3-01. Prelude to the Offensive/The Invid Invasion.

Stig shares a happy moment with his fiancée on the eve of battle.

Genesis Climber Mospeada: Prelude to the Offensive.

Original Air Date - Genesis Climber Mospeada: Oct. 2, 1983. Writer: Sukehiro Tomita. Director: Tatsuya Kasahara, Katsuhisa Yamada.

Robotech: The Invid Invasion.

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 27, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - MOSPEADA:

In the year 2050, an alien race known as the Inbit invaded Earth. Those humans who were able to escape fled, while the rest were left to live under their new alien masters. Attempts to reclaim Earth failed, and a generation of humans grew up knowing only the colony base on Mars as home.

More than thirty years after the initial invasion, the Mars Expeditionary Force is certain that they've learned from past failures. A new offensive launches to stop the Inbit, targeting the aliens' headquarters at Reflex Point in North America. The captain advises all pilots that in the event they are shot down but make it to Earth, they should converge on Reflex Point to complete the mission.

One of these pilots is Stig Bernard, who has just become engaged to Marlene, a bridge officer on the carrier leading the assault. The Inbit defenses are more formidable than expected, but Stig and his comrades are able to fight them off. During the final approach to Earth, however, the humans discover that something has happened to the atmosphere that makes it hotter than their shielding is designed for. Stig is able to compensate - but the large carrier cannot, nor is it able to pull out. Stig is left to watch helplessly as the ship, with Marlene aboard, is destroyed.

Now Stig is alone. He has no backup and no expectation of finding other survivors. His fighter is no longer usable, leaving him only with his Mospeada, a small motorcycle mech carried inside the fighter. He remains determined to reach Reflex Point to finish the mission - not only for Earth, but for the sake of his own vengeance!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

In 2031, the Invid come to Earth, drawn by the call of the Flower of Life. The Army of the Southern Cross, depleted and exhausted by its war with the Robotech Masters, is unable to repel these new invaders, and Earth quickly falls.

Admiral Rick Hunter sends a contingent of ships to reclaim the Earth. They arrive in 2042, more than a decade after the invasion. Their target is Reflex Point in North America, which has become the headquarters of the Regess, the Invid queen.

Scott Bernard, a pilot attached to this mission, has just proposed to his girlfriend, bridge officer Marlene, when the attack begins. The Invid defenses prove more formidable than expected, and Scott and his comrades are barely able to fight back the first wave. In desperation to land before a second wave begins, the captain of the lead carrier enters Earth's atmosphere too quickly. Scott is left to watch helplessly as the ship, with Marlene aboard, is destroyed.

Now Scott is all alone. He has no backup and no expectations of finding other survivors. His fighter is no longer usable, leaving him only with his emergency vehicle, a small motorcycle mech carried inside the fighter. He remains determined to reach Reflex Point to finish the mission - not only for Earth, but for the sake of his own vengeance!

Stig finds a message inside Marlene's final gift to him.

CHARACTERS:

There's no two ways about this: Scott is a better name for the main character than Stig. This may be a case of "lost in translation," but to this American viewer, "Stig" sounds like the name you'd give to a comedy sidekick with an annoyingly high-pitched voice, not to the square-jawed hero of the piece.

There's no real difference in characterization, but I think Robotech does the better job of establishing a connection between Scott and the viewer. This is mainly due to something that's usually one of the American show's more annoying tendencies: internal voice-overs. When Scott crashes in a forest, he quickly decides that he doesn't much like Earth, observing how easy it would be for an enemy to hide among the trees. This feels correct for the character as presented, and it brings us closer to his point-of-view in a way that just isn't true in Mospeada.

Advantage: Robotech.


NARRATION:

Mospeada opens with some narration that quickly sketches in the backstory, with the main body of the episode playing out with no voice-over. Robotech changes the backstory to fit the overall narrative, with the Invid having been called by Zor's misguided final act and with the attempt to reclaim Earth coming from Admiral Rick Hunter's fleet. The narrator mostly stays out of the way for the rest of the episode, but internal monologues for Scott help to characterize him better than Mospeada's Stig. These end up tipping the advantage in this category to Robotech.

Advantage: Robotech.

Ray flees from the Inbit. Robotech adds a lot of quipping.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Attack Comes from Admiral Hunter: In Mospeada, the humans who fled Earth settled on Mars and have made previous unsuccessful attempts to drive the Inbit away. Robotech changes this substantially. The attack is the first attempt to fight against the Invid since the initial invasion, and the attackers come from Admiral Rick Hunter's fleet so that Macross characters can be name-dropped... because this is the same show, honest!

"Arty" Intercutting is Smoothed Out: When Stig and Marlene are introduced, Mospeada does a jarring, would-be arty cut from the fleet to Stig reaching for Marlene and back to the fleet again, only then finally cutting back to the rest of the scene. Robotech gets rid of the cutaway, leaving the characters' introduction to play out much more smoothly.

The Briefing: The ship's captain briefs Stig on the assignment, ordering that in the event of an emergency landing, Stig should make his way to Reflex Point. Robotech redubs this so that the captain is basically recapping what the narrator already has: That the Invid invaded Earth for its protoculture.

Marlene's Gift: Both versions have Marlene giving Stig/Scott a necklace with a message inside. In Mospeada, Marlene explicitly accepts Stig's marriage proposal while giving this gift, something the other crew members rib her about. In Robotech, this is removed so that Scott only realizes that his proposal was accepted when he later watches the message, after he's already lost her.

The Captain Enters Earth Atmosphere Too Quickly: The carrier is destroyed in Earth's atmosphere. In Mospeada, everything is going to plan, but the Inbit have somehow changed the atmosphere so that the heat is beyond the ship's tolerance. Robotech changes this so that it's the captain's fault, with him entering the atmosphere too quickly out of fear of another Invid wave. I have no idea why this was done, as it makes an otherwise competent officer suddenly seem like a panicked idiot while actually reducing the Invid's responsibility for the deaths of Marlene and Scott's shipmates.

The Captain's Orders: After surviving his first night on Earth, Stig recalls the captain's orders from the briefing scene. But since the captain didn't give those orders in Robotech, Scott instead has an audio-only flashback to a conversation we didn't witness, in which the captain gave basically the same orders. It's neither the first nor worst example in Robotech of a small change resulting in a more slapdash one, but it's worth mentioning.

Rand's Introduction is Intercut with Scott: In Mospeada, we cut from Stig riding into the desert to Ray's introductory scene, and we stay with Ray until Stig reaches him. Robotech snips away a bit of Rand's introduction, then cuts away from Rand back to Scott, I suspect to cover the additional trims made to the scene.

Rand Is Much Quippier Than Ray: When Mospeada's Ray flees the Inbit, he tries to shout back that he's not military, hoping that they'll break off the pursuit. Robotech's Rand instead makes a string of quips about how he's going to call his lawyer and sue for damages after they destroy his bike. Then he runs into Scott, who is similarly quippy (which doesn't even remotely fit his dour character) as he dispatches the aliens. It's one of the few scenes that I think works much better in the original version.

Advantage: Robotech. Though not every change is for the better, the overall episode is improved.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

This first episode just isn't enough for me to develop any kind of feel for Mospeada's score yet. There's nothing wrong with the way it's applied, but there also isn't any moment in which the music either stands out or is used in a subtle but effective way. The same is true for Robotech, which applies its usual cues in the usual way... but it does it well. The Robotech theme is trotted out when Scott transforms his Mospeada to battle some Invid. Unlike in other episodes where this theme has been a distraction, this is an appropriate use of "heroic" music, so the moment works.

Advantage: None.

Stig and Ray, alone in the wasteland.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - ROBOTECH:

Though I don't like the quipping that Robotech adds to the end battle, I'm still giving that version the advantage. It mainly comes down to the lead character. Those couple of internal voice overs help Scott to feel more relatable than Mospeada's Stig. I fully expect Mospeada to improve on this in future episodes - but Robotech does the better job of immediately connecting me to its new protagonist.


OTHER MUSINGS:

I can't claim to have had too strong a reaction to this episode in either version. It's a serviceable opener that establishes its lead and sets up the broad strokes of the story.

The art is generally good. I don't like the character art as well as in Macross, but I like it better than the character art for Southern Cross. The action sequences are well animated, and the Inbit designs do a good job of suggesting something alien while still being easily comprehensible.

Ultimately, that's about it for my initial response. The episode does everything that it needs to do. It's... fine. But particularly in its original version, I can't claim to thinking that it's anything more than that.


Overall Rating - Mospeada: 6/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Genesis/Catastrophe
Next Episode: The Broken-Hearted Girl's March/The Lost City (not yet reviewed)

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Some Thoughts on Robotech: The Masters.

Ending credits shot from Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross.

"The Masters Saga," adapted from Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross, is widely seen as the weakest of Robotech's three chapters. I have yet to watch "The New Generation," so I'll withthold judgment for now. I will say that, while both "The Masters" and Southern Cross represent a clear step down from Macross, I still generally enjoyed both versions.


SOUTHERN CROSS: DOOMED FROM THE START:

Even cursory research into the background of Southern Cross shows that it was plagued with problems. Envisioned as a 52-episode series, it had exactly one stroke of luck: Gaining the "Super Dimension" title, which allowed the creators to position it as a successor to successful series, Super Dimension Fortress Macross and Super Dimension Century Orguss.

It ended up running a mere 23 episodes (with Robotech adding a 24th via clip show Dana's Story). Its first major blow came before it even began airing, when toy sponsor Popy rescinded its planned sponsorship. This meant that unlike other mech series, there was no accompanying toy line - and without that supplemental income, the ratings did not justify the show taking up a full year's airtime.

The series was cancelled with enough notice for the writers to create an ending - but the ending is more than a little abrupt, and the sudden rushed pacing of the final episodes stands in stark contrast to the rest of the series.

The series has a certain "action movie" energy to it.

AN ENERGETIC TALE THAT DOESN'T OVERSTAY ITS WELCOME:

There are advantages to the shortened episode count. While I enjoyed Southern Cross on its own terms, I don't think it could have sustained 52 episodes.

The characters are mostly shallow, more "types" than complex personalities. Only Jeanne, Andrzej, and Seifriet gain any real depth as the series moves on. As for the rest? Louis is "tech guy"; Charles is "the lady's man"; Bowie and Musica are the "earnest young lovers"; and so on. None of them are unlikable and none of them fail as characters within the confines of their types - but there really aren't a lot of layers. For a brisk 23 episodes, they're good enough company. Had the show managed its initially planned run, I suspect I'd have grown rather weary of them by Episode 30, never mind Episode 50.

Because the show only runs for 23 episodes, it never has a chance to wear out its welcome. It's fairly light in tone for the most part, with a brisk energy. Because it does end (albeit with a few dangling loose ends), there's none of the frustration that comes with an incomplete story. It's not the epic that Macross was, seeming more like the equivalent of a fun little action movie... but there is absolutely a place for fun action movies, so I don't feel inclined to complain about that.

The flowers in the ruins serve a very different purpose in Robotech.

SOUTHERN CROSS VS. ROBOTECH - "THE MASTERS":

Southern Cross saw a lot more changes for its Robotech version than Macross did. Because it's the middle piece of the series, the Robotech writers use elements of it as setup for the final Invid arc, with the Invid mentioned early and often throughout.

The most significant change is to the nature of the flowers in the ruins. In Southern Cross, the flowers are the Zor's source of energy. Robotech alters this, renaming the plant as "The Invid Flower of Life," a malevolent harbinger of an even worse alien invasion to come. Now the flowers are an infestation. The Masters don't want the plant, but rather the protoculture it is parasitically feeding on.

I think this works to the story's benefit, adding an extra layer of futility to this war. The Masters need the protoculture factory within the ruins of the SDF-1 - but that factory is already infested, with it entirely possible that its protoculture is unusable. Meanwhile, the humans are fighting and dying to fend off an invasion, not realizing that an even worse invasion is imminent. I think this adds something extra that was missing in Southern Cross.

Robotech also greatly improves the ending. Southern Cross's finale is rushed and unsatisfying. The story is concluded, but with a lot of loose ends. Robotech has the advantage of not actually ending here. What was a finale is transformed into groundwork for "The New Generation," with the final actions of this war directly leading to the next. This makes the loose ends less noticeable, because the full story is no longer intended to be resolved here.

Jeanne gets a reminder that war is deadly serious. Her
character arc is all but completely flattened out in Robotech.

CHARACTERS:

When I reviewed "The Macross Saga" and its parent series, I found the most striking difference the altered focus. Super Dimension Fortress Macross focused on its characters and themes, while Robotech was was intent on plot. Themes and characters were simplified for "The Macross Saga," something that was extremely noticeable viewing the two versions side-by-side.

Southern Cross is a much simpler series, so most of its characters transition smoothly to Robotech. Marie, Nova, Bowie, Louis, and Sean are all but identical to their Southern Cross counterparts. Only two characters really suffer in the translation: Jeanne and Andrzej, both of whom are flattened from characters into mere "types" when they are transformed into Dana Sterling and Angelo.

Early episodes paint Jeanne as almost entirely irresponsible, and I'll admit that she aggravated me at the start. She was vain and frivolous, refusing to treat any situation seriously even after the start of the war. The first two episodes saw her repeatedly disobeying orders, only to be rewarded for it. Robotech dials this down. The first episode (not counting Dana's Story) is re-edited so that Dana is only arrested once, rather than Jeanne's twice, and so that she is following orders at the end rather than literally hijacking equipment to join the battle.

This makes Dana initially less irritating, but it also all but removes the main character's arc. Jeanne gets confronted with the seriousness of the situation in Episode Three. While her frivolous side never goes away, from that point she takes the war and the welfare of her people seriously... which is pretty much the starting point for Robotech's Dana Sterling. As a result, Dana becomes a static heroine, not particularly changing across the series, which also makes her seem more passive than Southern Cross's Jeanne.

But that's nothing compared to the series' treatment of her second-in-command! Southern Cross's Andrzej clashes with Jeanne early on, with it obvious that he finds her ill-suited to command. They share a quiet moment in Prelude, just before the squad's most dangerous early mission, after which she gains his respect. He remains willing to tell her when he disagrees with her, and he even pulls her up short when her emotions override her judgment. Still, from that point on, Andrzej is an ally.

Robotech's Angelo... Well, as I've said in several reviews, Angelo is an idiot. Andrzej's issues with Jeanne in Southern Cross are rooted in legitimate concerns about her command style, particularly her cavalier attitude toward orders. Angelo is a sneering sexist who seems to try to actively sabotage Dana on more than one occasion. Andrzej has a thoughtful side, recognizing Seifriet's inner torment and quietly criticizing Jeanne when anger leads to her going too far in tearing into him. Angelo is thoughtless, dismissively saying that the squad would be better off without Zor; if anything, he probably thinks Dana doesn't get angry enough!

The result is that one of Southern Cross's best characters is reduced to this series' answer to MASH's Frank Burns - a character who exists to be reliably wrong in every situation.

The Zor/The Robotech Masters plot against the humans.

OVERALL:

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross is a weaker series than Super Dimension Fortress Macross was. Many supporting characters are two dimensional, and the regulars enjoy impenetrable plot armor. Only a few regular characters die across the entire series, and all but one of those deaths happen in the final episode! Outside of that, everyone who dies is either a one-shot guest character or a glorified redshirt.

Even so, I found much to enjoy. Its tone is mostly light, which helps it to remain energetic. The writing is shallower than Macross, but the art and animation quality is a lot more consistent. And yes, the fact that it only lasts for 23 episodes means that it doesn't overstay its welcome.

Because it's a simpler series to start with, the Robotech version doesn't lose very much. Dana and Angelo are weaker, flatter characters than Jeanne and Andrzej, and the Robotech music cues interfere with the flow of some episodes. Still, the energetic tone remains intact, and certain plot elements created for Robotech make parts of the story more interesting. Critically, the ending works a lot better in Robotech, where it's used to pave the way for the next series, than it does in Southern Cross.

It's a flawed work in either version, and I'm not sure that Southern Cross would have been particularly improved had it gotten its originally intended 52 episodes. That said, if this really is as bad as Robotech gets, then that bodes well for the final arc.


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2-23. Genesis/Catastrophe.

The Zor stand at the cusp of victory.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Genesis.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Sept. 30, 1984. Writer: Jinzou Toriumi. Director: Yasuo Hasegawa.

Robotech: Catastrophe.

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 24, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

The 15th Squadron escapes from the Zor trap, but Seifriet isn't with them. Realizing that he intends to kill the Zor leaders, particularly Dess, Jeanne puts Andrzej in charge and then goes after him.

The Zor have become desperate, the energy depletion among their forces harming their offensive. Dess orders the abandonment of any affected Zor so that they can focus on getting to the flower. Musica senses the oncoming threat to her sisters, and she and the other members of the 15th launch a rescue mission to save them.

All the while, the battle for Gloire rages on, with the outcome for the colony's human settlers looking increasingly grim...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The 15th Squadron escapes from the Masters' trap, but Zor isn't with them. Realizing that he intends to kill the Robotech Masters, Jeanne goes after him.

The Masters have become desperate, the energy depletion among their forces harming their offensive. The leaders order the abandonment of anyone affected so that they can focus on recovering the protoculture from Earth. Musica senses the oncoming threat to her sisters, and she and the other members of the 15th launch a rescue mission to save them.

All the while, the battle for Earth rages on, as the threat of the Invid grows ever closer...

Seifriet seeks revenge. In Robotech,
Zor's motives are a little more interesting.

CHARACTERS:

Southern Cross is sprinting to wrap up its storyline, which leaves little room for characterization. Jeanne and Seifriet get a couple of moments: Seifriet with his drive for vegneance, and Jeanne in rejecting the "eternal life" offered by the Zor flower. Claude Leon also gets a moment of dignity when he refuses to evacuate, but I'd honestly prefer he didn't. He's done nothing to warrant even a semi-heroic moment; given my druthers, I'd have him die while cowering beneath a desk with a growing brown stain on the seat of his trousers.

Robotech adds a bit more to the characterizations of Dana and Zor. With his memories restored, Zor is furious at the Masters for perverting the protoculture the original Zor had discovered, which is just a little more interesting than Seifriet living out a Charles Bronson fantasy. Robotech's writers also make use of Dana's half-Zentraedi background, with it being her alien blood that leads the Flower of Life to call to her.

Advantage: Robotech.


NARRATION:

Normally, I would give the advantage to the version without narration. This episode is the exception. Southern Cross's finale is a rushed mess. It never slows down... but that actually becomes a problem given all the information it throws out between explosions.

The Robotech narration helps to slow things down a bit, organizing what we've learned in between scenes and forcing more of a shape onto the story. In most episodes, I get annoyed when the narrator insists on taking us from one scene to the next. Here, that same tendency helps to keep things feeling focused.

Advantage: Robotech.

The Zor flower tries to tempt Jeanne. In Robotech, the
Invid Flower of Life calls out to Dana's Zentraedi blood.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Bioroid Sluggishness vs. Corridors: The episode opens with the 15th fleeing from enemy bioroids. In Southern Cross, Louis notices that the bioroids are sluggish, a reference to the dwindling Zor energy supplies. In Robotech, Louis just says something about how the corridors all look the same.

Jeanne Puts Andrzej in Charge: Once Jeanne gets her squad safely to a potential exit, she goes back for Seifriet. Southern Cross sees her pausing to specifically put Andrzej in charge. Robotech's Dana seems to give no thought to this and just rushes off. I'm not sure this works either way, since Marie, Lt. Brown, and Nova all outrank Angelo. Still, at least Southern Cross pauses to consider the issue.

Angelo Declares, "I'm in Charge!": Because unlike Andrzej, Angelo is an idiot. As a wise man once said, "Any man who must say I am the king is no true king."

Seifriet Warns Jeanne They Are Unlikely to Survive: In Southern Cross, when Jeanne joins Seifriet, he sternly tells her not to expect to survive a confrontation with the Zor leaders. Robotech's exchange is the reverse of this: When Zor tries to warn Dana, she tells him that she intends to make sure that he survives.

Anatole Orders "No Prisoners!": Southern Cross's Claude Leon has, by this point, realized that he's engaging in a battle that's unlikely to end well. Robotech's Anatole Leonard is delusional enough to think that his sparse and outgunned forces are in any position to have to worry about taking prisoners.

Zor's Motives Run Deeper than Seifriet's: Seifriet, a human who was brainwashed by the Zor, simply wants to kill his tormenters. Zor's motivations in Robotech are more interesting (if a bit convoluted). He's a clone of the original Zor, who created the Zentraedi as soldiers and who also created protoculture. When he confronts the Masters, they are certain that he will not be willing to destroy the greatest creation of his civilization. Zor cries that the Masters are not his people, that his civilization is already dead. Though this exposition is rushed, it's still more interesting than what Southern Cross offers.

Dana's Vision: When Jeanne touches the canister holding the flower, she has a vision. The flower attempts to lure her into serving it the way the Zor do, something she angrily rejects. Robotech uses Dana's background (finally!) to improve upon this. The protoculture is now calling to her Zentraedi side when it presents her with an image of a triumverate of Danas. She rejects that, insisting that she is "a human being!" The subsequent interaction, with a little girl and two obscured figures, is transformed into Dana touching her sister's consciousness while the voices of her parents warn her of the Invid. The very literal accounting of each vision means that some atmosphere is lost - but I find that the more interesting story material makes up for it.

Zor Accuses the Masters of Misusing the Protoculture: Southern Cross's Seifriet continues pursuing revenge for his brainwashing. Robotech's Zor presents this as a matter of justice: "Your misuse of the protoculture shall not go unpunished!"

Zor Attempts to Stop the Invid Invasion: In the closing minutes of Southern Cross, Seifriet attempts to stop the destruction of Gloire's capital city and end the war. Robotech adjusts this so that Zor's goal is to destroy the protoculture so that the Invid will have no reason to invade.

Epilogue: Both versions feature a brief epilogue. Southern Cross plays its closing theme over images of the survivors with the petals of the Zor flowers falling over all of them. The visual and tonal implication is that this marks the end of the conflict. Robotech changes the context entirely. Now, a horrified Dana watches as the flowers are spread everywhere. Far from indicating peace, the narrator informs us that Zor's actions backfired, trasnforming Earth into a "fertile garden, awaiting cultivation" - the catastrophe of the Robotech episode's title.

Advantage: Robotech. Most of the changes for the worse are small, while most of the more significant changes make the story more interesting.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Southern Cross has two effective musical moments. During Jeanne's vision, the flowers sing to her, which heightens the surreal atmosphere; and the end credits song plays over the final images, seeming to promise an end to the conflict. Robotech uses its tracks well, and its "ominous" music takes the same ending images and makes them a harbinger of doom - but Robotech also completely flattens the atmosphere of the mid-episode vision, leaving me giving this category to Southern Cross

Advantage: Southern Cross.

Zor civilians, left abandoned by their leaders.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - ROBOTECH:

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross was originally intended to run almost twice as long as it did. Weak ratings, combined with circumstances that kept it from getting its own toy line, led to an early cancellation. The writers were forced to throw together an ending in a hurry... and I'm afraid it shows.

The experience of watching Southern Cross's Genesis could be summarized as: infodumps, explosions, and more infodumps. It's not necessarily hard to follow, but it feels like at least four episodes' worth of material was crammed rather artlessly into a single installment.

The Robotech episode still provides a lot of information, specifically about the origins of protoculture. But the narrator helps it to feel more organized and better paced, which makes it more enjoyable overall.

The war ends... though in Robotech, it's
made clear that a new war is on its way.

OTHER MUSINGS:

I'll save my overall thoughts on Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross and Robotech: The Masters for my overview. Genesis was, overall, a disappointing series finale. It's easy enough to understand why - the show was canceled, and the writers were left to scramble. But just because I understand why this final episode isn't very good, that doesn't change that it's mostly unsatisfying.

The Robotech version, Catastrophe, has a huge advantage over Southern Cross: Namely, that it isn't the finale. It's still densely packed; but since its role is as much to set up the next arc as to close out this one, it comes across as less of a jumble. Both endings feel inconclusive - but in Robotech's case, that isn't really a problem. After all, there are still 25 episodes left to go.


Overall Rating - Southern Cross: 5/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 7/10.

Southern Cross/The Masters Overview

Previous Episode: Catastrophe/The Invid Connection
Next Episode: Prelude to the Offensive/The Invid Invasion

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2-22. Catastrophe/The Invid Connection.

The Zor city takes casualties during the battle.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Catastrophe.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Sept. 23, 1984. Writer: Jinzou Toriumi. Director: Mikio Suzuki.

Robotech: The Invid Connection.

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 23, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

The final battle has begun, with Gen. Emerson leading the assault against the Zor. He's attempting to hold out until Supreme Commander Claude Leon begins his pincer attack from Gloire - but Claude has yet to launch his assault, an inaction that may well spell disaster.

Meanwhile, in the Zor ruins, Seifriet persuades Lana not to arrest Musica, pointing out the way the Zor flowers react to her presence. He tells Lana that this chamber is the key to everything. Before they can actually do anything, however, an enemy ship descends, intending to claim the flowers to restore the Zor fleet's bio-energy.

Seifriet warns off the ship by threatening the flowers. He then demands to speak with Zor leader Dess, to negotiate an end to the conflict. But Jeanne fears that Seifriet actually intends to get revenge on his former tormenters!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The final battle has begun, with Gen. Emerson leading the assault against the Robotech Masters. He's attempting to hold out until Supreme Commander Anatole Leonard begins his pincer attack from Earth - but Leonard has yet to launch his assault, an inaction that may well spell disaster.

Meanwhile, the 15th Squadron stands in the ruins of the SDF-1, in the midst of the protoculture factory sought first by the Zentraedi and now by the Masters... but it's too late, with the protoculture now infested with the Invid Flower of Life and expelling spores that will attract that deadly enemy.

Having regained his memories, Zor persuades Nova not to arrest Musica, whose absence from the enemy fleet will drive the enemy slowly but surely into disarray. Before they can actually do anything, however, an enemy ship descends to try to claim the protoculture, Invid flowers or no.

Zor is able to warn the ship off. He demands to speak with the Robotech Masters to negotiate an end to the conflict. But Dana fears that he actually intends to get revenge on his former tormenters!

The 15th Squadron braces itself for conflict
with aliens and humans alike.

CHARACTERS:

Seifriet knows full well that Jeanne tends to be led by her emotions. He tries to play on this when he says that all of his actions were to help Musica. But he forgets that Jeanne is also intuitive. She sees right through him, all too accurately predicting that his true goal is vengeance. She has empathy for his emotional turmoil, but her responsibility is to look after Musica and her squad.

In the "B" plot, Claude Leon informs Emerson about Bowie going AWOL with an alien prisoner. Emerson's response is more soldier than father - that Bowie will need to face punishment and take responsibility. Even Claude seems surprised; the way the scene plays out, it seems as if he meant to mitigate consequences.

The Emerson/Bowie material would work a lot better if the two characters had more interaction prior to this (that's true of their relationship across the entire series, actually), but it just about works in Southern Cross. Robotech's bizarre decision to make Emerson into Bowie's godfather rather than his father mutes much of the emotion. When Robotech's Bowie calls out to Emerson, "My friend!" - Well, I'll just say it's unintentionally a bit comical.

I'm still wondering why this change was made. My immediate instinct is that someone got nervous about a white father with a black son... except that "The Macross Saga" already featured one interracial romance between Roy and Claudia; "The Masters" features another between Bowie and Musica that is also inter-species. Why would an interracial father-and-son be a dealbreaker? And if that wasn't the reason, then what was? The only result of this change has been to generally weaken a thread that was already frayed due to the lack of screen time the two characters shared!

Ah, well.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


NARRATION:

Another clumsy recap for Southern Cross, though at this point I'm wondering if some of the problem stems from translation. There is a definite senseof the not-quite-there "jumble" that can come from an overly literal translation.

Robotech actually does pretty well by its voice over. The recap actually benefits from the addition of the Invid subplot, and the narration is reasonably restrained across the rest of the episode.

Advantage: Robotech.

Gen. Emerson negotiates. Southern Cross's Zor are more
convincing as negotiators than the Robotech Masters.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Zor Gives a Different Reason for Musica's Importance: Southern Cross's Seifriet gets a wavering Lana to give up on arresting Musica when he points out that the Zor flowers react to her proximity. Since Lana can observe this herself, it's reasonable for her to believe him. Robotech's Zor tells Nova that Musica's playing keeps the clones under the Masters' control, a control that will slip in Musica's absence. This isn't something Nova can verify, and it wouldn't change the advantages to arresting and questioning her. This doesn't make a nonsense out of Nova dropping the arrest, as she's already wavering, but it does weaken that decision to only the emotional appeals.

Emerson and the Supreme Commander: When Claude Leon informs Emerson that Bowie has gone AWOL, he seems to be trying to extend an olive branch, all but offering to mitigate the consequences. He's genuinely surprised when Emerson says that Bowie should face punishment. In Robotech, Emerson immediately protests that Bowie must have been brainwashed, and Anatole Leonard doesn't show the slightest sign of sympathy.

The Ultimatum: The Zor contact Claude to give him a deadline to abandon Gloire, their homeworld, in 48 hours. The substance of the scene is the same in Robotech, but the context is very different: Since the planet is Earth in Robotech, it's now a threat to destroy humanity's home world rather than an ultimatum to abandon the aliens' own home planet.

The Masters Are Less Cordial to Emerson than the Zor: The Zor try to convince Gen. Emerson that they wish to negotiate for a peaceful settlement. The Masters in Robotech do the same - but they drop the act very quickly, sneering about how "stupid" the humans are. Oh, and somehow Emerson and Marie are aware of the Invid, even though they were already off planet by the time any of the humans heard that name.

Zor's Ending Words: At the end of Southern Cross, Seifriet separates from the 15th Squadron in order to chase after the Zor leaders, specifically Dess, vowing to destroy them. Robotech changes Zor Prime's final words, with him now declaring that the Robotech Masters will obey him. This significantly muddles the nature of his personal agenda.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

I don't have much to say here. Both shows apply their incidentals perfectly adequately, and no musical moments really stand out to me.

Advantage: None.

Civilians desperately evacuate the city as the battle draws near.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - SOUTHERN CROSS:

The difference in this case is slight. Southern Cross ends up benefiting from better characterizations for Jeanne and Seifriet, and for a slightly better (well, less weak) Emerson/Bowie strand.


OTHER MUSINGS:

The momentum from the previous episode continues. This episode features big action sequences and major plot turns. Even the Plot Armor of the named characters starts to falter, as we get the first major character death just in time to raise the stakes for the finale.

This is principally a plot-based episode. The characterizations still work - but except for Jeanne, Seifriet, and Emerson, the rest only get moments around the edges. The characters are serving the plot this time, whereas the previous two episodes had much of the plot arising from the characters acting according to their natures.

Another good episode, in any case. Fingers crossed that the finale manages to land!


Overall Rating: 8/10.

Previous Episode: Nightmare/Final Nightmare
Next Episode: Genesis/Catastrophe

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2-21. Nightmare/Final Nightmare.

The squad finds the alien flowers in full bloom.
In Robotech, this is a harbinger of doom.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Nightmare.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Sept. 16, 1984. Writer: Tadashi Terada. Director: Noriyasu Kogawa.

Robotech: Final Nightmare.

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 22, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

Lana has discovered that Jeanne and her squad have been sheltering Zor civilian Musica, who has fled with Bowie. Lana delivers an ultimatum: Jeanne will find Musica and return her for questioning immediately.

Jeanne interprets the order to her own advantage, directing her squad to perform a slow search even though she already knows where Bowie and Musica are going. The two lovers are making their way to the Zor ruins, where the flowers that are the source of the aliens' energy have reached full bloom.

Meanwhile, Supreme Commander Claude Leon orders a final assault against the Zor - while the Zor, increasingly desperate to replenish their energy, prepare an attack of their own...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Nova has discovered that Dana and her squad have been sheltering alien civilian Musica, who has fled with Bowie. Nova delivers an ultimatum: Dana will find Musica and return her for questioning immediately.

Dana already knows where Bowie and Musica are going. The two lovers are making their way to the ruins of the SDF-1, where they first saw the Invid Flower of Life. But when they arrive, Musica is horrified to discover that the flower is in full bloom, sending out its spores that will call the Invid to Earth!

Meanwhile, the Robotech Masters, increasingly desperate to replenish their supply of protoculture, prepare an all-out assault on Earth - leaving Supreme Commander Anatole Leonard and Gen. Emerson rushing to intercept them in what seems sure to be the final battle of this war!

Bowie and Musica enjoy a moment of happiness.

CHARACTERS:

Nightmare reduces Bowie and Musica to plot devices. Musica, in particular, seems to spend the first few minutes tripping over... well, the ground. Fair enough to say that a life on a spaceship didn't exactly prepare her for running in the rain, but shouldn't there at least be some uneven terrain for her to trip over? I started to think that Bowie would legitimately make more progress by just carrying her.

There are good character moments for the rest of the cast, though. Jeanne is fiercely protective of Bowie and Musica, slow-walking her (implausibly assigned) search to give them time to get away. Andrzej, who has often argued against Jeanne's decisions, backs her up entirely. The only time he voices disapproval is when she labels Seifriet a coward, with him recognizing the mental torment Seifriet is going through (a good moment that, sadly, is completely changed for Robotech).

Gen. Emerson also gets an excellent scene, reacting nonverbally to Claude Leon's orders in a way that leaves no doubt that he sees these commands as disastrous. After the Act break, he sits in his office in the dark as he resolves to do his duty even if he doesn't think he and his troops will survive it - another scene that is, unfortunately, undermined in Robotech.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


NARRATION:

Southern Cross opens with another artless infodump that I suspect would leave any viewer who had missed key episodes even more confused than if it hadn't been there. Robotech does a much better job of organizing "the story so far."

As is often the case, Robotech ends up using too much narration in the episode itself. The wonderful scene with Emerson sitting in the dark? Robotech slathers voicd over on top of it, telling us what he's thinking when it's more interesting to interpret it from the visuals and music. Then, when the final battle begins, the narrator tells us that this battle will decide the fate of humanity... even though the rest of the episode has repeatedly emphasized that the Invid are coming and that this battle ultimately won't mean a thing.

Advantage: None. There's plenty of fault in both sets of narration.

Seifriet's memories return. Robotech's Zor recovers
some very different memories.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Elimination of a Freeze Frame: When Southern Cross's Bowie and Musica are fleeing, there's a sustained freeze frame/pullback at the end of their first scene, a moment that makes a strong visual impression. That freeze frame has been snipped from Robotech for no readily apparent reason. Since the cut is only about two seconds, it doesn't even particularly move them toward an extra advert.

Andrzej Understands Seifriet; Angelo Is Scornful to Zor: After Jeanne tears into Seifriet, Andrzej quietly tells her that she went too far given the man's current emotional state. Robotech's Angelo is - say it with me - much, much dumber than Southern Cross's Andrzej, and he just scornfully remarks that the squad is "better off without him."

The Invid Flower Is Poisoning the Protoculture: In Southern Cross, the flower is the source of the energy the Zor need to survive. That the Zor supplies of that flower are wilting to nothing is the reason they are so desperate. In Robotech, the flower is an infestation that has destroyed the protoculture belonging to the Robotech Masters, with them worried that it may have mutated the protoculture at the ruins of the SDF-1 as well.

The Zor Blame the Humans for Starting the War: As they plan an assault on Gloire, the Zor leaders mention that if they wipe the humans out, it is the enemy's own fault for being so aggressive - a callback to the early episodes, in which every major battle was started by the humans. In Robotech, they just shrug off the potential destruction of the human race on the grounds that the humans would be just as doomed when the Invid arrive.

Bowie and Musica Are Intercut with Battle Preparation: Near the Act break, Bowie and Musica ride on the hoverbike he stole, enjoying a moment of happiness that is intercut with preparations for battle. Southern Cross plays this out over romantic piano music, with the contrast of the music and visuals making for an effective moment. Robotech tries to do something similar, minus the piano music, contrasting voice-overs of Musica and Bowie reflecting on their happiness against military chatter. This isn't a bad effort on the part of the Robotech writers, but I think the original version is stronger.

The Supreme Commander's Orders: Southern Cross's Claude Leon orders Emerson to attack the enemy from one direction while the rest of his forces attack from Gloire. Robotech's Anatole Leonard is just reacting to the movements of the Robotech Masters, hurriedly scrambling forces while ordering Emerson not to withdraw, "no matter what."

Emerson's Orders to Marie and Lt. Brown: The two versions have Gen. Emerson giving completely different instructions to Marie and Lt. Brown. In Southern Cross, he explicitly tells them that they are to fight to the last, with no retreat. In Robotech, he instead says that he expects both of them to come back alive.

Lana's Pursuit: When Jeanne discovers that Lana is following them, she orders Charles to lose her. Robotech changes this slightly, with it now Sean's idea to lose Nova, with Dana actually checking to see if he's sure he can manage that.

Musica Reacts to the Flower: In Southern Cross, Musica recognizes the flower's spores as "the same energy that we used to be bathed with," and she looks out on the sight of the flowers with wonder and a little bit of fear. In Robotech, her reaction is one of despair, as she recognizes the flower's spores mean they are "too late" and that the Invid will be coming.

Zor's Memories: The spores prompt the last of Seifriet's memories to fall into place, and he collapses as he recalls being captured and transformed by the Zor, all for the sake of finding these plants. That doesn't fit with Robotech's changed context; in the Americanized version, Zor collapses as he recalls the "original" Zor's death in an explosion (while studying protoculture, of course).

Advantage: Southern Cross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

This one's a closer call than the last two episodes. Southern Cross benefits from a couple of standout musical moments: the romantic piano music as Bowie and Musica ride toward the ruins and the ethereal alien song as they observe the flowers. Robotech does well with its music, but there's nothing in it to match those two moments.

Advantage: Southern Cross.

The final battle begins.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - SOUTHERN CROSS:

Both versions of this episode are very good. I actually quite like some of the Robotech material, notably the way the writers are using these events to set up the Invid story. There's a wonderfully ominous quality to Musica's reactions when she sees the spores and realizes that it is, indeed, too late to prevent invasion.

Other changes leave me favoring the original version. Several character interactions are simplified for Robotech, notably those involving Gen. Emerson and his lieutenants and those involving Angelo - who, as ever, is written to be dumber and more belligerent than Southern Cross's Andrzej.

It's still a close call, though, and I'd rank both versions of this episode among the series' best.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Nightmare follows on directly from the previous installment, with Bowie and Musica on the run. Its "A" plot, with Lana assigning Jeanne's squad to find them, feels almost like its own story, but it is very effectively intercut with the lead up to the final assault.

I love the way the two strands progress together. There really doesn't seem to be much plot connection until the final ten minutes, but the Southern Cross episode uses its score to bind them. Robotech attempts something similar with internal monologues and dialogue and, while it isn't as strong as the original version, it still pulls off a similar effect. In both versions, this grants significance to an "A" plot that might have otherwise seemed like another installment of "Jeanne's/Dana's antics."

There's certainly no denying the episode's momentum. Nightmare moves, and it manages several memorable moments along the way. Finally, the visuals of the ruins filled with spores and flowers are gorgeous.


Overall Rating: 9/10.

Previous Episode: Daydream/Daydreamer
Next Episode: Catastrophe/The Invid Connection

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2-20. Daydream/Daydreamer.

Bowie is determined to protect Musica.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Daydream.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Sept. 9, 1984. Writer: Tadashi Terada. Director: Yoshihito Hata.

Robotech: Daydreamer.

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 21, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

The 15th prepares to return home, but they have a problem: Musica. She's a Zor civilian and, as such, would be immediately subject to interrogation. But she also saved their lives and that, combined with Bowie's feelings for her, leaves them feeling obligated to protect her.

Jeanne and Charles stage a distraction when they land, and they successfully keep Lana from finding Musica. But their behavior draws Lana's suspicions, and it isn't long before she starts investigating in earnest.

Meanwhile, Seifriet's feelings of guilt and anger lead him to reckless action...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The 15th prepares to return home, but they have a problem: Musica. She's an enemy civilian and, as such, would be immediately subject to interrogation. But she also saved their lives and that, combined with Bowie's feelings for her, leaves them feeling obligated to protect her.

Dana and Sean stage a distraction when they land, and they successfully keep Nova from finding Musica. But their behavior draws Nova's suspicions, and it isn't long before she starts investigating in earnest.

Meanwhile, Zor's feelings of guilt and anger lead him to reckless action...

Andrzej confronts Seifriet.

CHARACTERS:

This is a character-centric episode, so there is unsurprisingly a lot of good character material.

Jeanne is at her most emotional, protecting the two lovers above all else. When Lana confronts her, she could argue for her actions on logical grounds: Claude Leon's overzealous interrogation resulted in the death of the (entirely human) bioroid pilot who was captured before Seifriet. The same happening to Musica is a legitimate worry, particularly now that Claude has unopposed control, and that could cost them a valuable resource. Instead, Jeanne insults Lana as "hard-hearted" and insists that love is more important than the war (try telling that to the families of any of the dead).

But Jeanne's ability to make intuitive leaps is also spotlighted. When Musica sings a Zor legend about flowers of light, Jeanne connects that to the flowers that she, Bowie, and Seifriet saw earlier, a jump that seems poised to lead directly to the events of the final episodes.

Musica feels guilt on two counts: abandoning her sisters, whom we see taken to the prison sector for those whose identicals have gone; and the trouble she's causing for Jeanne and the 15th. Bowie sees only the woman he loves, and he tells Musica that it's important to remember that the war will eventually end.

Seifriet also feels guilt - along with a fair bit of anger. The Zor used him as a weapon against his own people. Now that his memories are restored, he is furious at the Zor, and at Andrzej for saving him when he intended to go out in a blaze of glory. Andrzej responds by decking him and chastising him for wanting to die "a hero" when so many of their comrades have simply died namelessly in the carnage of the war.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


NARRATION:

Both recaps are poor. Southern Cross's recap is merely clunky, however, while Robotech's narrator launching into a dizzyingly complex summary of all the backstory surrounding Zor Prime. How about just sticking to what's directly relevant to the episode? The Robotech episode also seems to think that we need narration over almost every scene transition, I guess because cutting from one location to another is confusing rather than something that occurs in practically every movie or television program ever made.

Advantage: Southern Cross. 

The Zor worry about dwindling energy, while the Robotech
Masters fret about the Invid Flower of Life.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Fake Injury: In Southern Cross, Charles distracts Lana's attention by being carried on a stretcher for a supposedly injured ankle. Robotech makes it even sillier by having Sean's feigned injury be to his big toe. A change for the stupid, as Sean's "big toe" lie couldn't have been better calculated to draw suspicion.

The Masters and the Flower of Life: The Zor leaders in Southern Cross are concerned about their low energy levels, which are giving rise to emotions and individuality in the younger generation. They need the flower on Gloire in order to replenish that energy source. In Robotech, the plant is now "the Invid Flower of Life," which infects the protoculture the Masters need, rendering it useless. This is a significant change in context that will almost certainly lead to further changes in the remaining episodes.

Bowie's Choice of Music: The squad meets in a bar, with Bowie playing the piano to everyone else's applause. When they call for an encore, Bowie obliges. In Southern Cross, he plays a piano version of Musica's song, which stirs up emotional responses from both Musica and Seifriet. In Robotech, he just plays a piano version of Minmei's It's Me, which has no direct link to the responses of the other characters.

Andrzej and Seifriet vs. Angelo and Zor: Seifriet is angry that Andrzej saves him from a hero's death... something that only happened in Southern Cross, which means that their confrontation is heavily rewritten in Robotech. The writers actually do a decent job of this, with Zor angry not at Angelo but at himself for surviving. But it can't help but be weaker than the original, though, and it wouldn't be necessary but for an entirely senseless change made by the previous episode.

Bowie Explains Musica's Feelings to Her: Southern Cross's Bowie responds well to Musica's guilt as he reassures her that she's neither an enemy nor an inconvenience. In Robotech, however, he decides to helpfully explain her own feelings to her. This, um, doesn't come across as the sensitive, romantic gesture that I think it's intended to be.

Musica's Song: Musica sings of the flower, prompting Jeanne/Dana to make the connection between her song and the flowers she saw in the cave. In Southern Cross, Musica is singing what she believes is just a legend with no basis in reality. In Robotech, with the flower now a harbinger of the Invid, she tells Dana that she hopes that isn't the flower she saw in the ruins of the SDF-1, as that flower is "often accompanied by great evil."

Advantage: Southern Cross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Southern Cross's score is beautifully used throughout, with incidentals very restrained and with Musica's songs used in ways that are emotionally effective while also pushing the story forward. Robotech also applies its music well - but those tracks are extremely well worn by now, which blunts the effectiveness considerably.

Advantage: Southern Cross.

Lana suspects that Jeanne's squad is hiding something.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - SOUTHERN CROSS:

The Southern Cross episode is outstanding, a fine character piece that also does some important work in pushing the plot toward the finale. These virtues are also true of Robotech. However, the Americanized version suffers from changes, particularly to the excellent Andrzej/Seifriet confrontation. The corresponding Angelo/Zor argument is far less effective, which is almost entirely because of a pointless change made to the last episode.

This, combined with Robotech's ongoing problem with bad dialogue, makes the original version a considerably better viewing experience.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Daydream benefits from having the characters behave in ways that make sense for their situation. Every character gets at least something to do. Andrzej and Seifriet are furious at each other: Seifriet for being denied a hero's death that would have released him from his guilt; Andrzej at what he sees as Seifriet's disrespect to the many soldiers who have already died in this war. Bowie wants to protect Musica. Jeanne, carried away by emotion, wants to protect the lovers at least in part because they are lovers. Charles is up for a bit of scheming and mischief. The more analytical Louis sees the overall situation they've gotten themselves into and worries that they're in over their heads.

All of this is well-written. The external conflict, with Lana, is also well-structured, with her suspicions gradually building throughout. The Southern Cross version doesn't put a foot wrong. There are no battle scenes or explosions here - just very good character writing. The result may just be my favorite episode of the series.

The Robotech version is plagued by... well, Robotech dialogue. The odd clunky line doesn't hurt the action-heavy episodes, but that same issue can be lethal to character-based ones.

Dana's lines are particularly bad ("Now, you listen here!"), and she is written more two-dimensionally than Southern Cross's Jeanne is. It's still a good episode - but unlike Southern Cross, I do not consider this Robotech installment to be a great episode.


Overall Rating - Southern Cross: 10/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Crisis/Crisis Point
Next Episode: Nightmare/Final Nightmare

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