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

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads

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

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads

2-15. Love Story/Love Song.

Jeanne creates a secret admirer to woo Lana away from Seifriet.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Love Story.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: July 29, 1984. Writer: Tadashi Terada. Director: Noriyasu Kogawa.

Robotech: Love Song.

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 14, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

Supreme Commander Claude Leon has put Gen. Emerson in command of the newly secured Aluce Base - in a single command exiling his archrival to Gloire's moon and putting him at the front line of the war. Leon also assigns all of the officers loyal to Emerson, leaving Gloire staffed entirely with his own followers.

Jeanne has more important things on her mind - namely, romance. Sekishima, a captain assigned to the mission, approaches her to help him talk to Lana before he departs. Jeanne throws herself into this, crafting a plan for him to woo Lana as a secret admirer known as "The Rose of Gloire" - with the benefit to her that, if they succeed, she will be left with no rival for Seifriet's affections. There's only one problem: Lana is convinced that the messages are coming from Seifriet, which makes her extremely uncomfortable.

Meanwhile, Marie prepares for a special night with Charles. But when a woman from Charles's past intercepts him, their evening takes a disastrous turn...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Supreme Commander Anatole Leonard has put Gen. Emerson in charge of the next assault - in a single command exiling his archrival to what is likely to be a one-way mission. Leonard also assigns all of the officers loyal to Emerson, leaving Earth's headquarters staffed entirely with his own followers.

Dana has more important things on her mind - namely, romance. Komodo, a captain assigned to the mission, approaches her to help him talk to Nova before he departs. Dana throws herself into this, crafting a plan for him to woo Nova as a secret admirer - with the benefit to her that, if they succeed, she will be left with no rival for Zor's affections. There's only one problem: Nova is convinced that the messages are coming from Zor, which makes her extremely uncomfortable.

Meanwhile, Marie prepares for a special night with Sean. But when a woman from Sean's past intercepts him, their evening takes a disastrous turn...

Marie prepares for her date with Charles.
Things do not go as expected.

CHARACTERS:

Emerson knows exactly what the Supreme Commander is doing, but his sense of duty leaves him with no choice but to follow his orders. Bowie will not express his worry to Jeanne, and Emerson will not come to him. Instead, each shows their feelings silently - Bowie lost in thought as he plays the piano, Emerson stopping his car outside the barracks to listen to him play.

Charles's past promiscuity comes back to haunt him with Marie, who misinterprets his attempts to get away from an old lover. This could come across as sitcom shenanigans - but they never actually resolve the misunderstanding, with it falling to Lana and another officer to intervene on Marie's behalf. Meanwhile, the reactions of both characters show us that their attachment is deeply felt, even as the two are left in turmoil.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Southern Cross's opening narration is more focused than in previous episodes, hitting all the major points that impact the plot of this installment without needless clutter. The Robotech narrator gets a bit overenthusiastic during the recap. Also, the Robotech narrator keeps coming back for scene transitions, particularly in the first half. It's far from the series' worst offender. Still, most of these intrusions are entirely unnecessary.

Advantage: Southern Cross.

Lana receives a letter from "The Rose of Gloire."
In Robotech, it's just from a secret admirer.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Manually Processing the Security Checks: An early scene sees Lana manually processing security checks for the task force bound for Aluce Base. In Southern Cross, she and her superior discuss how unusual this is, as normally they would set parameters for the computer to screen. The superior officer is entirely friendly and good-natured. This is not the case in Robotech, which transforms him into a sneering jerk, making it seem all the more bizarre when he's pleasant to her later.

Angelo Is More Talkative than Andrzej: Chalk this one up to Robotech's fear of silence. When Seifriet goes to GMP Headquarters to deliver a book from Aluce Base to Lana, Southern Cross's Andrzej follows him and makes sure that he's seen - but he does not actually speak until Seifriet arrives. In Robotech, Angelo also follows Zor - only this time, he calls out things like, "Hey buddy!" and "I'm watching out for you!" every time he's on screen.

The Secret Admirer: The letters to Lana are from "the Rose of Gloire," with close-ups of that title written in English. But those letters are addressed to "Lana" and not "Nova," and Robotech occurs on Earth and not the colony of Gloire. As a result, the shots in question are removed, and "the Rose of Gloire" becomes a more generic "secret admirer."

The Roman Aspect of the Supreme Commander's Assignment: This is a change I actually like. In both versions, Lt. Brown, who is removed from the mission due to a mistake by Lana/Nova, tells her that he's glad of the error because it will let him keep an eye on the Supreme Commander. He then talks about how all dissenting voices have been methodically assigned to this mission. In Robotech, he compares this to the behavior of Roman emperors, who would "promote" dissenters to become governors of distant provinces to get rid of them, which adds a nice extra layer to the scene.

Marie Waits: While waiting for Charles, Southern Cross's Marie muses that if he takes too much longer, she'll already be drunk by the time he arrives. Robotech de-emphasizes the alcohol by changing her thoughts to impatient worries that Sean might stand her up and leave her with nothing but "cab fare."

"The Triumveroid": There's a single cutaway to the aliens as they test their new secret weapon. Robotech names it "The Triumveroid," with the scientists exulting at how it performs all essential functions of combat. The Robotech scene works just a little bit better than the Southern Cross version, in my opinion, with the description of the new weapon blending effectively with the visuals of the test.

Marie's Departure: When Marie leaves in Southern Cross, Andrzej observes that she specifically asked to join Gen. Emerson in his assignment. Robotech removes this, with Angelo just telling Sean that she has more important things to worry about than him.

Advantage: None.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

The only notable musical moment is Bowie playing on the piano as his father (or, in Robotech, godfather) prepares to leave on a dangerous mission, and that scene is equally effective in both versions. There is a nice use of musical continuity in Robotech, as a piano version of Minmei's It's Me is heard in the background while Marie waits for Sean, but overall both episodes use their scores about equally well.

Advantage: None.

Jeanne watches Lana and misinterprets a serious conversation.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - NONE:

The episode is equally enjoyable in either version. The changes are relatively minor ones that have no significant impact, leaving a viewing experience that's roughly the same whether you're watching Southern Cross or Robotech.


OTHER MUSINGS:

I had low expectations given this episode's title. The "love story" aspects of Southern Cross have not impressed me. I fully believe in the Marie/Charles romance, but I have yet to be given much reason to care about it. I also have utterly failed to be convinced by the Jeanne/Seifriet relationship. Expecting that to be the focus, I braced myself for an installment that would... well, probably be bad.

Imagine my surprise when this ended up being one of the series' better episodes!

There are some amusing animations to go along with the lighthearted nature of Jeanne's secret admirer plan. When lovesick Sekishima approaches Lana, he does so with the posture of a man who badly needs to go to the bathroom. The script is also well-written, adeptly balancing a humorous "A" plot against the drama of the Supreme Commander's plan and the likely fates of those assigned to accompany Gen. Emerson. The moments of Bowie silently playing the piano express his emotions more effectively than any speech would. Even the one cutaway to the aliens, as they test their new weapon, underscores the likely fates of Emerson and his team.

Love Story ends up working all around: as a character piece, as a building block for the larger story, and as an entertaining episode in its own right - and in this case, the Robotech version works just as well as the original!


Overall Rating: 8/10.

Previous Episode: Iron Lady/Clone Chamber
Next Episode: Hunter Killer/The Hunters

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads

2-14. Iron Lady/Clone Chamber.

An emotional Musica refuses an arranged marriage.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Iron Lady.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: July 22, 1984. Writer: Tadashi Terada. Director: Yoshihito Hata.

Robotech: Clone Chamber.

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 13, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

Supreme Commander Claude Leon's reckless assault has failed, with the survivors retreating to Aluce Base to regroup. Undeterred, Leon orders a new operation to reinforce the moon base, transforming it into a military outpost for future attacks. The plan is to move quickly and stealthily, so that there will be no chance for the Zor to realize what's happening. You know, unless someone who really should know better decides to start freely sharing classified information.

So on a date with Seifriet, the usually strait-laced Lana decides to talk about the operation in public with a man who, until recently, was acting as a Zor bioroid pilot. Fortunately, a jealous Jeanne interrupts before she can reveal every detail. Still, Seifriet reports enough for the Zor to locate and attack the human ships, leaving Marie rushing to save them with the already battered remnants of her squad.

All is not well among the Zor either. Seifriet's returning memories and the accompanying emotions keep interfering with his efficiency as a spy. At the same time, Musica's feelings toward Bowie cause her to refuse an arranged mating. This spurs the Zor leaders to authorize a new weapon from their scientists, in hopes of ending the war quickly and recovering their old home planet!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Supreme Commander Anatole Leonard's reckless assault has failed, with the survivors retreating to Moonbase Luna to regroup. Leonard orders a new operation to reinforce the moon base, transforming it into a military outpost for future attacks. The plan is to move quickly and stealthily, so that there will be no chance for the Robotech Masters to realize what's happening. You know, unless someone who really should know better decides to start freely sharing classified information.

So on a date with Zor, the usually strait-laced Nova decides to talk about the operation in public with a man who, until recently, was acting as an enemy bioroid pilot. Fortunately, a jealous Dana interrupts before she can reveal every detail. Still, Zor reports enough to allow the Masters to locate and attack the human ships, leaving Marie rushing to save them with the already battered remnants of her squad.

All is not well among the Masters either. Zor's emotions keep interfering with his efficiency as a spy. At the same time, Musica's feelings toward Bowie cause her to refuse an arranged mating. This spurs the Masters' leading Triumverate to authorize a new weapon from their scientists, one that will not only be effective against the humans, but also against the imminent invasion of the Invid!

Andrzej has a little too good a time
on his enforced "date" with Jeanne.

CHARACTERS:

I hope the writers aren't planning to focus on a love triangle between Jeanne, Lana, and Seifriet - not least because these scenes are by far the most annoying parts of this episode. Jeanne at least gets one fun moment around the midpoint. After Seifriet stands her up, she petulantly orders Andrzej to accompany her to the movie she had bought tickets for. Andrzej ends up having a fantastic time while she doesn't, his raucous laughter irritating her.

That's more than can be said for Lana, who up until now has been characterized as responsible and duty-driven. This episode transforms her into a complete idiot, sharing classified intelligence with Seifriet for seemingly no reason other than to flirt. Never mind Seifriet being a security risk, she's discussing this information in a public restaurant! By all rights, that should earn her a swift court martial.

By contrast, the relationship between Marie and Charles is fairly well played here. I can't claim to be any more invested than I was last episode; but when Marie and Charles are reunited at the end, I believe their reactions in a way that I just don't in the scenes involving Jeanne, Lana, and Seifriet.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Both versions open with narration that recaps the previous episode, including the flowers Jeanne and Seifriet discovered in the cave. This is a surprising detail to include, given that the flowers aren't relevant to this episode. The Southern Cross recap plays like a rushed addition overall.

Robotech's narrator also mentions the flowers in the recap, but this narration provides context to connect them to the episode. We're specifically told that the Robotech Masters know of the flower thanks to their connection with Zor, and that it makes their task more urgent because it's a sign that the Invid are soon to invade. This discovery helps push them to action, making it a motivator for their scenes.

Advantage: Robotech.

Marie and Charles reunite. Robotech adds
dialogue and ruins a good scene.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Jeanne Suggest Seifriet Not Force His Memories: When Jeanne asks Seifriet to the movie, he's fretting about his memory. She suggests that trying to force his memories back will just make them slip further away. In Robotech, the scene is shortened so that there's no productive discussion, just Dana asking Zor out.

Jeanne's Happy Dance: After Seifriet indicates that he will accompany Jeanne, she celebrates for a few seconds with a rather cute happy dance. Robotech cut the scene to the bare minimum, and the dance is one of the casualties... though it bizarrely gets put in as a flashback during the later conversation between Zor and Nova.

The Zor Energy Problem Becomes a Protoculture Problem: Southern Cross devotes some focus to a problem with low energy in the newest generation of clones, which heralds problems for the survival of the Zor. Robotech makes this part of the "protoculture shortage" that's been affecting the Masters from their very first appearance.

The Masters Approve an "Invid Fighter": The Zor leaders approve their scientists' suggestion of a more reliable fighter. Robotech keeps the basic idea of creating a unit more completely controlled by the Triumverate - but they develop it mainly to deal with the next threat, the Invid. I think this is a change for the better. The Zor/Masters are clearly winning the war against the humans. Worries about the obviously more formidable Invid give the Masters a stronger motivation to resort to an experimental solution.

Marie's Tears: When Charles comes to meet Marie at the end of Southern Cross, she begins crying as he reassures her. Southern Cross understands that Marie weeping silently is more effective than anything she might say... while Robotech blunts the emotion by having Marie tell Sean that she wasn't sure if he cared. In the first case, she's weeping for everything that's happened since she took off, from the devastating losses, to the fear of the death, to guilt at having survived when so many of her comrades died. With that one added line, Robotech reduces it to Marie focusing on the attentions of her sort-of boyfriend.

Advantage: Southern Cross. Mainly because of that last change, which sabotages a strong emotional moment.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

The Robotech theme kicks in when Marie rescues the relief force from the Masters' surprise attack. This just about fits the context... but apparently the theme doesn't quite match the length of the scene, so there's an extremely noticeable moment when part of the theme repeats itself.

The Southern Cross music is unexceptional, and its recycled tracks are growing about as wearisome as Robotech's by this point. But Southern Cross has the confidence to go silent during parts of the battle, while Robotech covers every second with music.

Advantage: Southern Cross.

Lana shares classified information with Seifriet.
Because in this episode, Lana's an idiot.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - SOUTHERN CROSS:

This one was on track to being a case of "no advantage." Then Robotech added that one line for its Marie/Sean scene, wrecking one of Southern Cross's best emotional moments. If you take that away, the two versions are very close in both content and quality, with a few changes that even favor Robotech. But that late scene is enough to tip the scales toward the original version.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Iron Lady pushes the plot forward in potentially interesting ways, and it benefits from another pretty good action scene. It also offers one of the better comedic moments, with the art and animation of Andrzej howling in the movie theater as Jeanne scowls making for a genuinely funny moment.

I am really missing the way the Zor were portrayed in the early episodes: Not speaking, just reacting to each other's unheard telepathic communications. Now they're just as chatty in Southern Cross as in Robotech, and they are far less intriguing as a result. I'll allow that this makes it easier for the writers to have the aliens explain their motivations to each other, but I think a lot of atmosphere is lost as a result.

The episode is enjoyable enough. But while it moves the story forward, I can't make myself think it's particularly good. The strained love triangle and particularly the out-of-character behavior of Lana really soured me on this installment.


Overall Rating: 5/10.

Previous Episode: Triple Mirror/Triumvirate
Next Episode: Love Story/Love Song

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads

2-13. Triple Mirror/Triumvirate.

Jeanne's triple mirror stirs up Seifriet's memories.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Triple Mirror.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: July 15, 1984. Writer: Jinzô Toriumi. Director: Yuusaku Satsukime.

Robotech: Triumvirate.

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 10, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

Supreme Commander Claude Leon orders an attack on the Zor fleet. This time, he insists they will succeed because now their Auroran attack chopper is ready to deploy. Marie is assigned to lead the Aurorans, while the Zor watch the humans lift off in disbelief that their enemy could be quite this stupid.

As the Zor engage in easy target practice, inspiration strikes Jeanne about how to recover Seifriet's memories. She takes him to the three mounds, the place where she and Bowie first encountered him. Searching the area, they find a cavern - and deeper inside, they uncover a secret that might just be the key to understanding the Zor!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Supreme Commander Anatole Leonard orders an attack on the Robotech Masters. This time, he insists they will succeed because now their AJAX attack chopper is ready to deploy. Marie is assigned to lead the AJAX units. The Masters watch the humans lift off in disbelief that their enemy could be quite this stupid.

As the Robotech Masters engage in easy target practice, inspiration strikes Dana for recovering Zor's memories. She takes him to the three mounds, the site of the battle that destroyed the SDF-1. Searching the area, they find a cavern - and deeper inside, they uncover a secret that leaves Zor in a state of terror!

Claude Leon decides that a frontal assault against a
superior force is a good idea. Because he's an imbecile.

CHARACTERS:

Jeanne is harboring a planet-sized crush on Seifriet. I continue to wish that some of her anger from Déjà Vu lingered, as that was a character beat that was both convincing and interesting. At this point, though, I increasingly doubt the series will follow up on it.

Jeanne impulsiveness continues to be an effective approach with Seifriet. The instant she thinks of taking him to the mounds, she calls up Bowie and simply does it. She later acknowledges defying orders, earning a sigh from Lana. It's clear that Jeanne's philosophy more or less follows the old saying that it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Charles continues to romantically pursue Marie, and she's thawing in her attitude toward him. I wish I could care, but neither character has received enough attention or been granted enough depth for me to feel at all invested. Oh, and at this point, Claude Leon (and his Robotech counterpart, Anatole) is just an imbecile. One who seems determined to wipe out his own forces a mere three episodes after being told that he'll receive no reinforcements. At this point, Gen. Emerson would save a lot of Gloirian lives, and greatly increase the odds of a successful resolution to the conflict, if he were willing to arrange an "accident" for his superior.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

The Robotech episode is restrained in its narration... with one exception. At the midpoint, when Dana decides to take Zor to the ruins of the SDF-1 to jog his memory, the narrator has to tell us why she's doing this. Never mind that she's just said why she's doing it, and never mind that she restates it a minute or so later. I have no idea why the writers felt compelled to add that bit of narration, but it's enough to tip the advantage to the original version.

Advantage: Southern Cross.

A cavern full of flowers. Southern Cross's Seifriet
reacts quite differently than Robotech's Zor.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Supreme Commander's Speech: The episode begins with Supreme Commander Leon making a speech about the upcoming attack. In Southern Cross, he full-throatedly stirs up the troops by promising that they will "crush the Zor." In Robotech, Anatole Leonard is more realistic, talking about the dangers of the upcoming battle.

Nova Has Been Assigned to Zor's Rehabilitation: In Southern Cross, Lana tries to persuade Jeanne that she should be part of the effort to recover Seifriet's memories. Robotech changes the scene so that Nova has been assigned to Zor, with her telling Dana: "It's out of your hands."

Subterranean Flowers: Seifriet, Jeanne, and Bowie find strange flowers in a cavern, which Seifriet knows are in some way important. All of this is the same in both versions. In Southern Cross, no sense of malevolence is attached to this discovery. Robotech has a third arc to set up, though, so Zor talks about the flowers as if they are dangerous, saying that he can sense them calling out to something far away. 

The Supreme Commander's Aide: At the end of the episode, the Supreme Commander's aide reports the results of the attack. In Southern Cross, he's as pig-headed as Claude Leon, scoffing at how pathetically their troops performed. In maybe the only distinct improvement in Robotech, the aide reports the losses and retreat as a normal person would, and he reacts with appropriate surprise when Anatole declares that they'll follow up with yet another frontal assault.

A Telling Final Shot: Not significant, but worth noting. The final shot of Southern Cross has the camera tilting up to show Gloire's two moons. But since Robotech is set on Earth, the shot is cut short - but not so short that the camera doesn't visibly begin moving upward just before the cutaway.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

I have a basically split verdict on the music in this episode. The first part of the Robotech episode has some odd cues, notably when "adrenaline pumping" music is used right after Dana's conversation with Nova - and then cut short a few seconds later. I also think the Southern Cross music is more generally effective in the pre-battle part of the episode and in the cavern scenes. However, as usual, the Robotech tracks give a substantial lift to the battle scenes, which are a big part of this episode.

Ultimately, I think it works out to being another case of "No Advantage."

Advantage: None.

Jeanne, Seifriet, and Bowie reach the three mounds.
In Robotech, these are also the ruins of the SDF-1.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - NONE:

In this case, the two versions are very close together. Most of the changes are minor, save for those specifically made for the sake of Robotech's continuity. It's basically the same episode, and each variant is about as good as the other.


OTHER MUSINGS:

This was a definite improvement over the previous installment. The story moves along nicely, cutting back and forth between the threads of Marie and the space battle and Jeanne and Seifriet investigating the mounds. It's well paced, and the plot pays off elements from the last episode - notably Claude Leon's rash decision to attack and the entire thread about Seifriet's lost memory.

There are several arresting images: the triple reflection of Jeanne in her mirror, which prompts Seifriet's memory that "the Zor are Trinities"; the tiny figures of our trinity of Jeanne, Seifriet, and Bowie standing before the trinity of the three mounds; the cavern with the flowers; and a number of individual images during the space battle. I could nitpick about recycled shots... but honestly, what show of this era didn't do that? This is a good-looking episode.

I wasn't as invested in the space battle as I'd have liked. First, it's not like there was any question of the attack working. It's been a whopping three episodes since the Zor devastated the human relief forces. The Supreme Commander's all-out assault just serves to make him look even more incompetent than he did already. Nor is there any suspense about Marie's fate; unlike Macross, the regulars in this series have absolute Plot Armor. Between these issues, I found myself just sitting back to watch the 'splosions, and wait for the inevitable result.

The Jeanne/Seifriet material is more interesting. I enjoyed the cavern exploration, and I look forward to seeing where that is going. I remain annoyed at how readily the squad has accepted Seifriet, which feels emotionally false to me, but at least it's an interesting thread.

Overall, this is a good episode that's effective in advancing the main arc and leaving me interested to see what happens next.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Lost Memory/A New Recruit
Next Episode: Iron Lady/Clone Chamber

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads

2-12. Lost Memory/A New Recruit.

Seifriet recovers a lost memory, but he doesn't like what he sees.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Lost Memory.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: July 8, 1984. Writer: Tomoko Kawasaki. Director: Mikio Suzuki.

Robotech: A New Recruit.

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 9, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

Seifriet is assigned to Jeanne's squad, with Gen. Emerson hoping that working alongside those he previously fought will restore his memories of the Zor. Andrzej is less than pleased, and there's resentment from Eddie, a squad member whose brother was killed by Seifriet's red bioroid, but the rest of the squad accepts him readily enough. But when a few memories break through the alien blocks, Seifriet finds himself unable to accept his own actions.

Meanwhile, Claude Leon learns that Gloire is the Zor's homeworld. Despite Emerson's arguments, Claude decides that this makes peace all the more unlikely. He resolves to attack first - a fight that Emerson knows the humans can't possibly win...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Zor is assigned to Dana's squad, with Gen. Emerson hoping that the half-Zentraedi Dana will be able to form a connection with him. The squad is hesitant to work alongside this former enemy, but the only active resistance comes from Eddie, a squad member whose brother was killed by Zor's red bioroid. But when Zor recovers some flashes of memory, he finds himself unable to accept his past actions.

Zor is able to remember that the Masters are here for Earth's protoculture. When Supreme Commander Anatole Leonard learns this, he decides that peace will be impossible. Anatole decides that the humans' only option is a pre-emptive strike - a fight that Emerson suspects they can't win...

Jeanne takes Seifriet on a date.

CHARACTERS:

Remember Jeanne's anger at Seifriet and her guilt at having lost men under her command? Well, the writers apparently don't. Last episode's Jeanne would have almost certainly protested Seifriet being assigned to her squad. In this episode, she's not only fine with it - She reacts like a high school girl with a crush. This is even more overt in Robotech, with Dana actually saying at one point that she thinks she's in love.

The episode does showcase Jeanne's intuitive nature. Her plan to restore Seifriet's memories includes taking him out on a date... which sounds silly at best and inappropriate at worst, but it turns out to be the right approach. The Zor anticipated the kind of direct questioning employed by Lana. But Jeanne stirs up emotions, which the mental blocks were not designed for.

Jeanne deals well with Seifriet's turmoil at the end. She tells him that the past is done, and that shutting himself away will ruin his future as well. This is an effective scene in Southern Cross, but far less so in Robotech. For a change, the problem's not really the dialogue, but the voice acting. Paul St. Peter's performance as Zor is mostly stiff but adequate... except in this scene, where his line readings become downright robotic.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


NARRATION:

Both episodes begin with a recap narration, which is unsurprisingly more bombastic in Robotech. There is no further narration in Southern Cross. There is a little narration in Robotech, but it isn't at all intrusive.

Advantage: None.

Seifriet battles his demons in the simulator. Robotech 
adds enough inner monologue for a radio play.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Sit-Ups: The episode opens with Jeanne doing sit-ups in the gym. She has completed twenty-three sit-ups when she's "saved" by Emerson's summons. But I guess twenty-three isn't heroic enough, so Robotech has Dana completing more than twice that number!

Emerson's Reasons for Assigning Zor to the 15th: In both versions, Gen. Emerson assigns the new recruit to the squad in hopes that serving with the people he had fought will bring memories to the surface. In Robotech, he has an additional reason. Because Dana is half-Zentraedi, he believes she is best equipped to work with the alien (who, in Robotech, is an alien clone and not a brainwashed human).

Dana's Squad Is More Resistant to the Assignment: A change for the better, in my opinion. While both versions have the squad expressing doubts, in Southern Cross the only serious objection comes from guest character Eddie, with the others (too) quickly accepting him. Robotech's squad is more resistant, with only Louis - who is overcome with curiosity about the alien technology - showing any direct friendliness. This helps to paper over the episode's single biggest flaw.

The Simulator: Southern Cross's Seifriet concentrates in silence while shooting targets in the simulator. Robotech doesn't do silence, so Zor has an internal monologue during the entire session ("Running out of time... One left."). As a result, a nicely animated and edited scene is transformed into a radio play with pictures.

A Memory: The Act break comes as Seifriet finally recovers a memory and collapses. In Southern Cross, he remembers the revelation from last episode - that Gloire is actually the Zor homeworld. Because of the changed context, that doesn't fit Robotech. What Zor remembers instead is that the Masters intend to conquer Earth for its protoculture. This change has a knock-on effect: Southern Cross's Claude Leon is jumping to conclusions when he orders his ill-advised attack, while Robotech's Anatole Leonard is simply reacting to Zor's exact words.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

The Southern Cross score is better suited to Jeanne's date with Seifriet at the amusement park. The Robotech music works better when Zor recovers snatches of his memory. It basically evens out.

Advantage: None.

Seifriet has a nightmarish vision.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - SOUTHERN CROSS:

Though Robotech does a decent job of making the squad's reactions to their new recruit a bit more realistic, the other changes are generally for the worse. Notably, Claude Leon's foolish pre-emptive strike becomes almost reasonable in Robotech, with Anatole simply reacting to Zor's declaration that the Masters will attack. At the same time, Gen. Emerson's pleas to find a peaceful solution go from sensible in Southern Cross to seeming naive in the Americanized version... something that I don't think was intended.


OTHER MUSINGS:

I am disappointed that Jeanne's anger from the last episode is completely forgotten. That, along with the Southern Cross squad being ridiculously accepting of this situation, chip away a bit at my overall rating. I particularly wish that the most hostile squad member was one of the regulars instead of a guest character audiences can easily dismiss.

Other aspects of the story work well. As much as I wish Jeanne was more conflicted, I liked her intuitive interactions with Seifriet, and Seifriet himself emerges as a sympathetic character. I couldn't buy into the squad's rapid acceptance of him. What I did believe were his own reactions to his memories, as he moved from determination to find out what happened to feelings of denial, guilt, and self-loathing.

So... a bit of a mixed result. The episode goes by quickly, and there are some fine elements. But I can't help but feel that with a bit more script attention, this could have been a lot better.


Overall Rating: 5/10.

Previous Episode: Déjà Vu
Next Episode: Triple Mirror/Triumverate

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads

2-10. Outsider/The Outsiders.

A Zor bioroid pilot is taken prisoner.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Outsider.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: June 24, 1984. Writer: Hisato Shimogochi. Director: Mikio Suzuki.

Robotech: The Outsiders.

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 7, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

Gloire security forces scour the site of the recent battle, searching for the downed enemy pilot. Lana finds him just as he collapses from his wounds. Gen. Emerson, determined not to lose another potential source of intelligence, orders him kept at the hospital for treatment and observation - and, not without reluctance, Supreme Commander Claude Leon agrees.

Meanwhile, the transmission the humans sent to their home planet, Liberté, finally bears fruit, with a human ship coming to break through the Zor blockade. But the Zor are stronger than the human forces counted on. Worse, when the officer in charge does reach Gloire, he comes with grim tidings for the war ahead.


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

At the site of the recent battle, Nova finds the clone of Zor Prime just as he collapses from his wounds. Gen. Emerson, determined not to lose another potential source of intelligence, orders him kept at the hospital for treatment and observation - and, not without reluctance, Supreme Commander Anatole Leonard agrees.

Meanwhile, the transmission the humans sent to the fleet finally bears fruit, with a battle fortress coming to break through the Robotech Masters' blockade. But the aliens are stronger than the human forces counted on. Worse, when the officer in charge does reach Earth, he comes with grim tidings for the war ahead.

Jeanne is haunted by the ongoing toll of the war.

CHARACTERS:

Marie is in hospital, recovering from her crash in the previous episode. When she hears Charles talking to the nurse outside her room, she starts to primp a bit - only to deflate when she hears him leave in response to the nurse refusing to allow visitors. In Robotech, she further grumbles about Sean giving up so easily.

Jeanne appears to be haunted by George Sullivan's futile death and by the ongoing war. Robotech reframes this, with Dana instead plagued by visions of the Zor clone, furthering the idea of him calling to some buried Zentraedi memory. In both versions, when she sees that Bowie is troubled, she puts on a smile and prods him until he talks to her about the alien girl he's hopelessly smitten with.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Robotech's opening narration focuses on fitting the story to that series' arc, emphasizing Dana's Zentraedi half and the image of Zor that she's certain should mean something to her. The narrator also pops in to tell us that the human ship heading for Earth is from the SDF-3 - again, steering the Southern Cross plot pieces into a direction that fits with Robotech. None of this is intrusive, and it's probably necessary in order to maintain the continuity established by "The Macross Saga."

Advantage: None.

Jeanne coaxes Bowie into talking, in a scene that Robotech 
removed, but repurposed into the frame for Dana's Story.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Dana Is Fixated on Zor: The episode opens with Jeanne sitting at a piano, reflecting on the last battle while her squad sleeps. Robotech alters this so that Dana is explicitly fixated on the alien known as Zor, with her feeling certain that he should mean something to her.

The Zor and the Robotech Masters Have Different Goals: Both versions emphasize a transmitter in the mind of the pilot sent out as bait for the humans. Southern Cross's Zor are using it to study the humans' military capabilities. The Robotech Masters have a more specific goal, hoping that their clone of Zor (now an individual rather than the name of their species) will be able to find the protoculture factory from the SDF-1.

The Relief Ship is Now from the SDF-3: In Southern Cross, the ship trying to break through the Zor blockade was sent from the human world of Liberté. Robotech reframes this, again to fit its ongoing plotline, with the ship sent by the SDF-3.

The Jeanne/Bowie Conversation Is Removed: Charles wakes up Jeanne and, after some banter, points out Bowie's glum mood. Jeanne blinks away her moodiness and puts on a smile to get Bowie to talk about the alien girl he's fixated on. This is substantially the same in both episodes, with Bowie ultimately fleeing to his quarters. Southern Cross continues with Jeanne following Bowie to his quarters, joking about being in "a boy's room" and pushing him to keep talking. Robotech cuts all of this, though much of the animation from this scene was used for the frame of the Dana/Bowie talk in Dana's Story.

The Prisoner's Memory: Near the episode's end, the unconscious prisoner reacts to nightmarish memories of an attack. In Southern Cross, where it's been indicated that all the enemy pilots are brainwashed humans, he is remembering the attack on Aluce Base, and his mention of that gets a reaction from Lana. In Robotech, the Zor clone is instead remembering carnage witnessed by the original Zor.

Gen. Emerson Compares This Situation to the Zentraedi: The tag sees Gen. Emerson arriving at the hospital where the prisoner is being observed, with him seeing that prisoner as their last hope. Robotech adds an internal monologue, with Emerson comparing the current situation to the war with the Zentraedi fifteen years earlier. Emerson muses about how much "easier" that situation was. Um, I think the billions of humans killed when Earth was nearly destroyed might just disagree with you...

Advantage: None.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Southern Cross's first half has a bizarre musical choice, with a disco-like track playing as Claude Leon confronts Emerson about the prisoner. The scene really doesn't require any music at all, and I found this music to be distracting.

Robotech applies its incidentals well throughout the episode. This is particularly true of the action scene in the second half, which becomes noticeably more gripping when backed by the Robotech score.

Advantage: Robotech.

Relief forces arrive to engage the Zor. It doesn't go well.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - NONE:

Both versions work equally well. Robotech drops a character scene in order to fit some ads in and get to the action faster - but the Jeanne/Bowie scene in Southern Cross really doesn't do much other than to repeat information the previous scene had already provided, so it's not much of a loss. Most of the other changes made are simply to bring the story more in line with Robotech's ongoing arc. They don't make the episode better, but neither do they harm it.


OTHER MUSINGS:

This is a transitional episode. The captive pilot is recovering, with the Supreme Commander reluctantly agreeing to allow Emerson to handle studying and eventually interrogating him rather than risk his security people killing another potential source of intelligence. Some new characters arrive, though their ultimate contribution here is just to dash hopes of future reinforcements. And Jeanne and Bowie continue to wrestle with their personal issues. The various threads are kept alive, but the only significant development is the capture of the prisoner.

This keeps the episode from being particularly memorable, but it is entertaining. The big action scene is well-animated, and the story remains on track. Outsider may just be a "building block" episode, but at least it's a sturdy one.


Overall Rating: 6/10.


Previous Episode: Stardust
Next Episode: Déjà Vu

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On BlueSky:

Follow @RandomMusings09 on BlueSky

On Threads:

Follow@randommusings09 on Threads