Script: Gatchaman II #51
Gel Sadra's Lament
(Kanashimi no Gerusadora-- lit. Sorrowful Gel Sadra)
translated by Osamu Ishihara and Alara Rogers
A ship carrying Pandora flies into the sky.
PANDORA: {Sammie...}
The ship explodes. Gel Sadra is remembering.
NARRATOR: Pandora was Gel Sadra's mother. Overlord X's inhuman ambitions caused mother and child to be ruthlessly separated. Gel Sadra and Pandora only met as mother and child once, and now they are parted forever.*
At the controls of a console, Gel Sadra, sans mask, and with tears running down her cheeks, calls up a photograph of Pandora and herself as Sammie. She remembers running across a field, laughing, leaping into her mother's arms, as her father watches smiling... But the dream turns to nightmare, as she remembers her own transformation to adulthood, and she turns the screen off.
GS: Just as I began to know her as a mother, just as she began to know me as her child, she was taken from me forever... It's horrible. A four-year-old child like me should be raised with a mother's love. Instead-- instead! (sobbing, she presses keys on the console at random) Why? Why did this have to happen to us?
X: (manifesting on screen) What's wrong, Gel Sadra?
Gel Sadra turns and sees him on the screen.
GS: Ah-- Overlord--
She puts her mask back on and gets up to face him.
X: It isn't grown-up to be so upset about losing your mother.
GS: Yes, I understand. But-- what really is the Solar Shift Plan? Pandora's last words were...
X: You are my servant, Gel Sadra. If you want to succeed in your ambitions, just obey my orders. Don't concern yourself with anything else. If you spend your time worrying about other things, you'll be heading for disappointment.
GS: Yes, sir.
X: You'll soon become empress of the Earth. So cheer up!
GS: (begins to laugh, forcedly) Me, empress of the world!
At G-Town, the Science Ninja Team, sans Joe, grieve for Dr. Pandora.
KEN: (angrily) That's enough!
JUN: (very upset) Why? why did such a horrible thing have to happen to gentle Dr. Pandora?
JINPEI: That's right! I was surprised enough to hear that Dr. Pandora had a child, but how can that child be Gel Sadra?
KEN: We can't imagine how Overlord X must think.
RYU: But why'd he pick Dr. Pandora's daughter out of all the other kids in the world?
KEN: Probably because she must have had a very high IQ. Also, she probably had special genes, different from other kids, which made it so that Overlord X was able to make her into an adult so quickly.
JINPEI: It's awful that it was Dr. Pandora's daughter he took.
RYU: Dammit, if Overlord X hadn't taken her, she probably would have grown up into a great scientist like her mother. Instead, we have to fight her to the death!
JUN: That's so true. How cruel! Poor Dr. Pandora...
JINPEI: (pounding on wall) Overlord X, you stupid bastard!
Jun is weeping. Ken turns to her.
KEN: Jun. Dr. Pandora was like an older sister, or a mother, to us. It was her kind gaze, watching over us, that gave us courage, she who was our pillar of strength. She will remain in our hearts. Forever! Jun, you can weep as much as you like, now. But once you go to Bird Style, you must put aside your grief. That's the best thing you can do for Dr. Pandora.
JUN: Ken...
KEN: They'll be done servicing the New God Phoenix by now. We'll launch in five minutes. Somehow we'll find the Main Beam Cannon and Overlord X's home base, and then we can make up for today's loss. I'm going to check on Joe.* Everyone, hang on!
He leaves the room. The scene switches to Joe on a table in a medical examining room. Dr. Nambu is studying him.
NARRATOR: Meanwhile, Condor Joe is being examined by Dr. Nambu, because his body is losing energy.
Joe makes a sound of pain.
NAMBU: What's wrong, Joe? Does it hurt?
JOE: (rolling over) No... I just can't believe Dr. Pandora's dead.
NAMBU: Mm. It was a terrible tragedy.
JOE: (trying to sit up) If I was in better condition-- Shit! That damned butcher Overlord X!
NAMBU: Joe, what could you do if you went out against X now, in your condition? I've brought together all the devices I need to understand your condition. I'm no Dr. Rafael, but I do have the resources to give you back some of your strength.*
Joe is lying down again and Nambu is studying the readouts. He murmurs to himself.
NAMBU: That being said... When he's relaxed like this, there's no apparent difference from a normal human. The only unusual thing is that black box in his heart. Is that his power source?
He fine-focuses it, and is very surprised.
NAMBU: It can't be--! That there-- it can't be that it's--!
The door-buzzer rings.
KEN: (over intercom) Dr. Nambu. Dr. Nambu!
He enters.
KEN: Excuse me, Doctor. We've finished checking and refueling the New God Phoenix. We'll be taking off very shortly.
NAMBU: I see. Take care of yourselves.
JOE: Ken, did you find the place Dr. Rafael was talking about?
KEN: Yeah. We had G-Town cross-correlate all over the world, and we think it's near an underwater trench.
NAMBU: There's an abnormal climate near the Astralia Trench. * (1)
KEN: That could be the Meteor Mountain Dr. Rafael was talking about. That's where he said Overlord X's headquarters was.
JOE: Is that it? All right! (he gets up)
NAMBU: Joe! Joe!
KEN: Wait! Joe, Dr. Nambu's got to fix you first!
JOE: (putting his shoes on) Ken, you don't want me to come with you?
NAMBU: Joe, Ken is right. You shouldn't leave here.
JOE: If I can find and attack Overlord X's headquarters, my health won't matter.
Ken slugs him.
KEN: You stupid bastard! If you come with us like you are now, you'll drag us down!
JOE: What?? (lunges at Ken) You son-of-a-bitch--
Nambu interposes himself.
NAMBU: Stop it! Ken, go now!
KEN: Joe...
Ken leaves. Joe clenches a fist.
JOE: Shit...
Aboard the New God Phoenix.
JUN: Ken, we'll be reaching the Astralia Trench shortly.
KEN: All right. We'll hover over the area and scan underwater with the special radar!
JUN: Roger!
Nambu's face appears on the screen.
NAMBU: Team, we have a problem. Joe has escaped from G-Town!
Everyone goes "Huh?" and looks shocked.
NAMBU: Joe's running out of energy. I don't know how long his supply will last.
JUN: Is there any way we can make his supply last longer?
NAMBU: There is a way I know of, but it's very dangerous. Perhaps we can supply more energy by feeding a high-voltage current into him.
KEN: Joe, do you think you can do it alone?
NAMBU: While I was studying Joe to find a way to cure him, I discovered something very frightening. Inside his body is an incredibly powerful microbomb made of antimatter. If Joe's body comes in contact with the substance of the bomb, there will be a great explosion.
JUN: An antimatter bomb??
She remembers Joe, saying, "You can't destroy Overlord X without me..."
KEN: Doctor, did Dr. Rafael put the microbomb in Joe?
NAMBU: Yes. Dr. Rafael was the one who called Overlord X here. After he realized his terrible mistake in unleashing such a horrible thing on Earth, he made Joe a cyborg. He wanted Joe to fight Overlord X and destroy it.
JUN: And Joe knew that all along... and he didn't tell anyone... oh, poor Joe!
NAMBU: When Joe faces Overlord X, the self-destruct device in his body will react to X's presence, causing the antimatter in the capsule inside him to destabilize. The result will be a gigantic explosion.
KEN: But that means.. not only Overlord X will be blown to bits, but Joe as well!
JUN: Oh, no! Joe has a human heart-- he must be suffering so much! We've got to save him! (2)
KEN: Doctor, we're going to find Joe. We won't permit him to die again!
In a Galactor base, Gel Sadra holds a tape and some papers in her hands.
GS: This is it. This is everything on the Solar Shift Plan.
She puts the tape in. Computer-generated images display first the Main Beam Cannon, then an image of beams, broadcast from satellites all around the Earth, concentrating into a single beam. From the Earth, Mars, and another planet, beams strike the sun, causing it to flare.
GS: These beams will make the sun burn hotter, causing it to move...
The sun begins to move through space. Another planet appears in the Sun's path. The two collide and explode.
GS: (slightly panicky) What is that planet? (3) As far as I can tell, I've never heard of that planet before. What happens when the sun moves near that planet? (thinks it out) If the sun moves toward that planet, then the Earth will die. That means... what an awful plan! That plan will destroy the whole Solar System! What is Overlord X? (she looks down at her globe) I never thought there could be such a demon in this world! (lifts her hands to her face) But I was helping him, like a fool, to destroy the Earth-- even after I lost my dear mother... * (begins to laugh hysterically. She knocks the globe to the floor, and it goes spinning across the floor) What a fool, what a fool!
Joe, flying in a small craft.
JOE: I feel... like I'm losing my strength...
He closes his eyes. The craft goes out of control, smacks its wing off against a mountain, and eventually crashes on a beach.
In the Galactor base, Gel Sadra is overlooking the Main Beam Cannon. A Galactor comes in.
GAL 1: Gel Sadra-sama, it's time to fire the Main Beam Cannon.
She stares emptily, ignoring him.
GAL 1: Gel Sadra-sama. What's wrong? Overlord X is waiting! (shakes her) Gel Sadra-sama!
Gel Sadra turns toward him, saying, "Hmm?" She obviously is not interested in what he has to say.
GS: Mother...
The Galactor is very surprised. Gel Sadra appears to perform some sort of stylized dramatic gesture. (4)
GS: Oh, it's a beautiful sunset.... Empress of the Earth... (she laughs emptily, and leaves, with the Galactor staring)
GAL 1: What's wrong with her?
A loudspeaker in the base goes off.
ANNOUNCER: Attention! Attention! Battle stations! Battle stations! Firing preparations for the Main Beam Cannon complete!
In a control room.
GAL 2: Captain! There's a flying object on the radar!
CAPTAIN: What? We've got too much going on now as it is! Send out the monstermech!
Aboard the New God Phoenix.
JUN: Ken, we've got the place clearly on the special radar!
KEN: All right, now that we've found it, let's dive and get in there!
RYU: Roger!
The Galactor mecha is launched.
JINPEI: What's that??
RYU: A Galactor monstermech!
KEN: Ryu, go up!
RYU: Roger!
KEN: Just like I expected, they've shown up.
JUN: That means this has to be the right place, definitely.
The mecha overtakes the New God Phoenix, flying overhead. It appear on their viewscreen.
JINPEI: Ah! It's so big!
RYU: That thing's a monster!
KEN: It's faster than the New God Phoenix!
The mecha begins to bathe them in heat rays.
RYU: This is stronger than the Firebird! * If they keep up that beam, the New God Phoenix'll melt!
KEN: Ryu! Get us out of here!
RYU: Roger!
In the Galactor base.
GAL 3 (at microphone): The Main Beam Cannon will fire in 3 minutes! Begin firing the lesser Beam Cannons! *
All over the world, beams fire from Beam Cannons to satellites, which beam them to the Main Beam Cannon's energy collection dish. Back on the NGP, they see the satellite beam.
JUN: That beam! What is it?
RYU: A laser beam!
KEN: Shit! Beams from Beam Cannons all over the world are being concentrated into one spot! That must mean the Main Beam Cannon's headquarters are under here, and they're going to fire the Cannon soon!
JINPEI: We've come so far! Maybe we can fire a missile at the Cannon!*
JUN: No use! Here it comes again!
RYU: They're closing on us!
Ken studies viewscreen images of their assailant.
KEN: That's it! Ryu! Keep them at a constant distance!
RYU: Got it, but what're you going to do? If we stay in that beam, the New God Phoenix'll break up in two or three minutes!
KEN: Sometimes it's easiest to bring down something big with something small!
JINPEI: Aniki!
JUN: Ken!
Ken leaves.
In a room filled with light, a viewscreen of multiple colors gloats in X's voice.
X: Hahhahaha! Soon this Earth and its solar system will be shattered!
Ken launches in the G-1.
RYU: Ken! The New God Phoenix is built to take punishment like this, but if that beam hits any other plane, it'll be vaporized instantly!
JUN: Ken!
The mecha fires at Ken, and he narrowly avoids being hit.
KEN: Shit!
Countdown to firing of the Cannon begins. As the Galactor announcer voiceovers, we see the energies intensifiying, and X's robotic arm preparing to press a golden button.
ANNOUNCER: 17. 16. 15. 14. 13. 12. 11. 10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. 0!
X's arm presses the button.
Ken dodges another burst and flies in at the mecha.
The Main Beam Cannon remains quiescent.
X: What's wrong? This isn't working!
Laughing, Gel Sadra enters, holding wires in her hands.
X: Who's there!-- Gel Sadra, what's going on?!
GS: How do you like this, X? (5)
X: You call me X? Why aren't you showing me more respect?!
GS: (laughs again) Don't you know yet? I cut the wires, so the firing circuitry won't work. * (holds up the wires)
X: What did you say??
GS: I cut the wires in the firing circuitry!
X: Gel Sadra! It can't be--! Gel Sadra, how could my loyal servant--?
GS: I'm not your servant anymore!! (hurls the wires to shatter the screen, laughs, and runs)
X: Damn you, Gel Sadra! I won't let you get away! Gel Sadra!!
In the room with the Main Beam Cannon, Gel Sadra pulls a gun, startling the Galactors there.
GAL 4: Gel Sadra-sama, what are you doing?
GS (makes irritated noise): Get back!
She fires at the Cannon, and it explodes. She and her men flee. She runs for her ship.
X: (voiceover): Don't let Gel Sadra get away! Catch her by any means possible! Kill her!
Gel Sadra reaches her ship. One of the Galactors shoots her in the arm, but she gets inside safely.
Ken is in position to destroy the mecha.
KEN: Fire! (he does-- mecha blows up. He sighs with relief.) We won...
Aboard NGP, much rejoicing.
JINPEI: We did it! Way to go!
The base under them blows up.
RYU: The Main Beam Cannon base has just blown up!
KEN: (still in his plane) {That means this can't be Overlord X's headquarters. Meteor Mt. must be someplace else... well, no matter where it is...}
He sees Gel Sadra's craft, trailing smoke.
KEN: Gel Sadra's plane is trailing smoke. I wonder what happened?
He follows, and the episode ends on a freezeframe of his ship.
*-- Osamu's translation of this line turned out to have no correlation with what was actually being said, but I could not get 100% of it myself, so I had to guess.
1. Astralia-- similar to Agrica and New Jork, probably a corruption of Australia.
2. Human heart in the figurative sense-- I thought I'd specify that, since actually his heart is where the bomb is.
3. The word actually was "star", but it was obviously a planet. The Solar Shift Plan is about as scientific as the Black Hole Operation-- ie, not.
4. I have no idea what the hell Gel Sadra is doing here. Is this something from Kabuki?
5. In the original, she calls him "Sosai X", not "Sosai X-sama". I felt that to truly convey the insulting quality of what she's saying, I should drop the title entirely.