Mostly written on the evening of February 20, 1998, with minor revisions as they come.

The episode opens with Ken in his Cessna. He is flying over an island and scares birds, and I am hoping that none of them get sucked into his propeller. Ken says "I'm sorry," and then goes on about how it's nice that they're all together as a family and that he wishes that he could fly like that with his father.

Which reminds me of a post made by Jason (H)-sama regarding Gatchaman's favorite anime (according to a book about Gatchaman printed around 1975), which is supposedly "Honeybee Hutch", the story of a honeybee looking for his mother. The story always had me confused, because 1) if Hutch was male (and he was portrayed as being male) he would be a drone and he would never have left the nest and his sole function would be to fertilize eggs 2) if Hutch were a worker bee (which are, IIRC, all females), he would be one of many and his mother, the queen bee, could care less if he lived or died. Anyway, this choice of anime as their fave is WAY TOTALLY contrived because 1) Hutch is an orphan in search of his mother, and everyone on the Team is an orphan other than Ryu 2) "Hutch" was a Tatsunoko anime.

Sorry, back to Ken-chan. His wrist communicator flashes and it is Dr. Nambu calling him back. He is about to respond when he sees a red plane. It is Red Impulse. Ken goes to Birdstyle and says so we meet again. RI comments that Dr. Nambu has trained Ken well (but was Dr. N the one that taught Ken to fly?). Ken demands to know who Red Impulse is, and he responds that it does not matter and if he has time to worry about pointless things like that he should work on his flying skills. Ken pursues him, saying that he will find out his true identity. Then we get a lot of fancy flying ending with RI nearly grazing the G-1 before disappearing into the wild blue yonder.

Ken is impressed.

Ken is in Dr. Nambu's office in the ISO. He says that he met Red Impulse on the way here, and that he was an amazing pilot. Dr. N comments that in this big world there are a lot of skilled pilots, and that Ken's father was one, too. (And let me just comment on the original Japanese line that came out of Dr. Nambu's mouth�Et sounded just like a bad translation from English, and here I am taking that Japanese that sounds like a bad translation from English and turning it into worse English*) Ken's father was one of Dr. N's finest pilots, but he disappeared eleven years ago over the south seas. Ken says that doesn't mean that he's dead.

If it weren't for Dr. N's totally contrived statement about there being a lot of good fliers in this big world I would write Ken off as being in the same state of denial as Makoto of Mummy Mech fame (please refer to PD or other summaries of Episode 3).

Dr. N says that Ken has taken his father's place as a keeper of world peace by acting as the leader of the Science Ninja Team. Ken asks Dr. N who Red Impulse is, and Dr. N replies that the day will come for him to find out. Ken says that if Red Impulse were his father, Galactor would be history soon enough, and that line is just too contrived for me to even comment on.

Dr. N briefs Ken on the SNT's latest assignment, which is escorting a new aircraft to an airshow taking place in the nation of Ameris (great, another imaginary geographic location, like put it right up there with Utoland City and Hontwol*). The aircraft, which is called the Phantom Bird Blue Hawk (or Kaichoo Buruu Hooku) can do Mach 5 , has a weapons system to make Joe drool, and a very advanced defense system.

If the system is as advanced as Dr. N says, why they would need an escort is anyone's guess.

Cut to the airport, and I am assuming that it is a different airport than the one that the Monster Mummy flattened eight episodes ago, because I don't think an airport can be rebuilt that fast. The Blue Hawk crew is in their ready room when the door opens to reveal Green Guys and they open fire and the next thing we see is men with Very Evil Looks on their faces wearing the Blue Hawk crew uniforms and heading for the plane. The real crew's bodies are strewn about in the room, and I am wondering how they explained away their deaths in Battle of the Planets or G-Force.
 
 

Cut to the SNT assembled in the GP. Jinpei is all impressed with how big the Blue Hawk is and Jun is saying it must be at least 10 times the size of the GP and Ryu, being the pilot of course, is wondering if the Blue Hawk can really do Mach 5, and Ken is saying that it is the pride and joy of the Torion nation and it may be even more advanced than the GP, andJoe is commenting that escorting a plane isn't exactly the most exciting of jobs.

Would someone please explain to me if the BH is so darn advanced, why does it have the "obsolete" GP acting as its ESCORT?? (Other than McGuyver's Second Law, which is "all realism and consistency is secondary in importance to carrying out a given plot line to refer to McGuyver's First Law", which is "the hero of any given story will triumph with minimal resources even when in impossible situations simply because he is the hero".)

Dr. Nambu receives a phone call in his office, and answers. The voice on the telephone tells him that the advanced-but-I-need-a-more-obsolete-plane's-escort-Blue-Hawk has been taken, and Dr. Nambu is like what have you been smoking dude. The voice on the phone says that the entire crew was found dead in the ready room, and to notify the GP at once. (I wonder what the violence-free incarnations of Gatch did to "explain away" the crew's deaths? All input greatly appreciated ^-^) Dr. Nambu protests saying that not even the GP would be a match for the BH, telling the SNT would be like sending them to die. The Phone says (rightly) then what are we to do? And Dr. Nambu says that he will assume command and that he has a different idea, and then says to himself so you have come, just as I expected Galactor.

But if he expected it, I really think he should have made better preparations.

In the BH, one of the BH pilots, (which are really green people out of uniform, and actually don't really look half bad, only their eyes and voices are a bit sinister sounding, which is a necessary evil because otherwise we wouldn't know they were the bad guys) are commenting on how the GP hasn't noticed that the plane has been taken, and another pilot is like maybe they should bring the GP with them to make Katze-sama happy. The first pilot says that the BH has a complete weapons system and an inpenetrable defense, (like we get the point already, we understand, the episode is going to take longer to end than 15 minutes) so they have nothing to be afraid of.

A pilot says that he can almost see Dr. Nambu gritting his teeth, and maybe they should take a shot at the GP to see what their new acquisition can do.

Joe is complaining that this assignment is boring. Jinpei is wishing that something would happen, and I am thinking "be careful what you wish for, Jinpei."

Squadron of three red planes. (Would three planes be a squadron?) Ken says it is Red Impulse. Joe says "what?" The BH pilot, who's not really the BH pilot but a Green Guy in costume, says "what?"

Red Impulse fires on the BH. Jun says the BH is being attacked. Joe says that he thought RI was friend and not foe. Jinpei says that he has always thought RI was a bit suspicious. Ryu says they'd better do something fast. Ken says "so RI is the enemy, today I am going to settle this battle once and for all", and runs off.

Count one AWOL, Ken.

RI fires a ticking missile at the BH, and leaves. The BH pilot who is really a Green Guy laughs that RI has given up. Another BH pilot/ GG says that the BH is invincible and a couple thousand rounds wouldn't do a thing.

Ken's comm link goes off. It's Dr. Nambu, ordering G-1 and the GP to abort the mission and return immediately. Ken starts to whine about how RI fired on the BH and that he is in pursuit of RI. Dr. N orders Ken to stop pursuit, and Ken whines some more about how RI is the enemy so Dr. N should let him take him down. Dr. N shouts at Ken to come back. Ken says "forgive me Dr. N" and shuts off communication, and goes on about how he is going to find out who RI is once and for all.

Count one disobeying direct order, Ken.

Katze is on the monitor of the BH, and is muttering about pesky red flies, which is a pretty funny line if you think about it. He says that he will ask Sosai where they came from, and goes to his conference site with the Giant Blue Chicken, and asks where the red planes came from. The GBC answers that it is not certain, but that they are outstanding pilots and should not be underestimated. Then Katze (otherwise known as the Purple Doberman on Speed, copyright Lori McDonald-sama ^-^) asks what to do with the fools who do not yet realize that the BH has been taken. The GBC says to lead them into the base and sentence them to death.

Cut to GP, where Ken is supposed to be but no longer is, like some leader you are Ken-chan, go off alone and leave your Team. Joe says darn Ken, he's gone off alone and left us to escort. Jinpei says no fair. Jun says I hope he is all right. I say what does she see in that guy. Ryu says something is wrong, and Jinpei asks what, and Ryu says that the BH isn't headed for Ameris at all. Joe says that is impossible, and Ryu says it's true and that none of the controls work. Jun points out that they are still flying, and I would like to again point out to Jun that when you fall from a 40-story building you probably aren't in any pain when you pass the 24^th floor. (Actually you probably wouldn't feel much pain when you hit the ground because any pain you feel probably would be very short, but you get the point.) Joe says stop fooling around. Ryu insists he's not.

The BH pilot / GG smirks "so they've noticed at last." The other BHP/ GG smirks "but it's too late."

Cut to Ken in G-1. Ken says that he is going to stay on RI's track no matter where he goes, and I think that the fanfic people probably could have a field day with that line. RI tells Gatchaman that it is no use and that he should go back to the GP. Ken says that RI fired on the BH and that he can't let RI get away knowing that he is enemy. RI says that the SNT is supposed to have mission abort orders and Ken has no time to lose. Ken tells RI to shut up and that he is going to come and get him. RI says what the h*ll are you doing, and Ken says "trying to escape are you?"

RI is apparently speaking to Dr. N, because he is telling him that he's trained Ken well...(and I want to know if Dr. N taught him how to fly!) and then he says "What? the GP is not responding? I'll check on it right away!" and he turns around, and the GP is still following him. RI remarks at Ken's persistence, and how efficient the tracking device/ time bomb is.

Cut to GP. Red gas in the air. Team without Ken all asleep at their battle stations.

G-1 and RI land on a volcanic island. They get out of the plane. Here we get the notorious fight sequence in which RI...get this...trips Ken and then he does a half a dozen cartwheels and handsprings and somersaults, and I am beginning to think this is Tatsunoko's shout out to the 1972 Japanese Olympic men's gymnastics team. And then RI is unmasked and Ken says, "I know those eyes from someplace, but that can't be, he is the enemy!" and I am thinking RI must have had plastic surgery or something, because if Ken's dad has been missing for ten years, Ken would have been nine, and I really think a nine-year old would remember what his father looked like, especially one that is obsessed about his father being alive the way Ken is.

RI tells Ken that the GP has been taken. Ken says, "what?" RI, instead of saying "I said Galactor has the GP you deaf idiot," he says "While you were following me against Dr. Nambu's orders." And Ken is asking if the team is all right, and RI says they've been taken prisoner, and Galactor had taken the Blue Hawk even before it was off the ground." Ken uses the four letter word to describe waste products (actually it is a two letter word in Japanese but you get the point), like auto-bad-word-kick, Ken.

RI says that thanks to his tracking device they know that the Galactor base is inside that volcano. Ken says "Who are you" and RI says I am Red Impulse, and if they don't get the Team out soon the tracking missile/ time bomb will take them with the volcano when it blows.

Cut to Ken and RI making their way into the mouth of the volcano and inside of Galactor base. We see the Blue Hawk and the Godpheonix. The four are chained to a wall, and I am wondering if the fanfic people had fun with this one. Katze, on the monitor, is saying that it looks like this is going to be his final farewell to them. Joe and Jinpei complain about how dirty his tactics are and that they could have shown him if he'd played fair, but I don't think that Katze's priorities include playing by the rules. Katze says screech all they like because their end is near anyway. Jun says that one of them is still free and that he will defeat Galactor. Katze says that his fate will be no different than theirs, and orders the Green Guys firing squad to fire.

In true McGuyver's first law fashion, the Green Guys get their weapons shot out of their hands by a laser. Katze yells who is it, and you kind of expect the White Shadow speech but instead we get RI say "Red Impulse!" and he says it at this awful, awful native-Japanese-non-English-speaker-trying-to-sound-American-but-not-succeeding-at-all accent and it annoys the heck out of me.

Katze comments on how foolish it is to turn on Galactor and orders the Green Guys to send him to hell with the Science Ninja Team, but they are all hit by the Birdrang, and Jun says in her flirty-goody-goody-dreamy voice, "Oh, Ken!" and I am really glad I don't have someone with a voice like that as a co-worker.

Joe asks Ken to get him out of the chains so that he can get a part of the action and look good too. Katze is like kill them and RI says "This TV is way too noisy, it is a neighborhood nuisance," in perhaps a reference to what happened in Japan in the early 70's where a man stabbed his neighbor to death with a kitchen knife because his TV was on too loud all the time. RI fires at the monitor and it shatters.

The team is released. Jinpei and Ryu are happy.

Then we get a lot of fancy acrobatics and martial arts and Green Guys waiting in line politely to get clobbered, and then we get a shot of the time bomb on the Blue Hawk ticking away, and RI yells everyone in the GP and get out because there is no more time. Jinpei asks if they aren't going to take the BH, and RI says that Galactor can have it. Jinpei says, "what a waste."

Katze yells, "after them!"

The base explodes.

Cut to the Team, excluding Ken, on the GP. Dr. Nambu is on the monitor, and he is telling the four that RI is, like the SNT, fighting those who try to destroy world peace and is a defender of good. Jinpei says, "so he's on our side!" and Dr. N says "that's right" and Jinpei says that he won't let him outdo us, and I am thinking isn't that kind of rivalry that got the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima?

Jun says she has a favor to ask Dr. Nambu. Dr. Nambu asks what it is. She asks Dr. Nambu not to scold Ken.

Um..what with how he scolds Jinpei all the time and then goes and pulls an AWOL and then disobeys a direct order, like wouldn't that be Captain's Mast and about two months without pay in the US Navy? And wouldn't he deserve every bit of it?

But Dr. Nambu...get this...agrees to Jun's request. And Jun says in her flirty-goody-goody-voice, "Thank you! Look at them flying together, like father and son!", which is so contrived you really have a hard time believing she actually said that.

Cut to RI in his red plane and the white G-1 (and let me point out that in Japan red and white are colors of festivity in Japan). RI says to Ken, goodbye, until we meet again, take care of yourself, and we see tears running down his face, but Ken, who is not a part of the viewing audience, does not. Ken just says goodbye.

And the Narrator, who uses awful flowery language with an awful voice, says "The mysterious scarlet wings were those of a missionary of good. Like father and son, Gatchaman and Red Impulse, they wish for peace in the great blue sky. Go, Gatchaman! Fly, Science Ninja Team! Till the day evil perishes from this earth!" and I know that that was awful English but he spoke awful Japanese so if you translate awful Japanese you are going to get awful English so it is not my fault.

(^-^)/))