TFtember: Fire in the Sky

"Fire in the Sky", The Transformers, December 8 1984. 

First appearance of one of the more confusing characters in Generation One.

 

We open in July, although you wouldn't know it given the the record snowfall covering the globe. Yes, the globe. 

Seems the Decepticons have a crystal shaft leading into the Earth's core and they are using it to make energon cubes. While exploring, they find a giant robot frozen in the ice. Starscream declares that he knows this robot...

Seems millions of years ago, before the whole war thing, Starscream was a simple scientist and his best friend was another jet named Skyfire. They were exploring one day and they came across what would become the Earth. They were quickly caught up in a storm and separated, with Starscream believing his friend lost. 

The Decepticons thaw him and revive him. Skyfire is grateful, of course, but he'd still prefer to be scientist rather than a warrior. He throws in with the Decepticons, mostly due to Starscream. When the Autobots attack, Skyfire returns fire.

This proves dangerous to Spike and Sparkplug, who went with the Autobots. Skyfire is delighted to study a new species, they less so. He takes them back to Megatron, who promptly locks them in an ice cage. When the Autobots rush to rescue the humans, Skyfire refuses to fire on the unarmed men, earning him a shot from his former friend. 

He gets patched up by the Autobots but his choice is clear. He is a Decepticon no longer, but can his defection sway the tide of battle?

Good, but questions are raised. Why is Starscream's alt mode a F-15 in the past, when he predates jets and humans in general?

Also, how did the Autobots get from the west coast to the Artic circle so fast? Also you can tear your symbols off like paper. So is Skyfire tearing off a tattoo or a badge? Also, Skyfire sacrifices himself by burying the crystal. Couldn't the Autobots have done that?

Then there's Skyfire, but we'll get more into him when we get to Generation One-Series Two.