Fuzors, Summaries: Episode 14 - Awakening of the Evil Dragon
Screenshot Gallery - My ThoughtsWelcome, American folks, to that elusive territory known as The Episodes Not Shown on TV. Aussies and New Zealanders, feel free to ignore this statement.
The episode starts with the flash of ominous golden eyes from before, as we recap the Energy Liger effortlessly crushing the dreams of BF and Blox fanboys everywhere by downing both BuF and Matrix Dragon with a single shot. An unknown female voiceover describes its cheesery to a man lounging in a chair, and we pull back to see both of them visible only in silhouette in typical anime villain fashion. Her conclusion? The Energy Liger is the most powerful Zoid in existence. The man is impressed. She asks if they should continue to phase two as planned, with the details of what phase two is left unsaid. He says yes, and to tell him that it's just a matter of time. The time has drawn near, he continues, to when their dreams will become a reality. His sinister laughter carries us to the title screen, which sports Liger Zero Phoenix.
A cutaway later, and we're at Doc Pierce's lab with RD and Dan. The Doc's got a clip of EL roaring on endless loop on his computer screen, and RD's positive it was the legendary Alpha Zoid. Dan says to relax and let the Doc do his job. Doc finishes up, asking if that was all RD got—because according to his data, the Zoid doesn't exist. Dan suggests it may be a prototype, and Doc Pierce agrees. Its beam cannon uses some strange kind of energy, so they should call it something like the Energy Liger.
"The Energy Liger..." RD says, as he flashbacks to it standing on the hill after the battle, roaring triumphant, and we're left to go buy an Energy Liger from toy stores near us ponder Doc Pierce naming it so quickly.
Meanwhile, back at Savage Hammer, Blake is staring out the window while Sandra grouches about the Matrix Dragon crew turning out to be a disappointment. She thought they were going to get rid of RD, but instead they destroyed half of Savage Hammer's Zoids. Blake points out he told her he'd take care of RD, and Sandra agrees. "But now I suppose we should give you the chance to finish him off", she says, and Burton snickers. They get a call from a random mechanic, as if on cue, saying that all three Zoids (the Lord Gale, the BE, and the BF) are trashed beyond repair. They can't even use them for parts.
Grouchy!Blake stalks out, ignoring Sandra's purring that don't worry, she'll get him a new Zoid—all she asks is that he's a little patient. There's just something adorable about him, she says after the door closes. I don't think adorable's the word.
Cut to Blake taking an elevator down (the floors start at 58), thinking of the battle and grouching about RD...yet thinking about the Energy Liger and how he'll get his revenge. How is the Energy Liger RD's fault, then? When he arrives at the hangar, Luke asks him what's up, and after Blake ignores him too he goes squeakyapologetic as usual, bowing and saying it's all his fault; he'll be a better co-pilot. Blake stomps on by, heading toward an entire room(!) full of guns as Luke keeps asking if there's anything he can do to make up for it. He finally speaks, telling Luke not to worry, he'll take care of this as he selects the nastiest-looking gun—a bulky two-barreled thing with glowing green energy supplies that he somehow lifts with one arm.
We'll call it the BFGG, Big ...Freaking Glowy Gun.
Burton meets Blake on the way out, laughing. "Where do you think you're going with that? Right," he says, "you want to be a hero. I hate to say it, but you're so predictable." Blake just tells him to move, and Burton steps out of the way, sarcastically wishing him good luck—he'll need it. Luke tells Blake to please not do anything stupid and keeps blaming himself after he's gone, clinging to his abandoned Zoid pilot-y glove and sounding like he's going to cry.
For goodness' sake, somebody hug him.
Hop is crunching numbers on his calculator as usual, and they aren't good numbers: they blew the budget again this month. Sigma tells him to relax, once his Leostriker's back up and running they'll be swimming in cash. Hop points out the reason they need money is fixing his Zoid and all the others, and what's even worse is they have a new job and no Zoids to do the work. It's an easy one, at that: rounding up yet more wild Funky Purple Unenlagias. Problem is, RD—the only one with a working Zoid—is busy staring out the window, dreaming about the Alpha Zoid to the confusion of his teammates. "Okay, I've made up my mind," he starts, "I'm gonna find that Zoid myself, 'cause I know he's out there." He walks out amid questions and protests, reassuring them it won't take long.
A while later, RD's still wandering the desert and finding nothing on radar—and here he thought this was gonna be easy. He finally makes contact with something on radar, and it turns out to be Sweet, who followed him in the Gustav along with Matt. She picks him and the Zero up, saying she and Matt thought they'd better keep an eye on them, considering the Zero's the only Zoid Mach Storm has up and running right now (sure, that's why you followed, Sweet). Being handy for exposition, Matt asks what the deal is with the legendary Zoid, and RD gladly babbles over visuals of generic pointed cat with a distinct Energy Liger flavor. It's got wicked power and the sweetest weapons, and Matt thinks it sounds so cool. "Yeah, kinda like me," RD agrees, and Sweet snickers. She's a bit skeptical the Alpha Zoid even exists. Matt wonders how RD could possibly capture it if it's so powerful, but RD's not worried—with Fire Phoenix behind him there's nothing to worry about. In Fuzor mode, he says, they're invincible. Besides, the Alpha Zoid is all about justice.
Ominous statement is ominous, RD.
Beep, beep goes the vidscreen. It's Helmut calling, saying that the herd of wild Unenlagia (which he pronounces completely differently) RD was supposed to round up are showing ahead on radar...which begs the question as to what radar systems Helmut's using and why RD didn't just scan with them. He's also picked up an unidentified Zoid, and what else could it be but the Alpha Zoid? It's time to get down to business, RD says, and tells Sweet to radio Hop and tell him he'll get the job done. "Let's do this, Liger Zero," he says. "Now make me proud!"
Much to Sweet's dismay and annoyance, Matt promptly follows the Zero on a hover-motorcycle thing, ignoring her calls to come back.
RD soon picks up something on sensors. "NO FILE", proclaims the readout, and we know what that means. "Alpha Zoid, you're all mine!" RD says, chasing the dot and stopping in front of another cliff. The Energy Liger is there, all right, and it turns to glare scornfully down at the Zero. RD demands it identify itself and gets silence, and their standoff is soon interrupted as shots fly towards its feet. It doesn't do much but blow up some rocks, and the EL takes the opportunity to wander off, as cats do.
RD looks over at the source of the gunfire: it's Blake and his BFGG. RD yells to put down his weapon—this doesn't concern him! Matt-on-bike shows up to yell at Blake too, but Blake leaves without a word, following the Energy Liger on his own hovercycle.
Even at full speed he's only keeping up with the EL at a trot. It seems to be more taunting him than anything, as he fires several shots, each one well-aimed: a joint on a hindleg, the belly. There's no effect, but either it tickles or the Energy Liger has a similar opinion to Jeremy Clarkson of motorcycles, as it turns scarily-fast and buzzes Blake, the mere speed of its passing enough to send him tumbling and sliding painfully along the ground, presumably trashing the bike too. He gets up as the Zoid leans in to have a look at him, still clinging to his BFGG and still shooting.
The Liger seems curious as Blake furiously blasts at its head, shots reflecting uselessly off the armor. Deciding he's not worth its time, it gets up and walks away again. Blake tosses his gun down, growling...and that's when Luke shows up, presumably having followed him. How? We'll never know.
Luke leads Blake to a mysterious passage somewhere underground, and Blake understandably wants to know what's going on. "There's something I just have to show you, Blake," Luke says, stuttering a bit. When Blake asks what, he actually snaps a bit, telling him to just be patient and follow him...and then promptly apologizes, though Blake doesn't seem to mind, sounding surprisingly sane here. They head into an equally mysterious hangar, which appears completely empty. "You mind explaining what's going on?" Blake says, as Luke reaches to unzip his jacket. Why undressing to reach a remote control is necessary, hell knows, but Luke doesn't exactly have pants pockets, and when he presses the thing the floor starts shaking, secret panels unfolding. "And make it snappy!" Blake says, but Luke just insists he has to show him.
The something that has to be shown thankfully turns out to be a Zoid: it's a rexy type, big and blue and covered in sparkling orange panels. Blake thinks it's amazing, and Luke tells him it's named Guy Ricky Fury...and it's all his.
Brief pronunciation interlude: I call the Gairyuuki (for the non-Japanese-inclined, try guy-ryoo-key, with ryoo being kind of like ree+yoo without the ee, and you'll get pretty close) "Guy Ricky" in dialogue because that's how someone in charge of the dubbing seems to have stuck it. It's not Michael Coleman's fault, either, as everyone pronounces it that way—like it was intentional. It's kinda sad, but kinda funny, and it's not like there weren't "Jee-no Sauruses" in /Zero ;p.
"But...why?" Blake asks, surprised at such a nice present and finding it "too weird". Luke just holds up his control glove thing and looks meek. Blake takes it, thanking Luke and calling him a true friend (well, at least it wasn't dear friend). Luke keeps looking at him wibbly-eyed before he hops into the cockpit (how did he climb up there?). It's state of the art, he observes, as panels light up around him and his glove starts pinging and glowing pink to match. The main screen is topped with a staring, strange eye.
"This Zoid has a mind of its own," he observes, suddenly going evil and laughing madly as the Gairyuuki roars.
Laser claw strike ATTACK!—it's sunset outside, and the Zero is smashing through Unenlagias as RD pursues the EL. He can't keep up, RD says, the Zero stopping and roaring in alarm as three Unenlagia skitter past it in a panic. Something entirely different roars, and that something is the Gairyuuki, stomping into view from around the bend. Other than the jaw it looks quite sinister in the evening light, orange bits glinting as ominously as orange bits can. "What now?" Matt wonders.
"I don't know, but it sure is freaky!" RD replies, as Blake makes himself known.
"Hey, RD. Say hello to Guy Ricky Fury. Oh, and I hope you don't mind if I test my weapons on you!"
RD recognizes the voice, and like any good rival rises to the challenge. "Is that you, Blake? Then bring it on!"
"As you wish," Blake replies, and the Gairyuuki charges on boosterjets, easily buffeting the Liger Zero about. "All right...I like this," Blake continues, far too into the Gairyuuki. "You're all mine, RD, and I'm going to enjoy this!"
"Think again, Blake" RD says, the Zero bark-roaring and snapping its teeth in emphasis. The Phoenix appears immediately after, screeching, and Blake actually steps back. He's waiting...for them to combine, he says, and RD seems to sense the ominous in that. He leaves Matt behind, the Liger Zero leaping forward into Fuzorspace, twilight lighting edition. Blake smirks, saying he's got RD right where he wants him.
Words are exchanged, and the Zero Phoenix leaps into the air for the diving laser claw it used on Blake before. Seemingly unconcerned, the Gairyuuki doesn't move. Instead, its eyes flash orange, bits popping off from its backpack and legs to reassemble into a hovering disc that resembles a crab, just a little: Gekkou. It hums like a quiet vacuum cleaner, orange bits shining as the laser claw energy dissipates across it, leaving both Gekkou and Gairyuuki unharmed. RD is shocked, Blake thinks it was "wicked".
Luke chimes in on the comm system, saying his automated defense program is now battle tested. As he explains, he designed two supporting Blox Zoids for the Gairyuuki that automatically engage on their own when it's attacked by a greater force, making it a fully functional Fuzor. "I think I'm gonna like this, Luke," Blake says, as the second Zoid splits off, more armor flying clear and forming into a bird: Hien. He promptly sics both Blox on the Liger Zero. Vulcans and beam guns firing, they buffet it about as it tries to charge, keeping it from taking off properly. RD tries for a more ground-based Strike Laser Claw, but Hien and Gekkou ram the Liger at full speed as it comes in. It slams into the ground in pain, the Phoenix splitting free.
Neither Zoid gets up.
The Gairyuuki stomps forward, Blake gloating. He's going to put RD out of his misery, he says, and he'll even try and make this quick—it's the least he can do. The Gairyuuki's mouth lights up with a brilliant white-orange particle cannon, but the Phoenix will have nothing of it, managing to get off the ground enough to rush Blake. It slams into Gairyuuki's flank, and he shakes it off easily.
"Don't be a fool, RD!" he says, spitting particle beam near point blank into the dazed Phoenix.
It goes up in flames—literally. The too-large blaze seemingly wraps around it, and the actually-on-Fire Phoenix screeches as it rams Blake once last time in a stunning display of pyrotechnics. It disappears on impact, though, and the Gairyuuki resists the Phoenix's final charge, stepping forward unharmed as the remains of the fireball swirl around. Blake laughs some more and flies away, leaving the downed Zero and RD to watch what was their friend burn.
"Come on, do something..." RD pleads of the fire, but there's nothing left.
"I think it's over," Matt says, but RD notices something: a fiery bird, more indistinct this time, rising out of the Phoenix's ashes. It screeches before shooting up into the sky, sparks following.
"He's coming back!" RD says, deliriously hopeful (or maybe just delirious), as the light from the Phoenix falls to earth. "Get 'em, Liger Zero Phoenix!"
My Thoughts
Blake is a total dick in this episode. Okay, he's surprisingly nice to Luke, but damn. RD forgives this pretty darn quickly, doesn't he?
The "I have something to show you" bit is...well, it's dodgy. I swear I'm not the one that stuck it on TV Tropes >_>;. In the more random observation side of things, is it me or does it look more like Luke's buttoning his shirt back up after the clear zipping sound earlier? Sheesh, animators. To say nothing of the gratuitous crotch and ass shots...
Also amusing is Luke's "please don't do anything stupid!", especially as he follows Blake as if he expects that he WILL.
Previously: Three Teams Face Off
Next: Lost Wings
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