Gatchaman Episode 84: “Smog Fiber, The Spiderweb Iron Beast”

We open with a less-than-cheerful scene of a city street where the inhabitants are suffering from extreme poverty.





“Due to continual environmental disruption and the increase in population,” the narrator tells us, “the world is entering an age of food shortage.”

Then we cut to an even more extreme example, where dead or dying people are strewn about on the ground.





(I get the feeling this scene won’t be in the BOTP version…)

The narrator continues, “The South African country of Wale, is no exception. Even the most advanced scientific resources haven’t been able to change the fearful tide of the times.”

And we see some pretty clear evidence of civil unrest.





“People wander the streets, looking for anything to eat,” concludes the narrator, “And these beautiful modernized metropolises have become ghettoes of death.”


And we get a somber view of crows on the outskirts of a city (and I really hope that they’re not eying any dead or dying people on the ground).




The narrator adds that “it’s only a matter of time,” before these cities become total ruins, “empty buildings and graveyards,” as the crows take flight.

But there is some hope yet. We cut to a view of UN headquarters, where a plan for the ISO to transport food to Wale is afoot. (Better late than never, but it sure looks like you guys should have thought of this months ago!)

Relief supplies are being loaded onto transport planes.





And the planes then proceed to fly to Wale.





Inside one of the planes, a pilot observes some strange looking clouds ahead, but decides that there’s no time to avoid them and he instructs the junior, mustache-less pilot fly through them. Dunh, dunh, dunh…





Sure enough, within moments the junior pilot is crying out in alarm as an “unidentified object,” coming towards them, becomes visible within the clouds.





And then this mysterious ships releases a host of little rocket-type ships.





These little rocket-type ships then take on a circular formation around the mother ship, and hover in place.





Next, little guns protrude from all around the mother ship and begin firing –not at the transport planes, but rather at the little rocket-type ships, sending streams of a string-like substance towards them.





Quickly, the strings attach to all the little rocket-like ships and then form a web-like grid that surrounds the area all around the mother ship.





We can see a control panel, presumably inside the mother ship, registering that the web is now complete, and a hand is seen pressing a button.

Next, the first of the transport planes (which have apparently either not seen the web or not had time to evade it) hits the web –and we see that it is, in fact, carrying strong electric current.




And, this has a rather unfortunate effect on the transport planes, as several more of them also collide with the web.





In fact, it destroys all of them. At last we see the villain behind all this –and it’s not Berg Katse. He’s standing on the bridge of the mother ship, laughing evilly, and his taste in fashion seems to have both late 19th C military and “pirate” as its inspiration. ADV has given him a dub accent that sounds rather German.





“They fell right into our trap,” he’s saying, as Berg Katse now appears on-screen.





“Lord Katse, did you see the power of the new mecha I developed?” he asks.

Katse agrees that his mecha is impressive, and from him we learn the man’s name –Dr. Demon.

“I’m definitely very interested in investing,” says Katse. This is interesting, Galactor purchasing rights to a freelance mecha design, rather than developing one in-house.

Katse is certain Galactor can make good use of Dr. Demon’s mecha and adds “This gives you a wonderful opportunity for some payback to dear old Dr. Nambu.”

This remark seems to startle Dr. Demon, and he declares “I won’t hear of it! That’s none of your business!” while turning away from Katse.

“Sorry to salt that old wound of yours, old chap,” continues Katse, sounding anything but sympathetic, “But we’ll use your mecha on one condition: I want you to leak secret information on your smog fiber to Dr. Nambu.”

At the mention of this name again, Dr. Demon wheels around angrily to face Katse once more.





“But Nambu? Why?”

Katse proceeds to explain that since Dr. Demon has destroyed the transport planes, Dr. Nambu is probably already investigating the incident and that if Dr. Demon offers him secret information about it, Dr. Nambu will certainly approach him, with the Science Ninjas in tow, and Dr. Demon will be able to discover their secret identities.

“If all goes well,” adds Katse, “It’s your perfect opportunity for revenge.”

And then, the screen goes blank and Katse is gone.

“Nambu…” mutters Dr. Demon to himself, and we see his mental image of himself (before he’d turned evil, presumably, and was obliged to take on a more flamboyant and sinister look) and Dr. Nambu, standing together.





“We used to study together,” says Dr. Demon to memory-Nambu, “You were the one man I never wanted to lose to, but in the long years since you took the post at the ISO from me, I’ve spent my days in shame! All of my research overlooked!”

He clenches a fist.

“And now look at me!” he yells, “Curse you, Nambu!”

He slams his fist down.





“See what you have reduced me to!” he continues to rant bitterly, “Selling weapons to Katse and Galactor!”

But after a pause, he collects himself and removes his eye patch. Setting it down, he adds a small device with a camera shutter to it. When he puts it back on, the light briefly glints from the mini camera it now conceals within.





Now we cut to the Crescent Coral Base, and the ever present fish.


Dr. Nambu, inside, holds up a cassette tape and announces that it’s a recording of a phone call made to the ISO, then relayed to him via “secret lines.”





He puts it into a tape recorder and the Ninjas, all gathered around, listen.

“Dr. Nambu, it has been awhile,” says Dr. Demon’s voice, “It’s me, Demon, your old classmate.





We hear Dr. Nambu’s voice say “Hello, Demon,” and then Dr. Demon explaining that he doesn’t know where Dr. Nambu is but “This is an urgent matter, so I asked the ISO to patch me through to you.”

Dr. Demon’s voice then goes on to say that he wants to offer information he’s obtained “from a certain source,” concerning the truth about the transport planes’ destruction.

“I’ll be waiting for you at the civilian airport landing field by R beach at 10 pm tonight. No one will see us there. I’ll be there alone so I want you to come alone as well.”

Ken doesn’t like the sound of this.





Ken insists that it sounds just like a trap being set up by Galactor, and he plants a determined fist on the desk. But Dr. Nambu has turned to gaze out the undersea window at the fish, and he replies, “It could be…”

But Dr. Nambu turns again to look at the Ninjas.

“But I’d still like to trust him,” he says, “He’s an elite scientist with specialized skills.”

Now we see a memory-Dr. Demon (from back when he used to dress a lot like Dr. Nambu) as Dr. Nambu explains that when the ISO was established, “in hopes of revitalizing this badly polluted world,” both he and Dr. Demon were candidates for a key position within it.”

All the Ninjas are listening intently.





As it turned out, the job was given to Dr. Nambu, not Dr. Demon –who “disappeared suddenly after that.”

“He knows the horror of turning his back on world peace better than anyone,” declares Dr. Nambu, beginning to walk towards the door.

“You mean you’re going to meet him?” asks Ken, sounding alarmed.

Dr. Nambu insists they need to get clues about the explosions of the transport planes.

But Ken thinks that he and the other Ninjas should all come with him.

“Besides,” adds Jun, to Dr. Nambu, “You would have been in danger if we hadn’t shown up.”





Everyone is lost in silence for a moment, but suddenly one of the screens on the wall behind them activates.





A somewhat blurry and distorted image of Berg Katse appears, mockingly announcing a special broadcast from Galactor. Everyone stares in dismay.





“Lots of dirt to dish in this edition,” continues Katse, “Paparazzi on the prowl. Oh, and I’ve had a really good look at your faces –before you know it, Galactor’s messenger from Hell’s coming for you. Hang up your capes, the Team’s finished, guys!”





Katse breaks into a peal of evil laughter, but then cuts out and the screen goes blank again.

“They’ve finally seen our faces,” says Joe with grim unhappiness.





“This could very well be the end of the Team as we know it,” mutters Ryu, looking sad.





“We’ll have to make up the difference by improving our mecha,” announces Dr. Nambu, sounding determined and not at all in despair like the others. This gets everyone’s attention for sure.





“Do you have any plans on how we can defeat smog fiber?” asks Ken.

“I’ve got an idea or two,” replies Dr. Nambu smoothly. I’m thinking that he’s taking this whole thing as a personal challenge from his old rival, Dr. Demon, and is determined to win once again.




Commercial Break!


We return with a scene of Jinpei’s helico buggy in some kind of booth, being sprayed down with… some kind of substance. The narrator helpfully informs us that “Dr. Nambu had often been burned by Galactor’s mechas in the past, but this time he had information on smog fiber from Dr. Demon himself, so he was able to take measures in advance.”

And now we can see Dr. Nambu, in a control room where he’s separated from Jinpei’s buggy by a window of glass, and as he mans the controls, the buggy is still being sprayed down.





Now we learn, from the narrator, that what is being applied to the buggy is an “electro-resistant coat,” that will make it “impervious to any sort of electrical currents.” Dr. Nambu seems satisfied with his work, and pulls off his safety glasses (which he wears right over his regular glasses). However, a telephone is ringing and he goes to answer it.

It’s Director Anderson on the line, and he’s just been contacted by UN Headquarters. “They’re scheduled to transport another large food shipment tomorrow,” he explains.

So the people of Wale haven’t been forgotten. Hopefully some of them are still alive –they weren’t looking too good last we saw them!

“We can’t sit around any longer watching the people of Wale starve to death,” he adds, “A full two hundred people are dying every day.”

But he changes the subject now and asks Dr. Nambu, “By the way, is it true what I’ve heard about the Science Ninja Team?”

Heard from who I wonder?

Dr. Nambu admits that “their identities have been compromised,” but he quickly insists that the Team has not been defeated and that they’re set on destroying the smog fiber mecha.

Director Anderson seems reassured by this, and tells Dr. Nambu that they’ll wait to hear from him before sending off the transport planes, but once he’s hung up the phone, his anxiety is more obvious.





But now we cut back to the Crescent Coral base, where the Ninjas are in birdstyle (about time, guys!) and gathered around Dr. Nambu.

Dr. Nambu is explaining to them that smog fiber emits a powerful electric current. “Your birdstyles are designed to withstand a considerable current,” he adds (guess that’s how Ken survived touching those moth-incinerating electrified bars in ep. 58), “But its current is much greater than they can handle.”

Everyone is listening, a bit apprehensively.





But now Dr. Nambu tells them about the “electro-resistant coat” that he’s sprayed on Jinpei’s helico buggy, and he seems to think that this will be sufficient for them to defeat smog fiber. There’s no explanation as to why he can’t also spray Ken’s jet –or the entire God Phoenix. Maybe this electro-resistant coat has expensive and/or scarce components, so that only the smallest vehicle can be sprayed with it.

At any rate, he tells them “Many lives are in your hands now, and they are all counting on every one of you!”

So, everyone salutes and cries “Roger!” (though Jinpei seems to have decided he’s a Nazi, not a Ninja.)





At an airfield, “high speed fighter jets” are preparing to take off, watched by a man in an ATC tower. The jets take to the air, and then we see the God Phoenix flying by too. At last, along come the new transport planes carrying food relief for Wale.

The God Phoenix is flying somewhat ahead of this convoy of fighter jets transport planes.





In a base somewhere, Katse is clenching his fists angrily and ranting at an on-screen Dr. Demon that the transport planes have taken off and “Gatchaman is on the way!” He insists that Dr. Demon “Forget about their identities –just kill them all!”

Dr. Demon, unruffled by this yelling, remarks that he’s only suffered one setback. Taking on a slight smirk now, he adds, “I would think you’d be used to one failure after another.”





Heh, Katse doesn’t like this one bit, and he continues to berate Dr. Demon –a supposed mecha expert- for making “such a stupid mistake.” So, Dr. Demon just cuts out, and the screen goes blank.

Katse really doesn’t like this one bit.





But elsewhere, the convoy heading for Wale is still flying along, and the God Phoenix is still in the vanguard.





All seems to going well, but Ken turns to Jun and asks her if the transport planes are “still following us all right.” She informs him that “they’re right behind us.”

So far, so good.





Ryu, however, notices that there are some high thunder clouds up ahead. We get a look at them through the view screen and they are indeed dense and dark looking. Ken wants to know just how high they are, and it’s Joe who tells him “fifty-two fifty, way up there.” (I’m not sure what “fifty-two fifty” means here, but in the subs he says 16,000 meters –that’s certainly high!)





So, Ken decides they’ll go under the thunder clouds and he instructs Ryu to tell the other planes in the convoy to do likeswise. And the God Phoenix begins to descend.

The jets and the transport planes all follow along.





But suddenly Ken gasps.





And, whatever Ken’s seeing, Ryu and Joe see it too (and react just a little more expressively).







Not surprisingly, what they’re seeing is Dr. Demon’s ship.





“It looks just like a flying spider,” says Jun uneasily, as a nervous Jinpei clutches her.


But now the fighter jets bank slightly. Seeing this on the radar, Jun realizes that they’re flying straight towards the smog fiber mecha.





Ken presses a button on his console and starts speaking into a microphone, addressing “All transport planes,” and informing them that the smog fiber mecha has appeared directly ahead, in their flight path. Ken instructs them to “break formation at once and head for your destination,” and he confidently adds, “Leave Smog Fiber to the Science Ninja Team.”

The transport plane pilots don’t seem to have any problem with this plan! And the Ninjas keep on going.



(Jun has switched seats with Jinpei –maybe she didn’t want to sit beside Joe.)


Ken tells Ryu to put them on a collision course with the mecha. Ryu is rather alarmed by this, blurting “What? And what are we going to do after that?”

Ken, testily, snaps “Just follow my orders –all right?”





So, Ryu does (but not without saying “What a grump.” Hee.)

But much to her alarm, her bracelet falls off and she begins to de-transform.





I think this might have been Dr. Demon’s plan all along. Without delay, he readies his eyepatch camera and points dramatically at Jun, declaring he’ll reveal her identity.




Except that Ken and Joe immediately get in the way, screening Jun from view.





“Out of my way!” he snarls, but just then he gets hit with Jinpei’s bolas.





This sends him spinning around and falling against his console. Quickly Ken and Joe give Jun a boost up to the level where Jinpei’s buggy is sitting, so that she can hide from sight in there.






Joe stoops and picks up her bracelet from the floor and he too leaps to the upper level. Ken, however, goes for Dr. Demon. He grabs his jacket, begins shaking him and demands that he press the mecha’s self destruct button.





“That is the last thing that I will do!” sneers Dr. Demon.

“Would you rather have us destroy it?” demands Ken, still shaking him, “I’m offering you this one chance so that you can end your life with a scrap of dignity –one more chance to prove the proud scientist you once were!”

These words seem to make an impact on Dr. Demon.

“You’re not on the Science Ninja Team for nothing,” he says, more quietly, “If times hadn’t changed, you would have worked for me. Nambu chooses his colleagues wisely.”

As he says this, he closes his eyes, seeing an image of Dr. Nambu in his mind.

Now, he seems resigned to his fate.

“Some copies of the photos I sent to Katse,” he says, reaching into his jacket to pull out some, and he hands them to Ken.





“Give them to Nambu for me,” he adds. Ken stares at the photos, looking a little startled. Meanwhile, Dr. Demon activates a small timer on the wall.

“It will self destruct in one minute,” he tells Ken, “You’d better leave now.”

Despite the fact that Dr. Demon is doing exactly what Ken wanted him to do, Ken nevertheless looks rather shaken by his apparent willingness to die now.





“But Dr. Demon,” says Ken, while on the upper level, Joe calls down to him “Let’s blow this joint!”

“Farewell,” says Dr. Demon, sitting down now in his chair to await his end, “Give my best to Nambu.”

Ken closes his eyes, some sweat visible on his face. I don’t think he’s had much experience with Galactor captains who prove to be this brave and honorable at the very end. But Ken must also be thinking about how many people are dead (especially in Wale!) because of him.

“Hurry up, Ken!” calls Joe again, and this time Ken leaps to the upper level to follow Jinpei’s buggy, and Joe, out of the place.

“You win again, Nambu…” whispers Dr. Demon, watching Ken leave.





At that moment, Dr. Nambu is at the Crescent Coral base, staring out an undersea window, and there’s a picture on the desk behind him.





Abruptly, the picture falls over. Dr. Nambu whips around and stares at it, looking rather stricken. Oh so symbolically, the glass has cracked, creating a divide between him and Dr. Demon in the photograph.





Meanwhile, the God Phoenix pulls its nose out of the doomed mecha and flies away as, inside the mecha, the self destruct timer continues to count down.

And then it all explodes –even all the little rocket-like ships that had been anchoring the smog fiber web.





“Fools! They failed again!” yells Katse, seeing a screen now filled with static, “I’m surrounded by sheer useless idiots!”

(Not really fair to Dr. Demon here –he seemed a cut above a lot of other “captains of the week.”)

But now Katse is clutching his head, groaning that Leader X is going to yell at him…





The God Phoenix has landed, and the Ninjas are all outside of it, watching smoke rise into the air in the distance, where the remains of the mecha had fallen.

Joe seems to have just given Jun back her bracelet. We see her snap it back on to her wrist and she holds her arm up, thanking them all.





“Don’t even mention it, Sis,” says brat Jinpei, “We’ll never let them see your face as long as we live. Besides, it’s not like it’s really worth looking at anyway.”





“Are you sure about that? Check this out!” says Ken, shoving a picture towards Jinpei’s face. (Heh, does this mean Ken thinks her face is really worth looking at?)





Everyone crowds in eagerly to see it.





They all start laughing -well, except Ken that is.


Finally, we get to see Dr. Demon’s picture of the Team.





Jinpei tears the picture to pieces, tossing them into the air. (Hey kid, that’s littering!)





“The laughter of the Science Ninjas resonated for the first time in a long while,” says the narrator, as we see the transport planes flying overhead (presumably having returned from a successful delivery of food to Wale), “It has a ring to it only found in the laughter of those who have been forged in the furnace of ordeal. Their work has saved many lives, but Ken knew that they must never forget that a valuable mind had also been lost.”





The End.

“Over here,” calls Dr. Strecker’s voice, followed by, “If it isn’t my dear old friend.”

Chief Anderson looks startled to see Dr. Strecker, who’s lounging against a light post –maybe because he’s changed his look rather dramatically since defecting.

“You really did want to see me again, didn’t you?” continues Strecker, “What’s the matter, old friend? You seem shocked –don’t you recognize me any more? After you fired me, I continued with my research but without proper equipment, I lost my eye because of you!”

(Ah, kudos to BOTP for working in an explanation for the eye patch.)

“I’m truly sorry about that,” says Anderson gravely.

But Strecker, striding up to him now, still instists “I hold you responsible for the loss of my eye and the loss of my career!”

“Strecker, I never fired you,” counters Anderson, “You walked out, without a word.”

Strecker doesn’t reply immediately –he’s busy lighting up a cigarette.

“I’m sorry you feel the way you do,” continues Anderson, “It’s a shame to waste great skills like yours –come back with me.”

But Strecker is now smirking ever so slightly, and his eye patch glints briefly…

We also briefly see a shadowy figure dash past in the semi-darkness behind Anderson.

“It’s too late for that now,” declares Strecker, “It’s too late.” In a much louder voice he cries “It’s time to end this game!” and he tosses his cigarette high in the air.

Clearly it’s more than just a cigarette, for once it’s in the air, it flashes out an extremely bright light and suddenly all the G-Force members, out of their uniforms, are all revealed to be standing several feet behind Chief Anderson. They all freeze and stare up at the light in alarm.

Strecker puts a hand to his eye patch, even as Anderson turns to G-Force (apparently not all that surprised or upset to see them there) and hastily says “Get undercover –fast. He’s trying to photograph your faces,” as he himself throws his arms wide in an attempt to block any picture Strecker might take of them.

With a gasp of dismay, the G-Force members all leap and scatter, as fast as they can, but Strecker does snap a picture…


With a “Farewell and good riddance, Doctor Anderson,” Strecker turns to run away, but not before tossing a smoking and incendiary-looking object at Chief (or Doctor?) Anderson.

Mark leaps for Chief Anderson, getting him clear of the object before it explodes –and it does indeed make a potentially lethal-sized explosion.

“Are you all right?” asks Princess, coming up behind them, with Keyop. “That’s an old friend of the Chief”s?” asks a scowling Tiny. “Friends like that, who needs enemies?” burbles Keyop.

“I figured we should tag along behind you, just to play it safe,” says Mark to Anderson, looking but not sounding remorseful.

“I’m glad you did. I just hope he didn’t get any photographs of you,” replies Anderson, “If Strecker was able to take pictures of you out of G-Force uniform, you could be identified by every Spectra agent throughout the galaxy.”

No one likes that idea much, but now we cut to Zoltar. “I want that photograph of G-Force immediately,” he’s telling a soldier, “And don’t botch it up!”

Upon being told that it’s nearly ready, Zoltar is pleased. “At last, I shall have a picture of the elusive G-Force, out of uniform.”

And the photograph begins to print out…

Zoltar gazes at it, and quickly snaps “What? Print out another copy!”

And we cut to a remorseful-looking Mark, back at Center Neptune.

“Strecker knew I’d go and talk to him,” Anderson is saying, to Mark and the rest of G-Force, gathered around Mark, “And you wouldn’t be far behind.”

“I guess we did the wrong thing,” says Tiny.

Mark, still looking gloomy, punches one hand with his other, saying “Dumb thing, we played right into his hands.”

But Anderson walks over to him and puts a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry about it,” he tells Mark, “I know you meant to help.”

“The ones who really need help are those in Stellar City,” adds Princess.

But just then, a screen on the wall activates, and a somewhat blurry image of Zoltar’s face appears.

“How nice to see you all, I wonder if you can guess what I have,” says Zoltar. No one seems to think it’s nice to see Zoltar, but they stare in dismay as he goes on “It’s a lovely photograph of you all –now I know what each of you looks like out of uniform.” He goes on to claim mockingly that Strecker’s photos are “excellent” and belong in a gallery –“a rogue’s gallery!” He breaks into evil laughter here and his image cuts out.

“Keep them in your wallet, Zoltar,” retorts Jason, but Tiny and Princess look very glum.

“If we can’t show ourselves,” asks Tiny, “How are we going to do any good?”

“You’ll find a way,” interjects Anderson suddenly, sounding grimly determined.

Mark points out that finding Strecker, “and soon” is the most immediate goal.

Chief Anderson grips his chin with one hand, in thought, saying “Right. We need a plan.”

And now we cut to Zark.

He’s at his monitors, being all self-righteous and saying “I don’t know how many times I’ve told G-Force not to go out on a mission unless they’re transmuted into uniform. Now maybe they know why I’m such a fussbudget. Those photographs Strecker gave to Zoltar could spell serious trouble for them.”

And the “I told you so”-ing continues, even as Zark extends his legs to wipe his upper monitor screens with a cloth.

“I also warned Chief Anderson about Strecker, and he didn’t take my advice. I get so hot and bothered about things like that, I steam up my monitors.”

Ugh, Zark is especially hard to take when he’s being smug and preachy.

“Call it a hunch in my analytical spectrometer, but something tells me Strecker is altering the climate around Stellar City.”

Yes, Zark figures out everything!

“He has the scientific skill to contribute great advances or… deadly evil.”

So, Zark decides to check on G-Force and “see if they have any solution yet.” What, you don’t have one to offer them yourself, Zark?

His antennae briefly stand on end in consternation, as he realizes that Keyop “is going to be sent into action.” He can tell this because he’s seeing Keyop’s buggy getting some kind of special coating sprayed all over it.

“Keyop’s star buggy,” he now tells us, “Is undergoing a special treatment to make it resistant to tronic beams. Doctor Anderson has come up with a plan of action!”

And we see that it is indeed “Doctor” Anderson (why, I wonder, is he so often “Doctor” instead of “Chief” in this particular episode?) whose giving the buggy its protective treatment.

“They now have definite proof,” Zark continues to voice-over, “That Dr. Strecker’s tronic web is the cause of the drought that has threatened thousands of lives in Stellar City. G-Force must stop him!”

But, we don’t learn what this proof is or how they learned of it.

G-Force, now in their uniforms (Zark would approve) are gathered around Anderson now and he tells them “The fate of Stellar City is in your hands, G-Force. You know how clever Dr. Strecker can be –don’t try to outguess him. He’s completely unpredictable… and deadly.”

Everyone is listening gravely.

“Your mission,” continues Anderson, “Is to penetrate the tronic space web so the cargo planes can get through to Stellar City. It’s not going to be easy. Remember, he’s a desperate man, so watch yourselves and good luck.”

Everyone salutes and cries “G-Force!”

Now we see some fighter jets at an airport, preparing to take off, and a man in an ATC tower is saying “Tower to Phoenix, remote controlled fighters approach squadron and cargo planes are taking off.”

And they do indeed take off, and once in the air, they all start following behind the Phoenix.

“No wonder they fired you,” Zoltar is saying, fists clenched in anger, “You’re a born loser, Strecker!” Now we see that Strecker is visible on one of Zoltar’s screens. “You’re a pitiful scientist; you can’t even take decent snapshots!”

“Don’t worry, I have the pictures of G-Force you want!” retorts Strecker, now cocking his head a bit smugly, “But you’ll pay for them, and plenty. I’m not as naïve as you hoped.”

“Are you trying to bargain with me?” demands Zoltar, “I will do the bargaining and set the terms, Dr. Strecker! Now I demand you hand those other pictures over to me immediately and-”

But Strecker just “hangs up on him,” or more literally, disappears from the screen.

“You do not fade when I am speaking!” rants Zoltar, fists shaking in anger.

But, we go back to the remote controlled jets and transport planes now, still flying along after the Phoenix.

On the bridge of the Phoenix, Mark asks Princess for a “read out on the electro gravity field constants,” and is told “Point O nine O seven” –whatever that means.

“I’m picking up a weird beep on the radar scanners,” says Tiny now (I didn’t realize he could check the radar from where he sits), “It seems to be coming from behind those storm clouds.”

“I’ll add this pretty shot to my collection!” cries Strecker, readying his eye patch camera, but before he can take a picture, Mark and Jason have leaped in front of Princess, blocking her from Strecker’s view.

And then Keyop’s bolas come flying and hit Strecker’s arm, sending him spinning and sprawling across his console.

Quickly, Mark and Jason give Princess a boost up to the level where Keyop’s buggy is sitting, so that she can get out of Strecker’s sight. Jason stoops to pick up her wrist communicator from the floor and then he leaps up there too.

That just leaves Mark with Dr. Strecker, who’s still draped over his console.

“All right, Strecker, hand over all those photos –or else!” declares Mark, grabbing Strecker by his lapels and shaking him.

“Or else what?”

“I’m not your old friend, but Chief Anderson is,” says Mark, “and he wants us to return you for rehabilitation. Personally, I don’t think you deserve the chance.”

“What can you do to me?” replies Strecker, staring at Mark, “My career was finished when I left Center Neptune and lost the best friend I ever had! Nothing matters!”

He closes his eyes (or eye, really) and sees a vision of Chief Anderson in his mind.

Now he looks defeated, and he reaches into his jacket at pulls out a photo.

“Here, he says to Mark, “I gave Zoltar this same print, and destroyed all the original negatives.”

Mark takes the photo and looks at it, eyes widening.

But now Strecker pushes a button and sets a small timer on the wall.

“It’s not too late to make the right turn in the road,” Mark tells Strecker, “Come back with us, Doctor.”

(You know, Mark, you guys outnumber him –you could grab him and take him whether he wants to go or not.)

But all Strecker says, sitting in his chair now with his back to Mark is “Leave me in peace. Go, get out.”

Mark, sweat on his face, closes his eyes and looks deeply moved or conflicted.

“Come on, Mark,” says Jason from the upper level, “He set the dial on a time bomb.”

Jason and Keyop’s buggy are leaving, and now Mark turns and joins them, leaping up to the level where the door out is located.

“Good bye, friends,” says Strecker sadly as he turns to look at the departing Mark.

At Center Neptune, Anderson is watching the fish through a window, but he turns suddenly when picture on his desk falls over. He stares… and it’s a picture of him and Strecker, back when they were friends, but now the glass has cracked such that a line has divided him from his old friend.

The Phoenix has torn away from the spider ship now, and dial of the time bomb is still counting down. But no sooner is the Phoenix safely away, the ship, space web and everything blows up and is completely destroyed.

And, Dr. Strecker has apparently blown himself up too. And Mark left him there to do just that. I really thought there’d be some zarking done to make it such that Dr. Strecker does get taken back to the Phoenix, in order to be “rehabilitated.”

It’s pretty funny, in a way, that according to what the BOTP people did with this episode, committing suicide is okay –it’s hanging on to the roof or sides of moving cars that’s the big no-no!

Elsewhere, Zoltar, seeing a screen go all to static, is outraged that “Strecker betrayed me to save his friends!” and he clutches his head in disbelief.

Parked on the ground now, the members of G-Force are watching smoke rise in the distance from where the remains of Strecker’s ship crashed and burned.

Princess is also putting her wrist communicator back on. “My wrist activator is working fine,” she announces with a smile, holding it up for them all to see.

“About that picture,” burbles Keyop, looking up to where Strecker’s ship had once been, “Hope he got my best side.”

“Here, handsome!” says Mark, shoving the photo that Strecker had given him into Keyop’s face.

Everyone crowds around Keyop to get a look, and then they all start laughing.

The picture only shows their feet and legs, as they were all leaping away from Strecker’s camera –no faces visible at all.

Nevertheless, Keyop decides to rip it up and throw the pieces all over the ground.

In the sky above, we now see the remote controlled transport planes (where have they been all this time?)

Zark voice-overs “The emergency supplies are on their way to Stellar City. Now that the space web is gone, Stellar City will be saved! Dr. Strecker may have made some terrible mistakes with his life, but at least he didn’t give the photographs he took of G-Force to Zoltar.”

And now we’re back at Center Neptune and faced with the awful vision of Zark taking an oil shower, scrubbing his back, and singing. 1-Rover-1, absent thus far this episode, is now sitting there, waiting to give Zark a towel when he emerges.

And it gets worse! Susan is calling. 1-Rover-1 yaps to alert Zark to this development.

But Zark is still warbling a wordless tune, and he takes the towel and begins wiping himself off, oblivious.

He emerges from his little shower unit, with his towel wrapped in a manner that makes it rather look like he’s wearing a diaper.

“Center Neptune control,” he says –it seems he was aware of the incoming call after all.

“7-Zark-7” breathes Susan’s voice.

“Oh, hello Susan,” says Zark (and his antennae remain bent –perhaps he and Susan are still in the getting-to-know-you phase of their long distance relationship in this episode?), “I was just taking a bath.”

“I know,” says Susan.

“You know?”

“You forget, I have electronic spectrovision, just like you. I can see through millions of miles.”

“Even through cloth?” asks Zark nervously. Hey idiot robot, you zoom around “unclothed” nearly all the time –what’s with the sudden modesty?

Susan giggles, and Zark yanks his towel higher, but then she says “Unfortunately, no.”

Okay, now Zark’s antennae are upright, but that might be from the alarm of thinking she could see through his towel. I hope it is.

(Besides, if she could see through clothes, wouldn’t she rather watch Mark and Jason?)

The End.

The Dr. heads out. I hit the slow button here a few times to get the full effect. As Brighthead leaves the itty-bitty dock, five bird-people silhouettes leap into the trunk. Then Brighthead remembers to close it. Fortunately, before he leaves the underwater base.

The trip isn’t that long. The doctor gets to see a beautiful sunset.

The submermissile opens, and a cute little blue car comes out. Dr. Brighthead is driving.

Hootie is clinging to the roof.

Ace and Dirk are clinging to the back of the car’s trunk. Dirk has one hand supporting Ace’s left shoulder. Ace has his left hand holding onto the base of the car’s bumper, inches from the ground.

Pewee and Aggie are in the trunk. And not looking too happy about the quality of the shocks.

There’s patchy cloud cover as the car arrives at the airfield. (Much bigger than Ace’s.) The sunlight is fading and the main source of light is the car’s headlights. Dr. Brighthead gets out, then looks back and forth.

Would they quit with the cardboard boxes already!

Overhead shot: Hootie is still on top of the car, starting to slide off to the side opposite the Doc. Ace and Dirk are behind the car. If the doctor had looked behind him, he’d have seen them. Methinks someone’s been spending way too much time behind a desk.

Dr. Brighthead walks slowly forward. He stops and looks back and forth again. (Not behind him, though.) Suddenly he hears Dr. Say Ten.

“Welcome, Dr. Brighthead!” Dr. Satin is hidden in the shadows to the side. He continues sarcastically. “How nice to see an old friend after all these years. The only reason I’m giving you this information is because of our old friendship, Doctor. Those planes were brought down by a new weapon. It creates a huge web of electronic current in midair.”

Cautiously, Brighthead asks, “What’s the name of this new weapon?”

Dr. Evil replies smugly, “I call it the Smog Spider.” He approaches to stand almost nose-to-nose with Brighthead. “That’s right, Dr. Brighthead, it was my invention that caused those planes to crash!”

Brighthead looks both startled and concerned, but manages to speak calmly. “I can’t believe my ears. The Say Ten I knew would never have done such a thing.

“Yes, but I wasn’t working for Galactor as I am now.”
Poor Brighthead looks like a bomb just hit him; he can barely speak. “What?” he whispers.

I believe it is obligatory that when a former good guy is working for a bad guy, they cuss out the bad guy in private, but act all proud of the fact when talking to other good guys. That’s certainly what Dr. Spider is doing as he says, “Galactor is the only one who has shown proper appreciation of my work.”

Brighthead steps forward to put his hands on Dr. Devel’s shoulders. He is earnestly trying to persuade Dr. Diablo he’s wrong: “You’re a genius, I’ve always known that! But putting that brilliance to work for a fiend like Galactor is wrong. Surely you must know that!”

Dr. Say Ten isn’t having any of it. He knocks Brighthead’s hands away and gives the obligatory Evil Cackle. “If you believe that, you’re more of a fool than I thought, Brighthead! You’ve chosen your side and I’ve chosen mine. There is no right or wrong!” More bad guy justification. And Ace just ran by in the background. Dr. Shaitan like a cigarette. “All that really matters is who wins.”

“You’ve changed more than I thought.” The neutral tone of voice Brighthead uses here fits.

Dr. Say Ten notices Ace dashing by. In that poor light, with one eye. Anyway… He thinks: So he’s brought those young fools along after all. His eye patch gleams.

Dr. Brighthead is looking severely disappointed, but he snaps out of it when Dr. Say Ten barks: “You’re a hypocrite, Brighthead!”

Brighthead (unsurprisingly) is astonished. “Why?” he growls.

“I thought I could trust you, but you lied to me.” Dr. Beast tosses his cigarette in the air. It explodes and lights up the area. A flare in disguise. Sneaky.

The team –in civvies- are standing in a loose line behind Dr. Brighthead, thoroughly exposed in the light. They all gasp in shock.

What a pretty portrait this will make, thinks Say Ten as he twists his eyepatch.

Dr. Brighthead realizes the danger. He turns to the team: “Watch out! He’s about to take your picture. He’s got a camera hidden under his eye patch!” Brighthead stretches out his arms in a futile blocking effort.

The team leaps and backflips out of the way. But Dr. Say Ten gets in one shot. “You’re too late. I’ve already taken your picture.” He throws a small bomb.

“Dr., watch out!” Ace shoves Brighthead out of the way just as it explodes.

Ace, shocked, is supporting Dr. Brighthead. There is thick smoke all around.

Aggie: “Are you two all right?”

Ace: “Yeah, we’re okay.”

Hootie: “His smoke screen worked. He’s gotten away.”

Pewee: “What’re we going to do? Once he develops that film, he’ll know who we are. He’ll know our real identities!”

Ace realizes something (that I think he should have suspected from the first). “It was a trap. But it wasn’t set for you; it was to trap us!”

Brighthead (sternly): “You shouldn’t have followed me, but you saved my life.” He looks to the distance. “Say Ten’s working for Galactor. Now we must try to find a way to beat him and that Smog Spider of his. The people of Velornica are starving. We’ve got to try to help them.”

Cut to a Galactor control room, with the PDOS standing behind a couple goons.

Galactor (impatiently): “Say Ten should have transmitted that picture by now. What is taking him so long?”

Goon: “It’s being transmitted now, sir. We’ll have it in a minute or two.”

Galactor: “Dr. Say Ten is an excellent agent, and he has not disappointed me yet. Now we shall see what they look like.”

So Dr. Say Ten is a Galactor agent? But he was going to sell the Smog Spider to Galactor. Maybe the Acrid Arachnid was a side project?

The picture comes out of the high tech fax. Galactor picks it up: “WHAAAAAAAAT!?! These are the members of G-Force!?” I think Dr. Moloch’s picture taking skills may be lacking. (Evil grin.)

Finally the cardboard boxes stop.

Cut to Ace. Everybody’s in a big metal room, (probably in the underwater base) looking depressed.

Ryu, trying to sound optimistic, mentions that they can’t be certain the photograph was any good. “Maybe there’s nothing to worry about.”

Ace is punching his fist into his left hand. “I knew it was a trap; we went anyway. It’s my fault.”

Brighthead joins in. “I’m to blame as you are, Ace. I trusted him.” And it looks like he’s giving Ace an awkward one-armed hug here.

Aggie points out that if they hadn’t been there, there’s no telling what would have happened to Dr. Brighthead.

Galactor cuts in with a transmission. I’m of the theory that while he can send video and audio, he can’t receive video unless there’s a camera, in the room, he can control. That would explain why he doesn’t know what the team looks like already. Lack of control over audio would explain why sometimes the team can make sarcastic comments to Galactor’s performances that the PDOS obviously doesn’t hear.

Galactor: “Welcome to this special edition of The Galactor Show, ladies and gentlemen. And a special welcome to our viewing audience at the Institute of Science, Dr. Brighthead and the members of that well-known group of bunglers known as G-Force. It gives me great pleasure to announce the winning entry in our photo contest! G-Force has won a trip to eternity!” He fades out. (I must say, Galactor sure knows how to pull a bluff!)

Dirk grimly observes: “So Galactor does know what we look like.”

“Which means that he can find us any time he wants to.” Hootie is depressed. Aggie’s not happy either.

Sad music.

__________________
Candi

Hollywood is a land of money and cowardice.

-Henry A. Lee, Cracked.com columnist

On board the Smog Spider, a goon reports the Phoenix attacking. Dr. Say Ten smugly mentions how he’d love to see Brighthead’s face when he learns that it’s been destroyed. Doctor, ever hear the saying about counting chickens?

On the Phoenix, Aggie reads the range-to-target as 100 meters. Ace tells Hootie how to do his job.

Say Ten launches the little yellow mechs, calling them ‘spinners’.

Hootie: “Won’t be long now.”

Ace: “Stay at full power, Hootie!”

The electric web forms.

Ace: “Pull up Hootie. Now!”

Hootie (with effort): “Right, Ace!”

The Phoenix gets entangled in the web and starts to crack.

Ace: “Those fibers are supercharged, all right, but the Phoenix can take it!” Sure, that’s what all those cracks and smoking consoles mean? “Pewee, go get your shuttlecraft ready! Hootie, follow as close as you can!”

Hootie: “Roger, Ace! Good luck, you guys!"

“Hold on, everybody, here we go!”

Commercial break!

My vote: “Shuttlecraft’ beats “Space Buggy” as a name for G-4’s vehicle.

Pewee’s shuttlecraft leaves the Phoenix. Using its sawblade, (which must have been treated) it cuts through the electric fibers. The Phoenix, hot on its tail, punches a hole in the Spider. And for this scene to work, the G-4 vehicle must have sawed through right ahead of the Phoenix.

The look on Say Ten’s face is priceless.

Pewee squishes a couple of goons as he lands. The dome on the Phoenix opens, and out comes trouble!

Say Ten somehow made it from the control room to the bay where the Phoenix is hanging out. Ace gives the obligatory “You’re finished now” speech.

Say Ten: “I don’t know how you managed to get through my electronic web, but you’ll never leave here alive!” Um, maybe they got through because you told Brighthead how it works? And a LOT of Galactor captains have said that last line.

Ace: “I hope you don’t mind if I disagree!”

Dirk: “He does!”

Yes, I know it’s silly, but it’s funny too.

Gatchaman music and fight scene!

Ace clobbers goons.

Aggie clobbers goons.

Dirk smashes goons.

Pewee mows down goons by the dozens! I bet that use of the G-4 didn’t make it into BotP!

Aggie is grabbed from behind by one goon as another attacks from the front. She kicks the approaching goon, than flips over the head of the goon that’s holding her and clobbers him, too! You go girl!

Is it just me, or does G-2 come up behind goons a lot during a fight? You’d think they’d be more careful.

Ace thrashes some more goons, including tossing one like a bowling ball into a rank of other green guys.

Hootie: “As usual, I’m the one who has to stay behind and guard the ship while everyone else has all the fun.” Considering that the current location of the ship is very high off the ground and stuck in an enemy mecha, having someone on board is a Very Good Idea. Hootie notices something. “Hey!” He calls Ace, telling him he noticed Say Ten headed for the control room. Not that they know exactly where that is yet, but it’s a safe bet considering.

Ace thanks Hootie and takes out a few more goons. He then calls to the others, telling them Say Ten’s in the control room: “Let’s get him!”

G-2, G-3 and G-4 in his shuttlecraft follow him. G-4 smashes right through the door and the wall.

Say Ten is shocked. G-1, 2, and 3 jump down to his level. Say Ten pulls a gun.

Ace tosses his boomerang with a “Bird Fly!” It hits the gun, but Say Ten was already pulling the trigger. The bullet hits Aggie’s communicator.

Quick question: The bullet hit the bracelet on the side with the yellow panel, not the catch. So how’d it knock the bracelet off?

Aggie detransforms. The guys are shocked.

Say Ten: “I believe it’s time to take another picture.”

Ace and Dirk move in and spread their wings, hiding Aggie.

I wonder, could the reason Aggie didn’t dodge or otherwise move be the shock of energy from the unexpected detransformation?

Pewee apparently doesn’t like Say Ten’s effrontery, knocking him upside the head and on the wrist with his blue-and-white bolos.

Dirk and Ace give Aggie a boost up to the catwalk so she can duck into the G-4.

Pewee: “Dirk, the transpower band!”

Dirk: “Got it!” He flies up.

Ace confronts Say Ten. “All right, Say Ten, it’s all over. Now show me where the self-destruct button is!”

Say Ten: “Sorry, but I’m not that stupid.” So many words, so little time…

Ace: “You were a good man once, Say Ten. I don’t know what happened to change you, but now I’m giving you a chance to make up for what you’ve done by destroying the Smog Spider yourself, understand?”

__________________
Candi

Hollywood is a land of money and cowardice.

-Henry A. Lee, Cracked.com columnist

Thanks a lot for these great recaps, LB and Candi! I'm still struggling to getting used to the different names used in the different universes!! The name "Dr. Say Ten" is the icing on the cake!! It's obvious that it's a synonym for "Dr. Demon", but is it that difficult to pronounce the name "Satan" or is it that much of a sacrilege to only mention it in the first place, ending up with a joke?!

LB ... you're right in saying that they must have been aware of their old "friends"! There weren't many happy endings related to the subject!

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To be or not to be a gatchamaniac - that's the dilemma!

'Demon' is not that odd for a surname. Really. Off the top of my head, here are some I've seen in newspapers or in life:

Rape
Raper
Rapes
Hell (French)
Spector
Worlock
Clinkscales
Bloodsaw
Kicklighter (his first name: Hampton. Seriously.)
Handspike
Demonteiro


Oh, and some full names:
Sterling Justice
Ivory Hunter (a man)


In the BotP ordering, this episode is immediately before Raid of the Red Scorpion. Ghost Owl liked the voice acting in this one, so I'm really cheesed that I can't get to it through Veoh.

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Benefits, not features; benefits, not features