2-22. Catastrophe/The Invid Connection.

The Zor city takes casualties during the battle.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Catastrophe.

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

Robotech: The Invid Connection.

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


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

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

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

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


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

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

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

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

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

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

CHARACTERS:

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

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

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

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

Ah, well.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


NARRATION:

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

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

Advantage: Robotech.

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

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

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

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

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

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

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

Advantage: Southern Cross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

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

Advantage: None.

Civilians desperately evacuate the city as the battle draws near.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - SOUTHERN CROSS:

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


OTHER MUSINGS:

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

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

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


Overall Rating: 8/10.

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

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2-21. Nightmare/Final Nightmare.

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

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Nightmare.

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

Robotech: Final Nightmare.

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


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

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

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

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


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

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

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

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

Bowie and Musica enjoy a moment of happiness.

CHARACTERS:

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

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

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

Advantage: Southern Cross.


NARRATION:

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

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

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

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

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Advantage: Southern Cross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

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

Advantage: Southern Cross.

The final battle begins.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - SOUTHERN CROSS:

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

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

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


OTHER MUSINGS:

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

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

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


Overall Rating: 9/10.

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

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2-20. Daydream/Daydreamer.

Bowie is determined to protect Musica.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Daydream.

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

Robotech: Daydreamer.

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


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

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

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

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


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

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

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

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

Andrzej confronts Seifriet.

CHARACTERS:

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

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

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

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

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

Advantage: Southern Cross.


NARRATION:

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

Advantage: Southern Cross. 

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

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Advantage: Southern Cross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

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

Advantage: Southern Cross.

Lana suspects that Jeanne's squad is hiding something.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - SOUTHERN CROSS:

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

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


OTHER MUSINGS:

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

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

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

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


Overall Rating - Southern Cross: 10/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 7/10.

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

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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

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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

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2-11. Déjà Vu.

Jeanne comes face-to-face with Seifriet, the
enemy pilot who's caused her so much trouble.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: July 1, 1984. Writer: Jinzô Toriumi. Director: Yasuo Hasegawa.

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 8, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

Gen. Emerson orders that Seifriet, the captured Bioroid pilot, be moved to a military hospital and placed under Lana's direct supervision. As she questions Seifriet, he is able to remember that he was a second lieutenant on Aluce Base when the Zor attacked - but he can't recall anything that happened in between the attack and being found by Lana.

Charles notices the tight security in the hospital when he visits Marie. He finds out that "the red Bioroid" is being kept on the top floor and informs the squad. Jeanne declares that she has to see this prisoner with her own eyes - and for a change, Andrzej is in firm agreement in wanting answers from him.

They hatch a plan to infiltrate the hospital. But when Jeanne comes face to face with Seifriet, the prisoner is able to remember one thing - leading to a particularly upsetting revelation...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Gen. Emerson orders that the captured Bioroid pilot be moved to a military hospital and placed under Nova's direct supervision. When she questions the prisoner, he is unable to remember anything beyond vague impressions of being in a battle. He tries to remember more, but the pain is too intense for him to bear.

Visiting Marie in the hospital, Sean finds out that the captured pilot is being kept on the top floor. Dana declares that she has to see this prisoner and get some answers from him. Angelo disagrees with her, as usual, but he goes along with her plan anyway.

They infiltrate the hospital easily enough. But when Dana comes face to face with her former enemy, she is surprised by just how human he seems...

Lana tries to help Seifriet regain his memory.

CHARACTERS:

Jeanne is increasingly tormented by nightmares. She feels guilty about Marie's injury, which occurred in the same battle as George's death. When she confronts Seifriet, all her guilt consolidates into a single source: the deaths of people under her command. Andrzej wants answers, but I think Jeanne's goal may actually be to confront and kill Seifriet. Even as Andrzej and her squad celebrate a successful operation, she remains shaken.

All of this is simplified in Robotech. There's no sense that Dana might be pursuing vigilante justice, and there's relatively little sense of any great mass of internalized guilt. As a result, her confrontation with Zor is less charged - which isn't helped by the changed context robbing the scene of its big reveal.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


NARRATION:

Southern Cross opens with a quick recap of the situation given at the very start. The opening Robotech narration covers the same general ground, but I think it's better written. And while Robotech does feature a small amount of in-episode narration, it's not intrusive. As a result, for a rare change, I'm giving this category to the American version.

Advantage: Robotech.

The Zor leaders discuss their hopes for the spy they've planted.
In Robotech, the Masters have different goals. 

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Reason for the Spy: The episode opens with the alien leaders talking about the spy they've planted among the humans. Southern Cross's Zor race hopes for insight into human psychology and specific intelligence that will let them defeat the humans without harming Gloire's environment. The Robotech Masters are just waiting for their Zor clone to pinpoint the location of the protoculture. Also, while Southern Cross's Seifriet is a human who was brainwashed, Robotech's Zor is not, with the Masters even remarking on how stupid the humans are to believe that he might be.

Bowie's Remarks About Musica: Both versions see Bowie talking about the girl he met on the alien ship. In Southern Cross, he says to Jeanne that he can sense that she's not a bad person, which makes him believe that there are those among the Zor who could be reasoned with. Robotech bizarrely changes this to him speculating that, because he's sure that she's not a bad person, she therefore "isn't one of them." Because apparently all of the aliens must, by definition, be evil.

The Prisoner's Recollections: Southern Cross's Seifriet specifically recalls being a soldier assigned to Aluce Base. When Lana presses him for more information, he experiences a painful, nightmarish vision. Robotech can't have this be in silence, so the Zor clone narrates the entire vision before vowing to not try to to remember if the pain will just stop. I actually like that last part of the Robotech scene, but the unnarrated Southern Cross version is otherwise the more effective one.

Andrzej Supports Jeanne's Plan; Angelo Argues Against It: When Jeanne declares that she wants to see the Bioroid pilot, Andrzej agrees that he would also like some answers. Robotech's Angelo says the exact opposite, stating that they should keep their noses out of it. I have no idea why this change was made, save that Andrzej is a three-dimensional character while Angelo is more or less "the Frank Burns" of the show.

Dana Is Much Less Angry than Jeanne: Jeanne is bristling with anger during the confrontation with Seifriet. Dana doesn't show nearly as much emotion when she confronts the Zor clone, even when she blames him for the deaths of men under her command. In Robotech, she sounds downright friendly when he remembers Musica, encouraging him to remember more. Oh, and the half-alien Dana drops the following line: "You aliens are all alike! Um... unless the writers are trying to imply some hitherto-unseen self-hatred, I'm wondering if they just plain forgot about her origins.

The Ending: Southern Cross ends with Seifriet remembering something that shakes Jeanne to her core. Robotech's changed context doesn't allow for the same revelation, which blunts the effectiveness of the ending. It also makes it a bit of a head-scratcher why Dana is so shaken at the end of the episode.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Both scores are well applied, with no moments that are noticeably more effective in either version.

Advantage: None.

Jeanne, in a rare contemplative mood.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - SOUTHERN CROSS:

Robotech is hobbled by having to remove the big reveal. As a result, Southern Cross is able to hit harder. The Robotech episode is still good, but the episode's biggest punch has been taken away from it.


OTHER MUSINGS:

Déjà Vu is neatly divided into two halves. The first half is dominated by the ongoing arc: the plans of the Zor, Gen. Emerson's hopes to gain vital information from Seifriet, and Lana's attempts to help Seifriet to remember his past. These elements get more screen time in the first half than Jeanne and the 15th squadron do, though a couple of scenes do show her mounting feelings of guilt and frustration.

The second half transforms into a caper flick, with the 15th infiltrating the hospital. This is achieved a little too easily, playing out like something from a midseason A-Team episode, but it's still rather fun - though Jeanne's nurse's outfit looks less like a real nurse's uniform than like something picked out an adult specialty shop.

Just when the episode seems to be settling in as light entertainment, the confrontation between Jeanne and Seifriet sees the tone shift again. Their scene is emotional, with Jeanne left even more shaken than she's been throughout the episode. The contrast between the heavier emotional material and the lightheartedness of the big set piece is effective... though I can't say that the ending revelation was particularly hard to see coming.

As mentioned, Robotech's ending is defanged by having to remove the major revelation. Even so, relatively few changes were made to the rest of the episode, and the overall structure and the clash of tones still works - just not quite as well as in the original version.


Overall Rating - Southern Cross: 8/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Outsider/The Outsiders
Next Episode: Lost Memory/A New Recruit

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