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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2-19. Crisis/Crisis Point.

Jeanne and her squadron attempt a desperate escape!

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Crisis.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Sept. 2, 1984. Writer: Tadashi Terada. Director: Mikio Suzuki.

Robotech: Crisis Point.

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 20, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

Jeanne and the 15th squadron are prisoners of the Zor - but not for long. After Seifriet leaves his designated area, the Zor decide that the humans are too dangerous to be allowed to live. When Musica discovers this, she stages a daring rescue.

With Musica's help, the squad is able to rescue Seifriet, whose memories have been restored. They make their way back to their mechs. But with the Zor locking down the entire ship, Jeanne isn't sure how she's going to get her squad away and back to the safety of Gloire!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Dana and the 15th squadron are prisoners of the Robotech Masters - but not for long. After Zor leaves his designated area, the Masters decide that the humans are too dangerous to be allowed to live. When Musica discovers this, she stages a daring rescue.

With Musica's help, the squad is able to rescue Zor, whose memories of his prior life have been restored. They make their way back to their mechs. But with the Masters locking down the entire ship, Dana isn't sure how she's going to get her squad away and back to the safety of Earth!

Musica helps the humans against her own people.

CHARACTERS:

There's a scene that really captures the difference in characterization between Southern Cross's Andrzej and Robotech's Angelo. Just after escaping confinement, the squad comes to the control center of the ship. Andrzej argues that they should forego rescuing Seifriet and instead complete their mission by destroying the control center. Robotech's Angelo wants the same thing, but changes in dialogue shift the emphasis. Andrzej wants to do his duty; Angelo seems to just want to blow stuff up for the sake of it. Because while Andrzej is a soldier dedicated to duty, Angelo is mostly just an imbecile.

This is a big episode for Musica. Her feelings for Bowie have overwhelmed her, and she tells her sisters that she wishes she could be alone sometimes instead of always with them. When she learns that Bowie and his squad are to be executed, she takes action - passing a point of no return with the Zor, though (at least in Southern Cross) she still wants to save her own people as well.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


NARRATION:

After the recap, Southern Cross has an establishing shot of the aftermath of the battle before the camera moves to the Zor ship. It's an effective opening visual for the viewer to absorb with no words needed... but since Robotech doesn't do silence, the narrator talks over it, telling us about how the wreckage is "a grim reminder of the horrors of war." Yeah, thanks for that, Mr. Narrator. Where would we be if you left us to interpret visuals for ourselves?

Advantage: Southern Cross.

Seifriet has flashes of memory. So does Zor
in Robotech, but the meaning is very different.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Masters Talk About the Invid: While watching the humans bicker in their cell, the Zor leaders are bemused that they don't seem to realize their situation. In Robotech, the Masters talk about the Invid, discussing how their actions are saving the humans from the upcoming invasion just as much as they're saving themselves.

Zor's Memories Are of "the Protoculture Site": As Seifriet wanders in a daze, he sees flashes of memory from his time on Gloire, which Musica confirms when she finds him. In Robotech, Musica focuses on Zor remembering his visit to "the protoculture site" - the cave with the flowers - even though that scene is depicted in exactly none of these flashbacks.

Louis Explains the Plan in More Detail: The squad discovers Seifriet as his memories are being processed. Observing what's happening, Louis advises waiting until all his memories are restored before staging the rescue. This is the same in Robotech, except that Louis is far more detailed as he goes over the plan, to the point that I half-expected Spaceballs' Dark Helmet to appear and ask, "Everybody got that?"

The Alarm Becomes a Barrier Control: In Southern Cross, the control center features an alarm that can be sounded to alert the civilians to flee the ship. Robotech changes this to a "barrier control" that must be deactivated for Dana's squad to break free. This completely changes the context of Musica and Bowie running for that control. In Southern Cross, they want to save the Zor civilians; in Robotech, they're trying to make good their own escape.

Gen. Emerson's Orders: In Southern Cross, Emerson orders his forces to break off their attack in twenty more minutes. Robotech apparently decided this was too slack a deadline, tightening it to five minutes and making Dana's final escape a lot less likely than Jeanne's, which was pretty darn unlikely to start with!

Seifriet's Fate: When Seifriet announces that he'll delay the Zor and catch up, Andrzej clearly recognizes that he has no intention of doing so. As a result, while the others escape, Andrzej goes back to rescue him. Robotech's Angelo is way too dumb for that, so Zor now escapes on his own, and what had been Andrzej's mech is now explained away as Zor having brought "a change of clothes." Thus, a terrific character beat for Andrzej is tossed aside for no readily apparent reason.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

It's fair to say that many of Robotech's tracks feel overused by this point. It's still good music, so it usually isn't a problem when it's well-applied. But it feels more overused than usual in this episode, a sense that isn't helped by Robotech stuffing every non-dialogue scene with wall-to-wall music. Southern Cross allows several scenes to play without incidentals, which helps to vary the tone and increases the impact of the scenes that do rely on music.

Advantage: Southern Cross.

Zor guards apprehend Seifriet. 

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - SOUTHERN CROSS:

Southern Cross's Andrzej receives some excellent character moments, while Robotech's Angelo mainly comes across as violent and dumb. Robotech also overexplains certain plot elements, while other changes appear to have been made for no reason at all. The episode remains entertaining either way, but I definitely prefer the original version.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Crisis finishes up what has effectively been a three-parter surrounding the infiltration, exploration, and escape from the Zor mothership. Wonderland was the high point, with the characters' exploration of the alien environment being more interesting than the combat-heavy episodes on either side. Still, Crisis remains an entertaining installment. It offers choice character moments for Seifriet, Andrzej, and Musica, with action that is generally well-animated and fun to watch.

Robotech suffers from weaker characterization (as usual) and a few bizarre changes. In Robotech, this is the weakest of the three episodes, while I'd rate the Southern Cross version about even with Bio Psychers.


Overall Rating - Southern Cross: 7/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 6/10.

Previous Episode: Wonderland/Dana in Wonderland
Next Episode: Daydream/Daydreamer

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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

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2-04. Half Moon.

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!

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

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

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.

Previous Episode: Star Angel/Volunteers
Next Episode: Trouble City/Danger Zone

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2-03. Star Angel/Volunteers.

A space mission proves to be more
dangerous than Jeanne bargained for.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Star Angel

Original Air Date: Apr. 29, 1984. Writer: Hisato Shimogochi. Director: Fumio Tashiro.

Robotech: Volunteers

Original Air Date: Apr. 26, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

The Zor ships continue to blockade Gloire. They aren't actually doing anything, but their jamming technology prevents the human colony from contacting its home world, Liberté.

Marie volunteers to lead a mission into space. Two shuttles will attempt to push past the blockade to get a message out requesting reinforcements. Jeanne volunteers to accompany her, bringing Bowie and Andrzej along for the ride.

Jeanne is excited about going into space and seems to regard the whole scenario as a personal vacation. Then an accident occurs, resulting in the destruction of the second shuttle and all aboard, leading her to realize just how perilous her current assignment really is...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The Robotech Masters continue to blockade Earth. So far, they're taking no action, but Command is certain that they will move soon to claim the protoculture factory.

Rather than wait to react, Marie Crystal is assigned to lead a mission into space. Two shuttles will attempt to push past the blockade to get a message out to Space Station Liberty to request reinforcements. Dana volunteers to accompany her, bringing Bowie and Angelo along for the ride.

It's a perilous mission, but Dana is certain that she's up to it. Then an accident occurs, resulting in the destruction of the second shuttle and all aboard - and leaving Dana frozen in terror...

Marie leads a mission that becomes
complicated by Jeanne's behavior.

CHARACTERS:

This installment offers some noticeable differences in characterization. Southern Cross's Jeanne continues to be annoyingly carefree, volunteering herself and members of her squad simply because she wants to go into space. By contrast, Dana takes the mission completely seriously from the start - which actually causes some weirdness in the middle of the episode; a bit involving a fashion magazine fits perfectly with Jeanne's attitude, but it seems actively out of character for Dana.

Other characters are also slightly different between the two shows. Southern Cross's Marie is cold. When the other shuttle is destroyed, she calmly observes that differences in skill (between her and the other pilot) make a difference in space. Robotech's Marie Crystal is still brusque, but she reacts with shock at the other shuttle's accident, while an internal monologue has her worried about Dana's state of mind.

Finally, Robotech's Angelo seems to be deliberately trying to make Dana look bad early in the episode. He fails to tell her about the squad's mechs being transplanted to the shuttle, causing her to be late to the mission. No such sabotage is perpetrated by Andrzej in Southern Cross, with Jeanne's tardiness being 100% her own fault.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


NARRATION:

After showing restraint for most of the episode, the Robotech narrator goes into overdrive at the end. His enthusiasm for the success of "The Robotech Defenders" (TM) is such that I half-wondered if someone needed to clean up the recording booth after he finished his verbal ejaculation.

Advantage: Southern Cross

Jeanne attempts to read a fashion
magazine during liftoff. It doesn't go well.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Reasons for Volunteering: Jeanne volunteers solely because she wants to go into space. Only after the explosion of the other shuttle makes her realize the danger of the situation does she take anything seriously. Robotech's Dana volunteers because she believes the mission is important and that she and her people are up for it... which basically encapsulates the difference between the two characterizations in a nutshell.

Jeanne Goes Shopping, While Dana Goes to Inspect Squad Equipment: This also ties into the changed characterization. Jeanne rushes into town before the mission to buy the latest issue of her fashion magazine, realizing that she's late while on her way back to the base. Dana goes directly to inspecting the squad's hovertanks... which also allows the Robotech episode an "extra ad break" trim.

Dana Is Described as a "Tactical Genius": It's just a single line of dialogue from Gen. Emerson in Robotech, but it gave me a genuine "WTF!?!" reaction. Dana has performed well in two battles, saving the base in the second one. In the process, she has shown an ability to adjust on the fly to changing situations. This is a vital trait in a leader - but it does not represent genius, tactical or otherwise. The original exchange in Southern Cross is much better: The officers express reservations about Jeanne's inexperience and attitude, which Emerson counters by pointing out that she's been effective against the Zor so far - a statement that's undeniably accurate without overstating her abilities.

The Ill-Fated Allied Ship: In Southern Cross, the accident that befalls the other shuttle is down to pilot error. Robotech changes this into a catastrophic malfunction, something that is not the pilot's fault in any way.

Added Dialogue During the Battle: Though this is the exact type of addition that annoyed me in Macross, here it ends up being a good thing. I found the editing of the big battle scene to be haphazard, and I had trouble tracking where characters were, what their status was, and what they were trying to do. Robotech inserts lines that clarify all of these points. The movement from shot to shot still feels a bit jagged, but the added lines eliminate the confusion.

Advantage: Southern Cross. Though the improvements to the final battle almost make this one even.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

The pop themed music for Southern Cross works rather well during the light-hearted first half. It's in the action scenes that the soundtrack falls flat, with its "tense" music just seeming generic. Robotech's incidentals carry the tense moments better, particularly when the shuttle is flying directly underneath the alien mothership.

Robotech's use of its score stumbles at the climax, though. When Dana gets into her mech to join the battle outside the ship, the main theme starts up. The problem with this is context. This is still a tense moment. Marie and Dana are in imminent danger, and the mission actually appears to be a failure. The triumphant, stirring tones of Ulpio Minucchi's theme end up being badly at odds with the actual content.

That misjudgment leaves me favoring the original version this time. Yes, the action score is generic - but a generic score appropriately applied is preferable to a good score that is badly applied.

Advantage: Southern Cross

A terrified Jeanne freezes at a critical moment.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - SOUTHERN CROSS:

Jeanne's arc makes this the first Southern Cross installment in which I've found her to be better-characterized than Robotech's Dana, and that's the main reason why I'm giving the advantage to Southern Cross.

The first half of the episode shows Jeanne at her most irresponsible. She volunteers herself and her squad for a dangerous mission simply to go to space, shows up late because she was buying a fashion magazine, and treats both her tardiness and the takeoff as jokes. Then the other shuttle is destroyed, and she freezes until Marie snaps her out of it, after which she finally behaves with proper seriousness. This is much-needed character development, and it's actually done pretty well.

The Robotech version obliterates that character arc. Dana takes the mission seriously from the start. This creates two problems. First, because Robotech is locked into Southern Cross's animation, some of Dana's mid-episode behavior doesn't fit the context, to the point that the writers shoehorn in a few lines about her strange behavior. Second, Dana begins the episode where Jeanne ends it, meaning that she doesn't particularly grow or change.

I also question the mission objective as presented in Robotech. In Southern Cross, it makes sense: The colonial forces need to get past the enemy to contact their home planet for reinforcements. In Robotech, it is Earth being blockaded. So the homeworld, where presumably most of the citizens and soldiers live, is contacting a space station to request reinforcements from offworld - where fewer soldiers will be. I don't know that there was any way around this, but it is a case where the change in context weakens the episode.

Marie's shuttle flies under the immense Zor ship.

OTHER MUSINGS:

In its original form, this installment greatly enhances the characters of both Jeanne and Marie. The episode offers a tense situation in either version. I particularly enjoy an extended moment of the heroes flying under the Zor ship. On the one hand, it provides temporary safety from the enemy attacks; however, they know the entire time that the attacks will resume in force the instant they emerge.

The end battle is a bit chaotic, to the point that the inserted Robotech dialogue actually helps to make sense of it. That aside, this is an enjoyable episode, particulary the Southern Cross variant.


Overall Rating - Southern Cross: 7/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 6/10.

Previous Episode: Makeup/Southern Cross
Next Episode: Half Moon

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2-02. Makeup/Southern Cross.

A planned offensive goes disastrously awry.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Makeup

Original Air Date: Apr. 22, 1984. Writer: Jinzô Toriumi. Director: Tsukasa Sunaga.

Robotech: Southern Cross

Original Air Date: Apr. 25, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

The alien ship, which Intelligence is able to determine belong to a race known as the Zor, continues to hang in the sky over Gloire. The military decides to draw the aliens out with an attack, while Jeanne and her 15th squadron are ordered to take up positions guarding the city.

The attack goes awry, with the Zor forces easily outmaneuvering the humans. When the aliens launch a counteroffensive on the human Space Center, Jeanne and her troops join the fray - in direct violation of their orders!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The Earth declares war on the Robotech Masters, and the military prepares an offensive against the huge ship that remains in orbit. Dana Sterling and her 15th squadron are ordered to take up positions guarding the city.

The attack goes awry, with the enemy forces easily outmaneuvering the humans. When the aliens launch a counteroffensive against the Earth base, Dana and her troops join the fray - in direct violation of orders!

Andrzej tries to stop Jeanne from violating orders. Again.

CHARACTERS:

This makes two out of two Southern Cross episodes in which Jeanne has violated orders, only to be rewarded for it. In Prisoner, she breaks out of the brig, physically assaulting multiple superior officers along the way. In this episode, she leaves her post... which, had the Zor shifted targets to attack the city, would have been a disastrous decision. Worse, Southern Cross seems to thus far believe that we should find her behavior endearing.

As was true of the previous episode, Robotech tries to correct for this. False Start was re-edited so that Dana's promotion to squad leader came after a battle in which she actually was following orders; and though she violates orders in this episode, it ends up being more a case of anticipating them; Robotech takes pains to show that her squad was about to be called up anyway.

Advantage: Robotech.


NARRATION:

Shifts in the story to tie this into the larger Robotech narrative make some narration a necessity. Unlike the last episode, though, this installment goes overboard. The Robotech narrator doesn't just recap events and slip in exposition to tie this to Macross; at one point, he actually tells us what we're about to see before the scene in which we see it!

As before (and as I suspect will be the default), the only Southern Cross narration is limited to a brief recap and "next time" teaser.

Advantage: Southern Cross

Marie mocks Jeanne for reading a fashion
magazine, in a scene that was cut from Robotech.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Post-Meeting Conversation between Jeanne and Marie Is Cut: After the briefing, Marie and Jeanne have a conversation in the hall... but only in Southern Cross, as the scene was cut from Robotech. It's a brief character exchange: Jeanne drops a women's magazine, which inspires mockery from Marie about both that and Jeanne's desire for promotion. The helps to establish the rivalry between the two while also foreshadowing Jeanne's promotion to lieutenant.

Marie's Assignment Is Shuffled Between Scenes: In Southern Cross, Marie is never assigned to the attack on the Zor. In Robotech, she is explicitly meant to be part of the attack on the Robotech Masters... which, since she isn't part of the attack, requires the narrator to tell us that the orders got changed at the last minute. I'm not sure why that alteration was made at all; once it was obvious that they had to patch it for the episode to make sense, wouldn't it have been easier to have just rewritten the earlier scene?

Cleaner Editing of the Battle: In both versions, the aliens attack the base, prompting Marie and her squad launch. The editing of the battle in Southern Cross is rather confusing. Given the many shots of fighters being destroyed on the ground in Southern Cross, I could not for the life of me figure out how Marie's group even managed to get airborne. Robotech cleans this up, removing several of the shots of destruction and inserting dialogue that clarifies that the attackers are still approaching Marie's position. This helps to make the sequence far more coherent.

More Fanservice Nudity: Jeanne takes another shower, complete with butt and breast shots. Then, when Lana reveals her promotion, she's so shocked that she drops her towel and swoons naked at Lana's feet. Robotech shortens the shower nudity and removes the last bit of the scene entirely.

Dana Makes a Few Jokes During the Ceremony: The episode ends with the promotion ceremony. Southern Cross just has Jeanne arrive in her hovertank, switch it to robot mode, and then form the illusion of rabbit ears. Robotech takes that a step further, with Dana making several rabbit-related puns to close out the episode... which is entirely in-character and makes the scene feel a bit more complete.

Advantage: Robotech.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

I think this is going to be a norm throughout the "Masters" episodes: The Robotech incidentals are just plain better during action pieces or tense moments. As a result, the combat bits play better in the American series.

Advantage: Robotech

Jeanne's promotion ceremony. Apparently, she
should have turned left at Albuquerque.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - ROBOTECH:

What was true of Macross proves even truer here: Robotech's incidental music gives a hefty lift to action-heavy installments. Even discounting the music difference, Robotech improves several problems with the heroine. Dana still tilts toward being irresponsible, but she isn't as insanely negligent as Southern Cross's Jeanne comes across. Add in a few editing fixes that make the battle scene play out more coherently, and this is one case in which the Americanized version noticeably improves on the original.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Two episodes in, I can already tell that Southern Cross does not have the same level of writing as Macross did. The characters are fairly shallow, and there doesn't seem to be the same thematic strength. Which isn't to say that Southern Cross is bad. If anything, I find a lot of the animation to be more fluid than in the previous series. Both episodes have benefited from a fast pace, and the scripts effectively skip between light comedy and action. It's a more superficial series, but thus far it's enjoyable enough on its own merits.

The most interesting element is that the humans are the aggressors so far. Not so much in Robotech: There, it's been made clear that the Masters have come to take control of the protoculture factory, meaning they have initiated this situation, and Dana's Story showed them starting the initial battle. But in Southern Cross, both engagements were clearly started by the humans, with the Zor merely responding. That can't be an accident, and I look forward to seeing where this thread goes.


Overall Rating - Southern Cross: 6/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Prisoner/False Start
Next Episode: Star Angel/Volunteers

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