Just as Earth officials are leaving to sign the surrender agreement, the Star Force begins its surprise undersea torpedo attack. They roust the fortress aloft.
"Joo see, it IS de Star Force!" -- Invidia
"It's submerged in de sea and is firing at us from dere!" -- Dire
"Vhy didn't Dezzlok defeat dem!" -- Invidia
"(What made the Star Force think of attacking us from beneath like that... WHERE did they get the idea?!) We're going UP!" -- Zordar
After a frantic fighter battle above Earth, in which we later
learn that pilot Hardy has died, a desparate invasion task force --
Wildstar, Sandor, Conroy, Knox, et al. --
penetrates the Comet Empire through openings in the bottom side.
Sandor's bionic leg is blown off the ensuing shoot-out.
Sgt. Knox manages to reach the Comet Empire energy centre.
He tells Wildstar and Sandor to return to the Argo, and that he
will follow. Once they are outside the Comet Empire, Knox manually
sets off the small hydrogen bombs that destroy the energy center
(and actually Knox too, though English dialogue denies this).
The Star Force launches one, final, all-out barrage against the powerless Gatlantis fortress. The rubble churns into fire.
When victory is thought won, a deadly black ship, Zordar's dreadnaught,
rises from the ruins. Zordar threatens to leave Invidia and General
Dire behind in the exploding fortress for all their meddling
(actually, in the Japanese version, he does!).
"Target? Zordar's space ship. Argo... MAKE US PROUD." -- Wildstar
Zordar's dreadnaught blasts the Argo, then begins to incinerate Earth with its giant plasma cannon. Many of the Star Force crew are killed in this attack (including Orion and Royster) though this is not shown in the American version. Wildstar orders the surviving crew to abandon ship. Dr. Sane's line is,
This subtly suggests that there are 18 surviving (which happens to be the exact number of crewmembers surviving in the Arrivederci Yamato movie). Wildstar tricks Sane, locks out the controls for the rescue ship, and secretly stays behind intent on driving the Argo into Zordar's ship. Nova appears, apparently realizing what he is planning.
Subtle English dialogue indicates that Wildstar plans to jump ship just before the impact, but this is not really so. He plans to go down with the ship, and Nova's unexpected presence does not seem to deter him. Wildstar admits his desire to marry Nova.
The two sit down in the Captain's command console (a second chair having mysteriously appeared), and set the Argo on its final mission. Wildstar turns to Nova one last time and says,
Then, eyes forward, he issues the final order:
But, just as the violins begin to play, Treleina materialises in front of the Argo with an unconscious and barely alive Mark Venture. She teleports onto the bridge:
"How is he?!" -- Derek
"I have brought Mark back to life, be he needs more care. You must take him back to Earth for that. I've done all I can." -- Treleina
"Treleina, can you take Mark back to Earth for us?" -- Nova, desperately
"Even with the power I have, I cannot go to your Earth. You must take him. He needs you. He... is of the Earth... and... I am not."
"But Treleina, the ship isn't going back to Earth." -- Derek
"I know what you plan to do. You need not sacrifice the Argo; I will fight Zordar." -- Treleina
"Treleina, you've already done so much for us. You sacrified your planet Telezart to defeat Prince Zordar." -- Derek
"My work is not done. I must change the evil power of Prince Zordar... My love for Mark makes it more important than ever to save Earth. I wish I could explain more to you. There are great powers in the Universe -- unknown and unseen. I am just one small part of that great life force. Earth can be the embodiment of Good, but it must live on to fulfill that destiny."
"Treleina..." -- Derek, almost scoldingly.
"Yes I know -- you do not understand. I have learned much. From you and Mark I have learned not to be afraid. I cannot explain more to you.
"Derek, it is time for me to go. A part of me stays with Mark and with you and Nova... and with your dear Earth... that place where all that is good can live, and grow, and reach out to the Universe. I leave my love for all of you... for Mark. Goodbye... Goodbye, Derek and Nova, and please tell Mark how much I loved him... how much I loved him... how much I loved him..." -- Treleina
She leaves her love for them and recedes back into the skies. She creates an giant explosion of antimatter upon the dreadnaught, destroying the ship. No signs are left of her or the Comet Empire.
The Argo, battered and nearly inoperable, slowly returns to Earth.
The Second Season of Star Blazers is thought by many to represent the saga's finest aspects. Before leaving it, we should examine a few lingering questions that it leaves unanswered:
Derek and Nova certainly appear to be ready to marry, and so it is surprising to learn that they do not actually do so after returning to Earth (see Yamato: New Journey).
What about the Comet Empire? Zordar's dreadnaught has been incinerated above Earth (the falling debris does not seem to have caused any problems). How reasonable is it to assume that there are no remaining imperial forces scattered elsewhere throughout the galaxy? After all, Gamilon had substantial forces remaining in its outer territories even after its homeworld was destroyed. Might not the Comet Empire be similar? Also, it seems reasonable that the Comet Empire race did not originate from its Gatlantis fortress. They must have had a home world. At the very least, there must be many planets with their people living on them by now. Such questions formed the basis for the plot of the old Comico Star Blazers comics (American) produced in the 80s. But, nothing was ever made of these ideas in Japan.
What about Treleina? We learn in Yamato: New Journey that the Star Force believes she is dead. Actually, we have no more reason to believe this is so than we did the first time she apparently died (the destruction of Telezart). And, after all, her English lines suggest that she is not gone ("...a part of me stays with Mark and with you and Nova, and with your dear Earth, that place where all that is good can live and grow and reach out to the Universe...") Also, we learn that there is more to Treleina than just her and her psionic power. She is part of a larger network of "life forces" throughout the Universe. What others are there? We have already seen Starsha of Iscandar who has occasionally demonstrated abilities (even after death) that make one wonder if she is a mere mortal; and we will see other powerful beings in the Star Blazers saga -- Queen Ruda and Mother Shalbart, Planet Phantom, and the Queen of Aquarius.
This story is followed next by Yamato: New Journey
Return to the Yamato/Star Blazers main page!