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| Bowie is captured by the enemy! |
Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: May 6, 1984. Writer: Hisato Shimogochi. Director: Tsukasa Sunaga.
Original Air Date - Robotech: Apr. 29, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.
PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS
Jeanne and Bowie encounter the Zor during a routine night patrol. They move in for a closer look and are shocked to discover that the lead Zor, the pilot of the red mech that has become Jeanne's nemesis... is a young man who looks completely human!
Their surprise gives them away. In the pursuit that follows, Jeanne manages to escape, but Bowie is captured. Even though Bowie is his son, Gen. Emerson refuses to authorize a rescue, stating it is more important to gather information about the Zor.
Which leaves Jeanne to violate orders (again), taking her squad out for "night training" to rescue their captured comrade!
PLOT - ROBOTECH:
During a routine night patrol, Dana and Bowie encounter the enemy aliens in a restricted area, near the ruins of the SDF-1. Moving in for a closer look, they discover that the alien leader, the pilot of the red mech that has become Dana's nemesis, is a young man who looks completely human - and Dana somehow feels an instant connection with him!
Their surprise gives them away. In the pursuit that follows, Dana manages to escape, but Bowie is captured. Gen. Emerson refuses to authorize a rescue, stating it is more important to gather information about the enemy than to rescue a single soldier.
Which leaves Dana to violate orders, taking her squad out for "night training" to rescue their captured comrade!
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| Jeanne is denied permission to launch a rescue. Naturally, she does it anyway. |
CHARACTERS:
Jeanne's character improvement from the last episode appears to have stuck, at least for now. She remains light-hearted in her overall attitude, but she doesn't behave with the reckless abandon of the first couple episodes. When Bowie gets abducted, she is determined to rescue him, and she is willing to accept the consequences of violating orders to do so. If the writers can maintain this balance, she may end up becoming a character I enjoy after all.
Robotech's Dana continues to be portrayed as more serious in attitude than Jeanne. She doesn't joke around as much, and she tends to be laser-focused on her goals. Robotech also seems to be drawing on Dana's Zentradi background as a plot device, which could have interesting possibilities if the writers manage to actually stick to that down the road.
Bowie, however, comes across as far worse in Robotech than in Southern Cross. When captured, Southern Cross's Bowie demands to know why the Zor are attacking Gloire, particularly if they're actually human. Meanwhile, the Robotech Bowie is possessed by the spirit of Scrappy Doo, threatening the alien even as he's bodily taken to his confinement. Say "puppy power," Bowie - I know you want to...
Advantage: Southern Cross.
NARRATION:
Early in the episode, the Robotech narrator actively contradicts what we're watching on screen: "Unable to understand why they're being attacked, Dana and Bowie choose the only course open to them. Thought of escape disappears as soon as it becomes apparent the invaders are not bent on capture, but destruction."
Going one item at a time here... (a) They're being attacked because they saw the aliens at the site of the old SDF-1, and they fully comprehend that this is the reason; (b) Thought of escape doesn't seem to disappear, since escaping is exactly what they're trying to do; (c) The aliens are bent on capture, as demonstrated by them capturing Bowie rather than killing him. It's bad enough when the narration tells us what we're watching while we're watching it, but this is the first time I can recall the narrator insisting that what we're watching is actually completely different than what we're seeing onscreen!
Robotech also goes heavy on internal narration and audio flashbacks, sometimes to unintentionally comic effect. The original episode trusts that we understand that Jeanne is upset about Bowie's capture; Robotech slathers in audio flashbacks to hammer home that Dana's unhappy: "Don't try it! They'll kill you! Stay back!" I don't think Dana will ever get over Macho Grande.
Advantage: Southern Cross
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| The aliens are searching for something. In Robotech, the site of their search is the ruins of the SDF-1. |
CUTS AND ALTERATION:
The Aliens Are at the Ruins of the SDF-1: In Southern Cross, Jeanne and Bowie locate the Zor in an area that isn't actually restricted, merely desolate. In Robotech, it's a forbidden area that's also the site of the SDF-1. This alteration serves the Robotech narrative well, creating connections between this new story and Macross in a way that works for both arcs, so points to the writers here.
Jeanne Jokes with Bowie; Dana Just Glares: In both versions, Bowie suggests just following their orders to withdraw and returning to the base without investigating. In Southern Cross, Jeanne fixes him with a glare - then, when he becomes visibly uncomfortable, she breaks into a grin and makes it clear that she was teasing him. Robotech's Dana just glares; the follow-up grin is removed, making her annoyance fully in earnest.
The Humans Hid the Protoculture Using Radioactive Waste: As noted by the lead alien, who scoffs at the humans believing that radioactivity could hide the protoculture.
The Alien Talks: The Southern Cross alien never speaks, making him a more remote and mysterious figure even as the heroes discover that he appears human. In Robotech, he talks in a throaty "alien" voice that is vaguely reminiscent of the Talosians in Star Trek's The Cage. This undercuts him as a mysterious figure, but it does allow the writers to impart much of the information necessary for the Robotech story without resorting to (still more) narration.
Gen. Emerson Is No Longer Bowie's Father: Southern Cross's Gen. Emerson is Bowie's father, and he's clearly pained when he orders that the priority must be gathering intelligence on the Zor rather than rescuing his son. He lashes out at Jeanne for leaving Bowie behind, even though it was the correct decision. In Robotech, he is no longer Bowie's father. He also commends Dana for recognizing the importance of getting her information back to base, with his praise serving to make her feel guiltier.
The Squad's Dialogue Before the Rescue Operation: Southern Cross has some generic "soldier talk" before the attack begins. Robotech replaces this with a nifty moment in which the troops recite bits of poetry (inaccurately) before moving out. I like the Robotech version of this scene much better.
Dana Seems to Recognize the Alien: In Southern Cross, Jeanne's shock is because of the alien's human appearance. In Robotech's continuity, this wouldn't be all that shocking after the biologically human Zentraedi (with Dana herself half-Zentraedi). So the writers change the context so that she recognizes him on a subconscious level, presumably as a result of her Zentraedi blood. Assuming this is followed up, I'd rate this as a good change.
Jeanne and Luna vs. Dana and Nova: When reinforcements arrive, a friendly Luna observes that Jeanne will probably be arrested again, something Jeanne breezily agrees with. By contrast, Nova (Luna's Robotech counterpart) brusquely tells Dana that reinforcements are here.
Dana's Ending Monologue: Robotech ends with Dana staring at the remains of the battlefield, reflecting on her mental connection with the alien and her sense that if they don't fight, they will end up as slaves. The same scene plays out silent in Southern Cross. Unsurprisingly, I prefer the silence, which allows us to decide for ourselves what she's thinking.
Advantage: Robotech. Most of the significant changes are there to serve the larger Robotech narrative, while other changes (such as the pre-battle banter) are simply changes for the better.
INCIDENTAL MUSIC:
This episode provides a case study in how music can change the tone of an episode. Southern Cross's rock-inspired tracks lend a light tone to Jeanne and Bowie's attempts to evade the Zor, and again later with Bowie's ill-fated escape attempt. The same moments in Robotech are backed by suspenseful music, which creates the sense that the characters are in jeopardy. What had seemed brisk and fun in Southern Cross play out darker and tenser in Robotech, and it's entirely because of the music.
I wouldn't call either version's score better than the other. Both approaches are valid and are entirely appropriate to the two different shows. It's just interesting how differently the same visuals read when different music is applied.
Advantage: None
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| The alien pilot. Dana feels a connection to him, while Jeanne is just shocked that he looks human. |
OVERALL ADVANTAGE - NONE:
Most of the changes Robotech makes are well thought out, particularly the hints of a connection between Dana and the alien. If those hints receive proper follow-up, then the "Masters" arc for Robotech could end up becoming extremely interesting.
Though I liked the changes overall, Southern Cross makes up the difference because of the characters. Bowie is generally better written in Southern Cross than in Robotech. Also, Jeanne's laid-back, light-hearted nature makes it effective when she suddenly takes a situation seriously. Robotech's Dana is more serious to start with, creating a lot less contrast between her normal demeanor and her determination in the back half of the episode.
In the end, neither version of Half Moon is particularly better or worse than the other. It's just two different interpretations of the same storyline, with different strengths and weaknesses for each.
OTHER MUSINGS:
Half Moon hits the ground running, and there's not a single wasted moment. It's also good on characterization, with strong individual moments for Jeanne, Bowie, Emerson, and Andrzej.
The Robotech version is also very good. It's weaker on characterization than Southern Cross, but many of the changes made to make it fit with the Macross backstory are interesting in their own right.
Whichever version you watch, this is the best Southern Cross/"Masters" episode thus far. For the first time since starting this second series, I find myself actively looking forward to seeing what happens next.
Overall Rating: 8/10.
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Next Episode: Trouble City/Danger Zone (not yet reviewed)
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