2-18. Wonderland/Dana in Wonderland.

Down the rabbit hole: Jeanne falls into an opening inside
the Zor ship and makes a startling discovery.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Wonderland.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Aug. 26, 1984. Writer: Jinzou Toriumi. Director: Yuusaku Satsukime.

Robotech: Dana in Wonderland.

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 17, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

The Zor have re-established control of Seifriet, though only partially. He turns on the 15th, but he seems to be struggling. When he fires at them, his aim is wild. This gives the squad time to escape into the Zor ship, where they plan their next move.

They are cut off from any chance of backup, but they still have a mission. Camouflaging their mechs, they make their way into the city inside the ship, searching for a way to reach a control center. Through a series of misadventures and narrow escapes, they get a look at Zor society - one that prizes unity among its trios and that tries to purge all individual will!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

The Robotech Masters have re-established control of Zor, though only partially. He turns on the 15th, but he seems to be struggling. When he fires at them, his aim is wild. This gives the squad time to escape into the alien ship, where they plan their next move.

They are cut off from any chance of backup, but they still have a mission. They make their way into the city inside the ship, searching for a way to reach a control center. Through a series of misadventures and narrow escapes, they get a look at this alien society - a society that has made individuality into its greatest crime!

Musica tries to protect Bowie from her own people.

CHARACTERS:

This is another episode that does well at balancing the cast. Jeanne gets the most attention, of course, and there's something appropriate about a character who is independent to a fault literally falling into a center that exists to correct the "flaw" of individuality.

The other characters also get their moments, and in ways that showcase who they are. Bowie and Musica reunite, their mutual bond evident as Louis watches over them with a sort of indulgent bemusement. Charles attempts to use his charm on a trio of Zor women and quickly discovers that this was a bad idea. Andrzej remains absolutely focused on the mission, filtering out all distractions. Even Seifriet gets his moment, as he struggles against the Zor control long enough for the others to get away. No character is simply "there" - They all get something to do.

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Both episodes open with a recap. Robotech again adds in mention of the Invid, emphasizing that the conflict the Masters and the humans can't have a true winner with this new threat on the way. The narration extends into the opening shot, which helps to cover up the episode cutting to it in mid-pan. On the whole, both the narration and the bridge into the episode proper are well done.

Advantage: Robotech.

Jeanne and her squad try to blend in among the Zor.
They're not very good at it.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Gloire's Moons Are Again Removed: The opening shot, after the recap, is of Gloire's two moons, before a pan to Gloire and the Zor ship. Robotech cuts in after the pan starts, with only the one moon shown.

Dana Gives Combat Instructions to Angelo: In Southern Cross, Seifriet wrestles against himself while confronting Jeanne and Andrzej. After firing several wild shots, Jeanne observes that the way he's fighting is strange. In Robotech, Dana instead tells Angelo to change to "battleoid mode" to fight Zor more effectively.

Bowie Wants to Avoid Involving the Zor Civilians: While Jeanne and her team are deciding what to do next, Bowie expresses a desire to keep the civilians out of it. Robotech removes this, cutting straight from Louis advising going to the center of the ship to the next scene.

The Supervisor's Reaction to the Humans' Escape: The squad splits up after a scuffle with some guards, and the episode cuts to a Zor supervisor learning that the humans escaped. In Southern Cross, the supervisor orders that surveillance be intensified. In Robotech, the supervisor threatens punishment for the guards' incompetence. Because he's a sci-fi villain after all, and that's what villains do.

The Chamber Jeanne/Dana Falls Into: Jeanne falls from a vehicle and down a proverbial rabbit hole into a confinement area. In Southern Cross, this area is for Zor who have lost their "identicals" and who are therefore no longer part of a trio. Robotech alters this, with Dana finding herself in a center for "purging and replacement" - basically a re-education camp for clones who have been found guilty of independent thought.

Advantage: None. Though there are a few changes, they don't impact the quality of the episode.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

This is another case where both episodes apply their scores well. No moments particularly stand out, but there are also no moments where the music becomes intrusive or jarring.

Advantage: None.

Louis is ensnared by a Zor trap!

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - NONE:

I can't really give one version a nod over the other. Aside from a few light trims, most of the changes made for Robotech are minor ones that were made to fit that series' continuity. Nothing is particularly disrupted by those changes, leaving the two versions on about equal footing. 


OTHER MUSINGS:

Some of the animation looks a bit blocky, with basic character movements like walking or running occasionally coming across as jagged. However, this is more than made up for by the creative artwork of the ship's interior, from sterile labs to an organic almost-forest. It's a good-looking episode overall, even with those visible problems involving character movement.

Given the title Wonderland, it's unsurprising that there are a few nods to Alice. Jeanne and the others drink substances and, while disguised as Zor, they are given bio-energy to consume (Louis has to stop Jeanne from gulping it up, because Jeanne has the impulse control of a five-year-old). Jeanne even falls through a hole and finds herself in another strange setting.

The pace is rapid, taking the heroes from one misadventure to the next, but it never comes across as rushed. It also gives us a decent look at Zor society - which, for the average civilian, looks like a case of being "comfortably oppressed." The citizens don't seem to want for much, but at the same time simple individual thought (or, in Southern Cross, having the misfortune to lose an "identical") is enough for them to be summarily arrested and confined.

Between the pacing, the glimpses of the alien culture, and the strong balance of the ensemble, I'd rank this as Southern Cross's best episode thus far. By the standards of this series, I think this one merits full marks.


Overall Rating: 10/10.

Previous Episode: Bio Psycher/Mind Games
Next Episode: Crisis/Crisis Point

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2-16. Hunter Killer/The Hunters.

Louis beams with pride when he's asked to modify an
invention for training. He doesn't stay proud for long.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Hunter Killer.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Aug. 5, 1984. Writer: Tomoko Kawasaki. Director: Mikio Suzuki.

Robotech: The Hunters.

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 15, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

To reach Aluce Base, Gen. Emerson's forces must pass near the region of space occupies by the Zor. Emerson hopes to traverse this area without the Zor noticing, and he appears to get his wish - only to find the aliens preparing a trap near their lunar destination.

Meanwhile, Louis has invented a device that vastly improves his performance on a flight simulator game. This attracts the notice of two senior officers, who recruit him to modify his device for use in training simulations. But after completing his work, Louis learns that his invention will be used for more than just training...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

To reach Moonbase Luna, Gen. Emerson's forces must pass near the edge of a nebula that is uncomfortably close to the Robotech Masters. Emerson hopes to traverse this area without the enemy noticing, and he appears to get his wish - only to find the aliens preparing a trap near their lunar destination.

Meanwhile, Louis has invented a device that vastly improves his performance on a flight simulator game. This attracts the notice of two senior officers, who recruit him to modify his device for use in training simulations. But after completing his work, Louis learns that his invention will be used for more than just training...

Emerson hopes to avoid battle by sneaking past the Zor.

CHARACTERS:

Gen. Emerson shows both prudence and strength as a commander. When the Zor appear not to notice the humans as they pass near their ships, a subordinate urges a surprise attack. Emerson rebuffs this, reminding the younger man that their mission is to reinforce the base. Unspoken but clear is that getting killed in space will make that mission a failure. However, when battle becomes unavoidable, Emerson doesn't hesitate to engage the enemy and is quick to come up with a solution to their dilemma.

At least, all of that is true in Southern Cross. Most of it is still true in Robotech. However, the Robotech episode tacks in some dialogue with a subordinate urging Emerson to action when the Robotech Masters attack, which makes the general look a lot less decisive.

The episode's other strand shines a spotlight on Louis. We already know that he likes to tinker. Here, he explains to Jeanne why he's so interested in machines, talking about how machines are able to offset man's inherent limitations. He dreams of inventing something that will enable humanity to reach its full potential, and Jeanne is impressed at his romantic ideals. It's a key scene, because it shows all the reasons why he's so appalled when he discovers the true purpose for which his invention is being deployed.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


NARRATION:

Southern Cross's opening narration is the usual recap, focusing on Gen. Emerson's mission to expand the human forces at Aluce Base and the Zor's plans to stop him. Robotech's narration shifts focus entirely, placing the emphasis on setting up the Invid Invasion for the third arc. It's an understandable change, but it does mean that relatively little groundwork is laid for those who might have missed the previous episode.

Advantage: Southern Cross.

Jeanne tests Louis's invention.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Nebula: To reach Aluce Base, Gen. Emerson's forces pass through a zone controlled by the Zor. Robotech slightly alters this by having them pass through the edge of a nebula to reach Moonbase Luna.

Added Technobabble: When Louis describes the way the game works in Southern Cross, what he says is technical but still basically straightforward. Robotech decides to go the full Star Trek, with Louis descending into a soup of Technobabble that I suspect is mostly gibberish.

The Odds of Breaking Through the Enemy: When the Zor spring their trap in Southern Cross, Gen. Emerson first tries to just break through without engaging. He asks what the odds are, and is told there's a 51% chance of success. Robotech's writers must have decided that wasn't dramatic enough, as the American show changes this to a 20% chance. This actually hurts Emerson's characterization. In Southern Cross, he has a basically even chance of getting his forces out of danger by just flying through, making it a sensible order to give. In Robotech, his odds are slim, making his order seem desperate.

Sean Has Suspicions: Both episodes come back from commercial to a scene in which Charles/Sean talks about Louis's game. Robotech changes the conversation slightly. Unlike Charles, Sean voices suspicions that Major Cromwell's plans for the device may go beyond a mere training simulation. I actually like this change. Combined with a slight change of emphasis when Cromwell first asked to use the device, it more strongly foreshadows the ending. It also fits with Sean's background, given that he was the 15th squadron's original commander before he was busted back to private; even in peacetime, he would have had some experience dealing with interdepartmental politics, and he'd know to be wary of others' motives.

Lt. Brown's Reasons for Joining the Mission: Lt. Brown announces that he'll be joining the 15th Squadron for the next phase of the Supreme Commander's plan. In Southern Cross, he wants to support Gen. Emerson. Robotech alters the dialogue so that he wants to prove his bravery to the general - which makes it sound less like personal loyalty and more as if he's angling for a promotion. I prefer the Southern Cross version.

Bad Dialogue Ruins a Major Reveal: Robotech continues its ongoing struggle with dialogue that sounds either juvenile or clunky or both. This is particularly noticeable in the dramatic reveal of how Louis's invention is being applied. The Southern Cross scene is quite strong, with effective moments for Jeanne, Louis, Bowie, Seifriet, and Andrzej. In Robotech, almost every line lands with a thud, ruining the episode's major scene.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

This is an action-heavy episode, and Southern Cross's "battle music" isn't particularly impressive. That makes it little surprise that Robotech wins this category. Most noticeably, Robotech uses one of its tracks to very strong effect when Louis's game is demonstrated just before a cut back to the battle, musically connecting the two scenes more smoothly than the same transition in the original verison.

Advantage: Robotech.

Caught in a Zor trap, Gen. Emerson tries a desperate tactic.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - SOUTHERN CROSS:

Robotech suffers from some of the clunkiest dialogue the show has delivered in a while, which really harms the episode's most emotional moment. Emerson's character is also made to look weaker, thanks to dialogue from his subordinates making it appear that he's hesitant instead of decisive.


OTHER MUSINGS:

The Southern Cross episode is quite good. The "A" and "B" plots have no immediate impact on each other, but both strands are well-presented and enjoyable. The episode also moves along at a pace that's fast without feeling rushed. The Southern Cross writers know to slow down for a good character scene between Jeanne and Louis, while also finding time to show Bowie worrying about his father (or godfather, in Robotech) while at the same time pretending not to worry.

The Robotech version remains watchable. The fast pace is built into this one, and the Robotech music benefits the action scenes. But the dialogue problems make Robotech noticeably worse in this instance, resulting in one of the weakest episodes of the Americanized show in a while.


Overall Rating - Southern Cross: 7/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 5/10.

Previous Episode: Love Story/Love Song
Next Episode: Bio Psycher/Mind Games

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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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2-11. 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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2-07. Labyrinth Opera House/The Trap.

Bowie is separated from his squad in the maze-like alien ship.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross - Labyrinth Opera House.

Original Air Date - Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: May 27, 1984. Writer: Tomoko Kawasaki. Director: Tsukasa Sunaga.

Robotech - The Trap

Original Air Date - Robotech: May 2, 1985.
Story Editor: Steve Kramer. Supervising Director: Robert V. Barron.


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

Jeanne's squad has breached the crashed Zor ship. Their mission is to gather intelligence about their enemies, and the plan is for helmet monitors to broadcast everything they see to their superiors. But it doesn't take long for that plan to be disrupted.

The broadcast cuts out almost immediately. Electronic eyes watch the humans as they progress. Doors are opened or closed to separate them into smaller groups and to direct their progress. Gen. Emerson's plan had been for Jeanne and her people to gain information. In reality, the Zor are studying them, like scientists watching rats in a maze.

Then squad members begin vanishing...


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

Dana's squad has breached the crashed alien ship. Their mission is to gather intelligence about the enemy, and the plan is for helmet monitors to broadcast everything they see to their superiors. But it doesn't take long for that plan to be disrupted.

The broadcast cuts out almost immediately. Electronic eyes watch the humans as they progress. Doors are opened or closed to separate them into smaller groups and to direct their progress. Gen. Emerson's plan had been for Dana and her people to gain information. In reality, the Robotech Masters are studying them, like scientists watching rats in a maze.

Then squad members begin vanishing...

Jeanne investigates the ship, unaware
that she and her squad are being watched.

CHARACTERS:

Early in the episode, Jeanne orders two men to stand guard at the entrance. At the end, as she and her squad escape, she is horrified to see the bodies of those same men, dead because of her orders. They weren't even bad orders; guarding the entrance is a pretty basic precaution. Nevertheless, the tag makes clear that she feels a strong sense of guilt. Robotech removes the tag, so Dana's reaction is reduced to the close-up of her staring at the bodies.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


NARRATION:

There is one amusingly bad moment in which the Robotech narrator spells out that Dana's squad is being watched over close-ups of the cameras in the walls watching them. We have eyes, Mr. Narrator! Outside of that one instance, the narration stays out of the way of a generally very good episode.

Advantage: Southern Cross

Our first sight of the Zor in Southern Cross, but just the
latest of several appearances by the Masters in Robotech.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

The Zor Leaders Are Revealed; the Robotech Masters Just Return: More a difference of context than content, but still worth commenting on. This is the first Southern Cross episode to show us the Zor leaders, which makes their appearance noteworthy in itself. By contrast, Robotech first showed us the Masters a good fifteen episodes ago, then showed them again in Dana's Story. As a result, their first scene just doesn't have the same impact.

The Robotech Masters Speak. Too Much: Even though this episode shows us Zor of different apparent ranks and classes, the aliens retain a mysterious and otherworldly nature because they are completely silent. The civilians stare at Jeanne and her squad; the guards chase them; the leaders exchange looks and nods as they plot against them. Not a single one ever says a word.

The Robotech episode changes this. As Dana and her squad move deeper into the ship, an observing guard gives a maniacal laugh (TM). Other guards bark at the humans to not move. The Masters all but narrate their every move. It's a very good episode in both versions, but having the aliens speak (worse: having them never shut up) costs Robotech a great deal of the original's atmosphere.

Bowie and the Mystery Woman: When Southern Cross's Bowie encounters a mystery woman playing a space harp, he initially thinks that she's a human captive of the Zor. He even asks her if she's a prisoner. Robotech's Bowie never seems to even consider that she's anything but an alien, babbling about how music is the "universal language" when he isn't outright drooling over the poor girl.

"Intelligence Says They're Clones": Robotech drops this gem when Dana's squad notices that there are three of each individual civilian. Recall the previous episode, which explicitly stated that the entire reason for this mission was that the humans knew NOTHING about the aliens. Emerson was still wondering if they might be Zentraedi! So where did "Intelligence" get this information? Oh, right - the script.

Charles Recognizes the Trap; Sean Does Not: Southern Cross's Charles - who, remember, was sharp enough to have been the squad leader before his behavior got him demoted - realizes that the squad is being herded into a trap. He's calm about it, flatly stating that there's nothing to do except wait for events to play out, but he recognizes what is happening. His Robotech counterpart, Sean, is an imbecile who complains about being bored and who thinks the aliens all fled before they arrived.

The Ending: Robotech ends with the squad successfully escaping from the enemy ship. This works perfectly well. It resolves the plot, and an extra line dubbed over the final freeze frame establishes a plot point for the next episode. Southern Cross keeps going, however, offering an epilogue in which Jeanne and Andrzej reflect on the redshirts who didn't make it while Bowie thinks about the mysterious woman he encountered. I like this ending much better, as it demonstrates that the plot events had an impact on the characters.

Advantage: Southern Cross.

A mysterious alien woman plays a space harp.
Her music is much better in Southern Cross.

INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Southern Cross's score continues the series' style of using rock-inspired soundtracks, but its music still establishes an effective otherwordly atmosphere. Also, Southern Cross's space harp makes a sound that is alien, but that's still definitely music. In Robotech, the space harp creates such an atonal mishmash that I actually laughed when Bowie declared it "beautiful." As for the incidentals, Robotech applies them well - but it's just the same basic tracks, at least one of which is used twice.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


OVERALL ADVANTAGE - SOUTHERN CROSS:

Both versions of this episode are good, but I found every change made for Robotech to be for the worse. Angelo and Sean are much dumber than Andrzej and Charles, and for no particular reason. The silent Zor of Southern Cross are mysterious, while the chatty Robotech Masters feel generic and even boring in the exact same scenes. Finally, while there's nothing wrong with Robotech's ending, Southern Cross epilogue closes out an otherwise plot-heavy installment with an effective character beat.

Oh, and Labyrinth Opera House is a vastly more evocative episode title than The Trap.

Zor civilians. In Robotech, Earth Intelligence is already aware
of them, despite knowing nothing about the ship last episode.

OTHER MUSINGS:

In either version and by either title, this is a top-notch episode. The squad seems in control at the very start, only to split into smaller and smaller groups until they're left entirely vulnerable. The story is well paced, with enough action to keep things moving without overwhelming the sense of mystery or the revelations.

My only complaint has to do with the two redshirts who die guarding the entrance. Jeanne feels guilt at their deaths, but the audience feels nothing. When Ensign Kenny beams down with Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, you already know what his fate is going to be. This is the same issue. Imagine how much more dramatic these deaths would be if Louis, or Charles, or Andrzej was among them.

This is one of the major ways Southern Cross doesn't live up to Macross. When Macross needed a character's death to deliver an emotional blow, it wasn't shy about killing off regulars. A future episode might prove me wrong; but at this moment, Southern Cross's main characters all seem to be defended by impenetrable Plot Armor.

Still, that's more of an overall observation about this series. As an episode, this is generally excellent and is easily Southern Cross's best installment to date.


Overall Rating - Southern Cross: 9/10.

Overall Rating - Robotech: 8/10.

Previous Episode: Prelude/Prelude to Battle
Next Episode: Metal Fire

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2-01. Prisoner/False Start.

Jeanne's introduction - in the brig, of course.
Robotech moves this scene to later.

Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross: Prisoner

Original Air Date: Apr. 15, 1984. Writer: Jinzô Toriumi. Director: Yasuo Hasegawa.

Robotech: False Start

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


PLOT - SOUTHERN CROSS

It is a dark time for the members of the 15th Squadron of Southern Cross's Alpha Tactics Armored Corps. The squad commander, Charles, has been confined after making advances on a general's wife. The second-in-command, Jeanne, is just being released from solitary confinement after the latest in a succession of reckless stunts. The colony world of Gloire is currently under yellow alert - but as Jeanne takes command, she orders a drill that's really an excuse to goof off.

Meanwhile, a mysterious alien ship appears in Gloire's orbit. Gen. Rolf Emerson orders his men to wait until they know the aliens' intentions. But a trigger-happy soldier opens fire, starting a battle with the unknown aliens.

It's a situation that calls for all soldiers to join the fight. But even as the announcement is being made, Jeanne finds herself being returned to the brig for what's likely to be a much longer stay. This leaves her squadron leaderless during the crisis - something she isn't willing to allow!


PLOT - ROBOTECH:

After squad leader Sean Phillips is put in the brig for unwanted advances on a female superior officer, command of the 15th Squadron of the Alpha Tactical Armored Corps falls to Dana Sterling, daughter of the famed Max and Miriya Sterling.

This apple has fallen far from the tree. Dana is headstrong and reckless. Her first order is to organize a drill that's really an excuse to goof off. Since this occurs during a yellow alert in the wake of the alien attack on the Earth's lunar base, Dana is taken to the brig for several days, leaving her squad leaderless.

During Dana's imprisonment, the Robotech Masters advance on Earth. Gen. Rolf Emerson orders his men to wait until they know the aliens' intentions. But a trigger-happy soldier opens fire, starting a battle with the unknown aliens.

It's a situation that calls for all soldiers to join the battle. An officer who considers Dana to be "a disgrace" decides to assign her to a high target area - which leaves her on the front line as the aliens begin their attack!

Jeanne is arrested a second time. It's not promising
for this series that I'm on the MPs' side here.

CHARACTERS:

In either version of the episode, Jeanne/Dana makes a rather poor first impression. I think we're supposed to find her reckless disregard of rules to be charming, but all I see is a selfish brat who's happy to endanger other people and property for her own momentary satisfaction. In absolute fairness, Hikaru/Rick was pretty obnoxious in the first Macross episode - but he paid for that with a succession of embarrassments across the early installments. By contrast, Jeanne ends this first episode by getting promoted! Ah, well. I just hope that the character grows and matures the same way Hikaru did across his series. At the moment, I'm inclined to agree with the officer who labels her "a disgrace."

Advantage: None.


NARRATION:

Southern Cross features a small amount of narration ahead of the titles, quickly establishing that its setting is a colony world and that the main characters are members of the military force defending it. After that, the episode plays out with no narration until the "next time" teaser.

Robotech includes the usual narration throughout the episode. In this case, however, it's needed. The new context of being "the second generation" of an ongoing saga requires additional exposition to create links to Macross that weren't originally there (despite Southern Cross sharing the "Superdimension" banner with Macross, there is no direct continuity between them).

It falls to the narration to establish that the characters are not only on Earth, but they are also guarding a city that's close by the wreckage of the SDF-1. Since the aliens are not actually shown in this episode, narration specifically identify them as the Robotech Masters.

I can't really ding the show for necessities created by its multi-generational narrative in this instance, and the narration is otherwise not intrusive. As a result, I'm calling this one a draw.

Advantage: None

The squad gets into a brawl. Robotech's Dana tries to stop it.
Southern Cross's Jeanne is an enthusiastic participant.

CUTS AND ALTERATION:

Jeanne Is Introduced in Solitary; Dana Is Not: Southern Cross introduces Jeanne in confinement for previous dangerous stunts. Not that she seems terribly concerned about this, as she's introduced checking her face in a mirror. She is let out as the squad commander, Charles, is being locked up, with the two basically swapping places.

Robotech retains the scene, but it's moved to the midpoint, with Dana's confinement now a consequence for her actions during the first half. I understand the reasoning: The twin arrests seems like a repetitive beat, and this way Dana's actions don't go entirely unpunished the way Jeanne's do in the original. Still, Southern Cross's scene makes for an excellent visual introduction to the character, showing her careless nature and lack of respect for consequences before she so much as speaks. Also, moving this to mid-episode requires the Robotech version to insert a pause of days during the alien arrival, which undercuts the tension.

Rank Confusion: Jeanne is a sergeant in this episode, and she receives a promotion at the end as a result of her actions during the battle. Dana is a lieutenant from the start... except for a moment in mid-episode that sees her referred to as a sergeant. I'm not sure why the change, but it creates a minor but entirely avoidable inconsistency.

The Brawl: Southern Cross's Jeanne is an enthusiastic participant in the brawl with Marie's squad, literally jumping around gleefully after one of her attacks connects. In Robotech, Dana keeps crying out for the others to stop fighting. This is probably an attempt to correct for the character being so irresponsible, but it actually undercuts her as a leader when her cries are ignored by her men and Marie's alike. In addition, the Robotech lines don't match the animation. If Dana is so desperate for them to stop, surely she shouldn't be dancing around with a grin on her face.

Jeanne Breaks Out to Join the Fight; Dana Is Assigned: Jeanne is being booked into the brig (again) when the battle starts. Hearing the announcement, she apologizes to her superiors before knocking them back and running to collect her squad. That is why she expects punishment at the end of the episode. In Robotech, Dana is assigned to her position under the theory that action "might do her some good" - which makes it confusing when she expects punishment, as all she did was follow orders - and rather well, at that.

Peakaboo Nudity: In Southern Cross, Jeanne ends the episode by taking a shower, allowing her to show off her cartoon assets for the benefit of the male viewership. Robotech cuts around the fanservice, showing only head and shoulders before cutting straight to her flashbacks of the battle.

Advantage: Southern Cross.


INCIDENTAL MUSIC:

Southern Cross makes use of a pop soundtrack during the first half, which fits well with scenes of Jeanne and her squad's reckless idiocy. The battle music is much weaker, though, feeling mostly generic.

Playing the end battle scene from the two shows side-by-side makes clear how much of a difference music makes to a set piece. It's the same scene visually, but it feels more dynamic in Robotech because the battle music creates tension more effectively.

I'll acknowledge that Robotech's incidentals are less effective in the lighthearted first half. But its music is so much stronger in the second half that it easily wins this category.

Advantage: Robotech

The aliens attack. The music makes this more dynamic in Robotech.

OVERALL ADVANTAGE - SOUTHERN CROSS:

This mainly comes down to three issues. The first is the introduction of Jeanne/Dana. Southern Cross's visual introduction of her in solitary gives an impression of who she is in the opening seconds. In Robotech, Dana is introduced taking over the squad. As a result, it takes several minutes to gain as much of a sense of her as a character.

The second issue is narrative consistency. Robotech's changes introduce minor but noticeable incongruities, such as Dana's variable rank and the way her dialogue in the brawl scene fails to match up with her animations.

Finally, the battle scene cobbled together for Dana's Story undercuts the impact of the humans firing the first shots. In Southern Cross, a moment of panic starts a war that might have been avoided; in Robotech, the war has already started, and the end of this episode is the second battle.

Gen. Emerson looks out on Gloire, reflecting on the war to come.

OTHER MUSINGS:

My biggest worry about Southern Cross is that, as of this point, I dislike its heroine. Jeanne is going to need to grow as a character quite a lot, because at this point she's borderline insufferable.

That aside, Prisoner is a decent opener. The first half introduces the setting and characters, doing so mostly through action and visuals. The second half initiates the conflict, and it does so in such a way that the humans (well, that one idiot officer) might well be to blame for all that follows.

Robotech re-edits the episode to a far greater degree than was usually the case in Macross, in part because it has to establish a semi-reconstructed Earth setting that is quite different from the original show's colony world. By necessity, a lot of this is done through narration, but there are also several references in dialogue: A disapproving officer talks about Dana being a disgrace to Max and Miriya's name, for instance, and the general references the humans' defeat of the Zentraedi. It's clear that the writers are doing all they can to keep this feeling like part of the same series, even though the characters and art style are different.

At this point, this is the most different that a Robotech episode has been from its source material, and I'll be interested to see if that level of divergence continues.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Dana's Story
Next Episode: Makeup/Southern Cross

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