their species was at about the same level of technological development as the humans are at currently. The wording makes it clear that this is a VERY long time ago.
- The Autobots' 24-hour surveillance of the Decepticons' base was put in place in reaction to the Decepticons' previous plot.
Transformers references
- Reference is made to Prowl's function and motto from his tech specs, as well as Bumblebee's motto.
- Skywarp is actually portrayed as pulling pranks!
- Megatron's group all easily walk through a human-sized door. What?!
Foreign localization
Trivia
- Autobots and Decepticons are referred to as "races".
- Prowl repeatedly refers to the six Decepticons that venture out to the dam as "leaders." Who knew that Megatron shared leadership responsibilities so freely? With Starscream of all 'bots, even!
- Skywarp is said to possess the "incredible ability to travel at 1500 miles per hour." F-15s could reach top speeds of around Mach 2.5, a little over 1900 miles per hour. Not too impressive there, Skywarp.