Script: Gatchaman II #50
Mystery! Mystery? Gel Sadra's Mother
translated by Alara Rogers and Naoko Nakagawa
Aboard the Elizabeth Moore, a luxury cruiser. A small blonde girl of about 3 searches for her mother.
SAMMIE: Mama? Mama... Mama... Mama!
At the same time, a red-haired woman and her husband search for their daughter, running through the ship's corridors.
PANDORA: Sammie! Where are you?
DOMINGO PANDORA: Sammie!
PANDORA: Sammie, where have you gotten to? Sammie!!
The ship pitches, and Pandora is thrown against the bulkhead. A brilliant light blazes down toward the Elizabeth Moore, a golden meteorite. The captain of the ship watches in horror.
SAILOR: Captain! Watch out!
The golden light sears through the ship, tearing it in half, and plunges into the water. The little girl, drowning, screams, "Mama!!"
PANDORA: Sammie!!
There is a banging on the door. Pandora jerks awake.
KEN: Dr. Pandora! Dr. Pandora!
PANDORA: Ken?
KEN: What's happened?
PANDORA: It's nothing. Really
KEN: Oh... I see.
PANDORA: Thank you, Ken.
KEN: Good night. (to himself) Dr. Pandora suffers from such nightmares sometimes. What's wrong?
In her room, Pandora switches on the light. She looks at a photograph of her daughter, and tugs at her hair.
PANDORA: It was the same nightmare again...Sammie... That's right. Tomorrow is the anniversary of that horrible accident. The day I lost my husband, and Sammie... Sammie, you can't really be dead...
NARRATOR: At the same time, somewhere else, another individual suffers from the same sort of dream.
A person, swaddled in bedclothes, moans. The image of Dr. Pandora, her face lost in shadow, her hands stretching down, and her voice crying, "Sammie!" repeats over and over. Purple eyes open, and Gel Sadra sits up in bed.
GS: Only a dream... I keep having the same dream, time after time. What a terrible dream... I am a child, thrown from a ship into the ocean. And-- on the deck-- the figure of a woman, extending her arms to me... repeating again and again in my mind... Who is she? What is she to me... That's right. Even I should have a mother. Why can't I remember my childhood? Why? Why can't I?
In Overlord X's audience chamber.
X: Gel Sadra, why are you troubled? What have you come to me for?
GS: My Overlord... who gave birth to me?
X: There's no need for you to know that. Why do you ask, Gel Sadra?
GS: My lord, please tell me!!
X: You don't need to know! There was an accident on the cruise ship you were on, and I rescued you.
GS: Yes. That's what I was dreaming of, before.
She remembers falling into the water, screaming, "Mama!", and moans.
GS: Just remembering it makes me shudder... But-- that's the only memory I have. Where could the rest of my memories have gone?
X: Gel Sadra. Do you want to know the answer to that?
GS: Y- yes. I do.
X: Very well, I'll tell you. Your memories of the time between infancy and adulthood were not lost.
GS: Huh?
X: Those memories never existed!
Gel Sadra gasps, and the screen shows the instant-growth device, and her own rapid growth.
X: You grew from a child to an adult in moments inside an instant-growth device. The normal speed of human growth was too slow, so I pushed you past it. Since you had no childhood, you don't have childhood memories.
GS: Really? Is that-- is that really true, Overlord?
X: I had to do this in order to give orders from space. You had unusual genes, which is what one needs for instant-growth.
GS: But-- my mother? I had a mother, didn't I? Overlord, I want to see her!
X: That doesn't matter. The ship sank a year ago, so even if she had somehow survived, and met you, she wouldn't recognize you as her daughter.
GS: But--
X: Stop acting womanish, Gel Sadra! You don't need your mother anymore. You will be the ruler of the world, so don't bother worrying about things like this. Now get out of here, Gel Sadra!
Gel Sadra leaves, subdued but upset.
NARRATOR: But this was a big mistake on Overlord X's part. Not being a human, it's clear that the Overlord doesn't understand the complexity of human emotion.
In G-Town, the Science Ninja Team, without Joe, talk to Nambu.
KEN: Dr. Nambu, where is the Meteor Mountain that Dr. Rafael was talking about? Haven't we found it yet?
RYU: If we can find the place, then this time we can really find Overlord X's home base!
NAMBU: I fear we need a bit more time to find it. However, we can't simply wait and do nothing, either. According to the Intelligence Department, a large quantity of materiél is being shipped in secrecy to Ibet.
JINPEI: Galactor must be planning to do something there!
NAMBU: Almost certainly. After we finish servicing the New God Phoenix, I'd like you to start investigating Galactor's movements as soon as possible.
KEN: I understand.
JINPEI: By the way, where's Dr. Pandora?
KEN: That's right. Where is she?
RYU: She's been taking care of Joe, hasn't she?
JUN: No-- when I visited him, she wasn't there.
A submarine-car takes off from G-Town.
JUN: Who's that?
NAMBU: That's Dr. Pandora. She's left for her home town, to visit the graves of her family.
JINPEI: Graves? What do you mean?
NAMBU: Tomorrow is the anniversary of the deaths of her husband and child.
JUN: Anniversary of their deaths?
RYU: Dr. Pandora had a husband and kid?
KEN: Doctor! Is that true?
NAMBU: Yes, it's true. A year ago, they were a happy family of scientists, wanting for nothing. The child, Sammie, was three years old.
RYU: Huh? I'd never've guessed!
NAMBU: I think it's all right for me to tell you now. Do you remember the Elizabeth Moore (1), which sank inexplicably a year ago? (2)
JUN: You mean the "Luxury Cruiser Sinking Mystery"?
NAMBU: That was when Dr. Pandora lost her husband, who was famous for cybernetic research, and her only child.
KEN: She did?... She never showed any of her grief to us...
JUN: The poor woman.
JOE: She gave us her help and kindness without ever letting us know.
Everyone turns around. Joe has just arrived.
JUN: Joe!
KEN: Joe, haven't you learned? You need rest! (3)
JOE: I know my own condition better than anyone. Don't worry about me. You should be thinking about Doctor Pandora instead. Here she's been fighting to help us, without a word of complaint or grief over what happened. Don't you think we should pray for her happiness?
KEN: Yes. If our wills are as strong as the Doctor's, we can't lose.
Aboard the New God Phoenix.
JUN: Ken, I've gotten an energy contact reaction on the special radar!
KEN: What? Where is it?
JUN: In the middle of the Ibet mountains.
KEN: The Ibet mountains? There are still many places untouched by human hands there. It's strange that there should be an energy reaction there. All right, Piemur! To Ibet, fast!
PIEMUR: Ro-ger-
At the Coast Guard records office. Gel Sadra, dressed in hat, raincoat, and glasses, is talking to the records clerk.
CLERK: Well, according to the Coast Guard's investigation, all the passengers of the Elizabeth Moore died.
GS: Ridiculous! That's not possible! For starters, I survived.
CLERK: The accident was caused by a meteor from outer space.--Ah, here we go! There was one survivor. She had a child, who was missing. Here's a summary of the case.
GS: That's the one!
CLERK: Are you looking for your mother?
GS: Yes.
CLERK: Well, this can't be her. This child was a little girl of only 3.
GS: Yes, that's me.
CLERK: What? (laughs) That's ridiculous! Little children don't grow up overnight. Are you sure you're quite all right in the head?
GS: I'm quite certain.
CLERK: (studying the book) The name was...Pandora.
GS: Pandora!! (snatches the book) That can't be! How... "Mrs. Sylvie Pandora..." it can't be... "Mr. Domingo Pandora"...
CLERK: I remember now. Her husband was known for his work in cybernetics, a famous member of the ISO.
GS: If that's true, then... (pointing at book, with shaking finger) This Sammie Pandora... is me!! (half-sobbing, slamming her fists on the table) I don't believe it! If only I'd asked about this earlier... Oh, I can't believe it!
In a ruined temple, Gel Sadra kneels before a statue with glowing eyes. Overlord X's voice reverberates throughout the room.
X: So your mother is alive?
GS: Y-yes.
X: Then did you meet her?
GS: No-- no, I didn't. I would never betray you, my lord Overlord. I'm a loyal servant.
X: Stop your babbling and get to the point. She's an enemy, then?
GS: She's our enemy of enemies-- Dr. Nambu's secretary, Pandora! What am I going to do?
X: Is that it? Dr. Pandora? I see now!
GS: Oh, it's too cruel. My lord Overlord, please tell me! What do I do?
X: All right. I will arrange for you to meet your mother.
GS: Really?
X: If you meet as a mother and child, Dr. Pandora might become our ally.
GS: Our ally?
X: She'll certainly join us once she realizes you are her daughter.
GS: I see. With Mother on our side, we'll beat Nambu and Gatchaman. And then after that, Mother and I will rule the world... (chuckles to herself)
X: Today is the day the ship sank. Leave it to me. You may go prepare to meet your mother.
GS: I'm so grateful to you, Overlord. When I meet her, I would like to call her "beloved mother." (4)
Gel Sadra gets up and leaves.
X: Fool. You still think the Earth will be yours. HAHAHAHAHA!
At a gravesite, Pandora speaks to her dead husband.
PANDORA: Dear, I still can't reconcile myself to believing our daughter is dead. Why?... Sammie... (she begins to cry) my Sammie...
OLD MAN: (approaching) Excuse me. You did say "Sammie?" That's your child, isn't it?
PANDORA: Yes...
OLD MAN: Oh, that's good. You see, I was on the same boat as the man you grieve for, there.
PANDORA: You, too?
OLD MAN: It was God's whim that many young people died, and old people like me were spared. But I have good news for you.
PANDORA: Good news?
OLD MAN: Fortunately, your daughter survived. I'm taking care of her.
PANDORA: Sammie!
OLD MAN: The fact is, I was sure you would come here on the anniversary of the accident, so I've been waiting for you all day.
PANDORA: Where is Sammie?!
OLD MAN: I will bring you to her. Please, this way. (he leads her off)
NARRATOR: Meanwhile, Gatchaman and the others found a base of the Main Beam Cannon in Ibet, by using the energy contact radar.
KEN: There's no mistake. There's something in those ruins.
JOE: Yeah, those roads were built recently.
A helicopter approaches.
JINPEI: Hey, who's their guest?
JOE: (looking through binoculars) It's Dr. Pandora!!
KEN: What did you say??
JUN: What's Dr. Pandora doing here?
KEN: Dr. Pandora, has something happened to you?
Inside the Galactor base.
PANDORA: It's just like Galactor to build a Beam Cannon in these ruins. What were you trying to do by deceiving me?
OLD MAN: (chuckles) My role is finished.
A bright light appears as a door opens, and a figure approaches. Pandora stares into it.
PANDORA: This feeling... I have sensed it many times... It is...Yes...Gel Sadra. Gel Sadra...
For several seconds, Gel Sadra-- dressed in a face mask and a long blue gown-- and Pandora stare at each other. Then Gel Sadra rips off the mask.
GS: Beloved mother. You are my beloved mother!
PANDORA: What's wrong with you, Gel Sadra? Did you bring me here to watch some elaborate play?
GS: Play?! Is that all you can think to say, mother? I'm Sammie!
PANDORA: Sammie?! How do you know my daughter's name? I don't want to call a devil by Sammie's name! You filthy...
GS: What a terrible thing to say...
PANDORA: My Sammie was a beautiful, gentle child...
X: Pandora, it's no lie. I will show you the proof.
PANDORA: Proof?
A viewscreen shows Sammie in the instant-growth device.
X: A little child is becoming an adult. Look! Who is that in the capsule!
PANDORA: Sammie!
X: That's right. Your child. She grew to adulthood in the instant-growth device.
Pandora is in shock. Gel Sadra approaches and puts her hand on Pandora's shoulder.
GS: My beloved mother. Do you believe now?
Pandora slaps Gel Sadra, who reels back.
GS: Why did you do that, mother?!
PANDORA: You're not my child!
GS: Mother!
PANDORA: Sammie is dead! My child would not become the servant of a demon!
GS: But-- but... Mother, we could rule the world together. We could be happy, the two of us...
PANDORA: What a stupid thing to say...You've been deceived. The Solar Shift Plan is going to destroy the Earth! And not just the Earth but the sun as well!
GS: The sun?
PANDORA: The sun-- aaah!
A transparent panel slams down between Gel Sadra and Pandora. Gel Sadra pounds on it.
GS: Mother!
PANDORA: (to herself, in grief) Gel Sadra used to be Sammie... Oh, my poor Sammie... made into a toy of science...(screams) Sammie!!
A capsule slams down on top of Pandora, stunning her into unconsciousness.
GS: Mother!! My Overlord, what are you do--
There is an explosion.
X: This meeting is over for now. There's a more serious problem! Our base has been invaded by Gatchaman!!
GS: Gatchaman?!
She turns, looks at Pandora a final time, then runs for the exit. The capsule with Pandora in it sinks into the floor.
X: That was close. She almost revealed the truth about the Solar Shift Plan. I misunderstood the emotion between a mother and child. Human feelings are too complicated. Pandora's become a nuisance-- I have no use for her anymore.
In the room with the Beam Cannon.
GALACTOR 1: It's Gatchaman! The base is exploding! (he is killed in a firestorm)
KEN: Wherever Galactor exists, wherever evil is revived, we are there-- the Science Ninja Team Gatchaman!
GALACTOR 2: You bastard! Shoot them!!
The Science Ninja Team dodge bullets and kill Galactors, as usual, crying out the names of the weapons they're doing it with. Joe bashes in a few Galactor heads, but sags against Ken.
KEN: Joe, are you all right?
JOE: Yeah.
KEN: Galactor, stop this useless resistance. This base will be destroyed in a few minutes.
RYU: That's right! It's gonna be blowing up everywhere!
Numerous explosions go off. The Beam Cannon topples to the ground and blows up. Gel Sadra runs out onto the balcony in time to see this.
GS: Damn you, you stupid turkeys! You've ruined my happiness!
KEN: Gel Sadra!
JUN: (pulling a gun) Where is Dr. Pandora?
Gel Sadra looks about, confused. Ken lands in front of her, with his gun out.
KEN: Tell us, Gel Sadra!
GS: Overlord-- the Overlord couldn't be--
KEN: What?
GS: Mother! Beloved mother! (turns and runs back the way she came)
KEN: Mother? Gel Sadra...is Dr. Pandora's...?
Pandora is in a ship, being rocketed up a track under the direction of two Galactors. Gel Sadra runs in.
GS: Mother! Beloved mother! (to Galactors) Stop it! Stop this thing!
She wrestles with Galactors for control, knocking one to the floor.
GALACTOR 3: It's the Overlord's order!
GS: Stop it!!
Gel Sadra knocks him to the floor, too, but the ship blasts off. Gel Sadra runs up the track after it.
GS: Mother! Stop! STOP!!!
The Science Ninja Team get outside the base just in time to see the ship take off. Gel Sadra is standing on top of the track.
GS: MOTHER!!!!
Pandora, in the ship, appears to be unconscious. Barely audible, her voice whispers, "Sammie..." Then the ship explodes.
GS: (in shock, starting to weep) Mama... mama... mama....
KEN: Dr. Pandora!
Jun turns away and begins to cry.
JINPEI: Dr. Pandora!!!
Joe stares in horror. Ryu falls to his knees, strangling sobs. Gel Sadra removes her mask, tears streaking her face.
GS: Mama...my only mama... what were you trying to tell me, Mother? What were you trying to say? Mama... mama...
Her face contorts with rage and grief.
GS: Overlord, what have you done to me?!
Gel Sadra falls to her knees on the track. The Science Ninja Team and Gel Sadra both share this grief....
NARR: Ken and the others wept. Their happiness at destroying this base in Ibet was nothing compared to the grief of losing Dr. Pandora. Also, now, Gel Sadra is regaining the human emotions of rage and grief.
1. This contradicts the first episode, in which the liner is called the Queen Margaret.
2. I find it very hard to believe that eps. 1-50 took place in only one year of story time. That's an attack a week, or rather less, since there was a hiatus of several months between the sinking of the liner and Galactor's first attack.
3. In the last episode, Joe's energy levels were badly depleted, and then Dr. Rafael died before recharging him. Now no one knows how to renew his energy.
4. "Beloved mother"-- this is a translation of "haha-ue", an archaic and overly respectful term used for one's mother, generally by princes toward queen mothers and that sort of thing. Naoko said it indicated that Gel Sadra is melodramatic and doesn't know how to talk properly.