Part 7: Mission 2 (Super Robot Route) - The Indestructible Machine, Getter Robo
Location: Saotome Laboratory
Our folks arrive and are met with news that Musashi has passed – a worthy, manly death as Saotome tells it. When asked, Ryouma says it was his fault. Apparently, it was a Vegan that killed him. (So Musashi survived the Dinosaur Empire, only to get killed by another series. Tragic.)
Kouji can’t believe the Getter Robo could’ve been defeated and Ryouma says the responsibility of it all falls on him, the team leader; Hayato argues that Musashi did what he did in order to save him, though. Still, Saotome wants to take the blame as the commander of this operation.
He says that everyone has things they're determined to do, no matter who tries to stop them, and notes that by laying down his one life Musashi saved two others. Kouji is upset, figuring he could have prevented this if he realized what the aliens were sooner. Duke says there's no time for grief, though – the Vegans will surely come here again.
Furthermore, he adds that if we leave them to their own devices, the number of people going through this will only increase. Time to grit our teeth and organize a counteroffensive. Saotome agrees, figuring they won’t be able to repay Musashi for his sacrifice by wallowing in sorrow.
An alarm sounds right then and Michiru, Saotome’s daughter, comes over to warn that UFOs were detected approaching. Indeed, it’s the Vegan Empire just as Daisuke foresaw.
Kouji is raring to get revenge for Musashi but Daisuke tells him to stand down – his TFO will avail him not here. The guy’s pissed off by this, but Daisuke tells him that if anger guaranteed victory all our peoples' problems would already be solved. Kouji needs to calm down before doing anything.
Kouji isn’t having it, arguing that he's fought by Musashi's side many times and that there's no way in hell he'll back down from this fight. In which case, Duke knocks Kouji out cold, hoping that he won't think badly of him – letting him deploy like this would have likely cost him his life.
Hugo glares and says he hopes that doesn't extend to him and Aqua too; no, as Daisuke figures they've already got a mission they're supposed to fulfill. “Good. Because I’ve learned the hard way that I cannot entrust my fate to others,” Hugo says, and Aqua wonders what he means by that.
Daisuke will not stop him and Ryouma and Hayato also want to help in their Get Machines. Not gonna happen, as Daisuke asks them to let us handle this. Ryouma starts to protest but he cuts in, saying he also saw people very dear to him perish in front of his eyes. He knows how he feels but, for now, he wants the Getter Team to wait and prepare for his shot at the Vegan army.
Ryouma isn’t happy to just sit by and watch, so Saotome asks Michiru to call Benkei over. It’s a bit sooner than he planned but it’s time to put his secret project into action. If they’re going to avenge Musashi and play an active part in crushing the Vegan ambitions, then they must use the NEW Getter Robo!
Benkei Kurama comes in and Saotome introduces him, an assistant in his project and someone who’s been trained to work as a pilot of the new Getter Robo. Hayato bristles at him being Musashi’s replacement and ask if the doctor expects them to accept that so easily.
Saotome points out that’s what has to happen is for everyone to pick up Musashi’s dying wish and bring an end to this threat. Benkei also stands ready and willing to help in that fight, bearing within himself the love for peace that he’s inherited from Musashi. All he requires is Ryouma and Hayato’s acceptance.
Mission 2 (Super Robot Route) – The Indestructible Machine, Getter Robo
Balendos is leading the attack and commands Grendizer to show himself. Duke obliges, telling Hugo to guard the lab while he deals with the Vegans.
Hugo fires back that there are too many enemies for him to beat alone. As it goes, the best defense is a good offense, so he’s going in as well.
Mission Objective: Destroy all enemies (Balendos will retreat when under 50% HP)
Mission Failure: Any allied unit destroyed
Easy as hell. Go forth and kill; Balendos is beefy but that’s all.
Speaking of, here’s him:
Mother Barn (Balendos, Captain of the Royal Guards)
Pilot Skills:
- Prevail L2
- Support Attack L1
Balendos is higher level than all our guys, meaning he''s outright stronger. We can still take him, though – just make sure to pack some defensive spirit commands to be on the safe side. His potential for damage, however, is lessened by the fact that the Mother Barn isn’t too strong.
We're at no risk of having someone destroyed by him unless we really screw up.
Hugo and Duke move forward, well out of range of anything to attack.
Enemy Phase!
And the Minifoos close in.
Player Phase!
Kouji launches right then, ready to help. Duke is surprised but he tells him that he’s not enough of a wimp to be completely knocked out after a single punch. And, for that matter, it’s also not his nature to just watch while his friends are fighting.
Duke is still ill at ease over him fighting the Vegans in the TFO but Kouji tells him that he poured his heart into making the thing; it’s part of him and, thus, Duke should have some faith in it.
Fine, Duke agrees to let him be if he’s so certain – and he apologizes for the punch. Kouji doesn’t hold a grudge, so off they go.
These Vegans need to realize that their dinky UFOs are REALLY not cutting it against Super Robots.
There’s something so satisfying about Garmraid’s attacks… maybe it’s Hugo’s VA?
Duke also moves onward and sets himself to kill all Minifoos on the left side.
Kouji starts moving in.
Enemy Phase!
And here they all come.
And that’s three kills for Duke.
Hugo also cleans house on his side.
Player Phase!
Balendos has brought two Gilgil Saucer Beasts but their armor is made of tissue paper.
Now, I like this. All those kills have given Hugo enough morale to use his strongest attack: Burning Breaker.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-ag2kkzUYU
Compared to the Terminus Cannon, it seems more love went into this one, hm?
FYI: You are required by SRW law to shout “IGNITION” along with Hugo!
The second Gilgil loses half its health to Duke.
Enemy Phase!
Might as well take the chance to showcase SPAAAACE THUNDEEEEER!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTJUKnV8aMY
Player Phase!
Balendos has had enough playing around and moves to deploy a certain monster – now we’ll share the same fate as that red robot!
What comes out of his UFO isn’t a Saucer Beast and Michiru IDs it at the thing that destroyed the old Getter and led to Musashi’s death. Balendos calls it Grangen, a demonic beast, and commands it to consign Duke and the earthlings to the depths of Hell!
Kouji and Hugo see the thing as both Musashi’s killer and the enemy’s main weapon, so it’s time to focus fire and bring it down in a hurry.
: Hold it! We’ll take care of this ourselves!
: ?!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Hwdc6BFCds
Yet another uncommon BGM for the classic shows!
: Aah, the combination was a success!
: Mach WIIIIIIING!!*Ryouma moves closer to Granger*
: Is that…?!
: The Getter Robo?!
: It is…! This is the new Getter… Getter Dragon!
: It can’t be…! They already had a new unit ready?!: Ryouma, Hayato, Benkei, listen well! This new Getter is ten times stronger than the old one. However, whether that will actually be brought to bear is dependent on your skill!
: Roger, professor! We swear we’ll pull through with it! Ready to go, Hayato, Benkei?
: Ready!
: Aye, aye!: Come here, monster! I’m putting an end to you – for Musashi!
Getter Dragon (Ryouma Nagare)
Pilot Skills:
- Prevail L1
- Sword Cut L1
- Unyielding Spirit - +2 morale when taking damage from an enemy (excluding MAPWs)
- Strike (15)
- Invincible (10)
- Transform
- Open Get – when over 125 morale, 30% chance to outright dodge an incoming attack
Getter Liger (Hayato Jin)
Pilot Skills:
- Prevail L1
- Counter L1
- Support Attack L1
- Alert (10)
- Accelerate (5)
- Transform
- Open Get
- Mach Special – when over 130 morale, 50% chance to outright dodge an incoming attack
Getter Poseidon (Benkei Kurama)
Pilot Skills:
- Prevail L1
- Support Defense L1
- Guard – when over 130 morale, take 20% less damage
- Guts (40)
- Spirit (40) – morale +10
- Transform
- Open Get
The classic combined robot is pretty good, though not without flaws. Getter Dragon is the boss killer of the three, with the biggest offensive power by far. On the flip side, it’s range is HORRIBLE (all but his weakest attack can only be used at point blank, holy shit), it drinks EN like a motherfucker and it can’t take a hit. Ryouma’s a suitably offense-focused pilot and will earn morale pretty quickly, though you should be wary of letting the Dragon take a lot of hits.
The Liger is dodgy as all hell, especially once its morale gets going (it might well be untouchable with both Open Get and Mach Special running). It’s range is a bit better than the Dragon and its attacks are rather cheap, so this is your recommended mook-hunting form.
Benkei is the tanky guy and the only one that can do jack against underwater enemies. His range is also the best of the three but that’s only for his pre-movement attack. This is usually the least useful form but keep it in mind if you’re dealing with water.
With that, Hugo takes a step forward and gets to work on the Grangen. The thing’s got a decent amount of HP but we’ve three high-powered Super Robots staring it down.
Duke whacks another 3.2k HP off it and Ryouma moves steps up to the plate.
: Musashi…! We’ll be putting your spirit to rest!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ-Ch7OByBs
The Grangen’s
face really cracks me up.Enemy Phase!
Balendos decides to go after Duke, of course. I’ll just defend.
: Duke Fleed! You were carrying on your pitiful life in this remote planet, eh? What a surprise!
: You’re…!: Balendos, captain of King Vega’s royal guard! Let that name burn into your mind as I end your life!: Silence! I will not surrender this beautiful world to you demons!
We’re still good.
And there’s Open Get triggering, before Ryouma shaves away another chunk of the Grangen’s HP.
Player Phase!
Let’s wrap this up.
: This is my tribute to you, Musashi…! Watch as I send this monster straight to Hell!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5qqrDl-hdE
This attack is the same, regardless of who starts it.
Ryouma already gets an extra Prevail level out of this. The Grangen drops a Super Alloy Z, which boosts HP by 1000 and armor by 150.
Destroy the Grangen and Balendos is appalled. Without a choice, he backs away.
With all enemies dead, the Getter Team cheers for their victory over Musashi’s killer. And with the Getter reborn, Ryouma tells him to rest in peace.
Here’s the rest of the dialogues we missed. Grangen had nothing to drop, so I didn’t care to waste my time with him.
-Vs. Balendos-
: They’ll likely back off if we bring down this guy…! Keep the output steady, Aqua!
: I’m on it!--
: Fool! Do you actually think that pitiful UFO can stand up to a Motherbarn?!
: Zip it! That’s just a small handicap I’m giving you!--
: You better grit your teeth for this…!
: Musashi gave his life to protect this world…: And you will not put a single finger on it so as long we and the Getter Robo are around!-Vs. Grangen-
: You… What you’ve done is unforgivable! You killed Musashi and, so, I’m killing you right now!--
: Take a look, Musashi! We’ll destroy your killer ourselves!
Saotome is also talking to Musashi’s spirit, telling him of how everyone’s teamwork has defeated that monster. Michiru points out the first star showing up in the night sky and Hayato figures that’s Musashi’s way of cheering for us now.
Ryouma agrees, saying the guy was far more of a romantic than his appearance would imply. Benkei, in turn, promises to take up his mantle. “And, so,” Kouji adds, “watch over our new battles from up there.”
Daisuke tells them to stand proud, as they all swear this oath to Musashi. Ryouma is all for it, and promises to Musashi that they’ll always remember him as they fight on to protect this beloved world.
Over by NERV HQ, we get pretty much a retelling of the other path: the EVA-02 being brought over aboard the Argama, Kaji skipping out halfway through (messing with Misato) and the mess with the Giganos.
They also talk about the Angel attack and end with Kaji relating his info on Operation Overlord before delivering his Adam-in-a-box.
At the Nahel Argama, Torres relates that the EVA-02 is already getting dropped off and Misato thanks him for his help. All part of the job, Bright says, to which she then asks him to send her regards to the Gundam and Dragonar team for having Asuka’s back. With that, she leaves.
That’s one job taken care of and next is transporting the D Weapons. Or not, as Misumaru’s transmission comes in and it is the exact same as the other path. One small bit added is Misumaru clarifying that the new squad that’s being formed with the soon-to-arrive Japanese Super Robots will have the freedom to act independently and will answer only to him.
Over by the hangar, the Argama kids are getting the news of the incoming Super Robots. Mondo’s never heard of the term, so Roux says it’s a robot like Mazinger and Getter… though Elle doesn’t know what a Getter is.
Roux tells of their recent battles against the Dinosaur Empire and chides them for not caring to keep up to date with what’s going on across the world. Beecha grumbles that they hadn’t the time to do any of that, what with being dragged into this job so soon after dealing with Haman. Judau tells him not to complain as they all agreed to help Bright until the Giganos are dealt with; of course, now that we’ve descended on Earth, that’ll mean more enemies to fight.
Judau knows but says it is what it is – he’ll keep on trucking along in order to pull the plug on all this fighting. It’s not his thing to stay passive face all that.
Beecha sighs at his never-say-die attitude but, then again, it was exactly that what allowed him to save the Purus.
Following this, the Supers come in and things go the way of the previous mission. Including the introduction of the Dragonar team and their units.
Of note is Aqua wondering why there are so many kids hitching a ride aboard the ship... and is promptly blown away when Judau, Beecha and the others reveal themselves to be MS pilots - Gundam pilots, even. Aqua knows that only aces get to pilot Gundams, though Hugo counters with the fact that Amuro Ray piloted the very first Gundam at age 15-16, so it's not that unusual. Hell, Hugo himself first took to the field a little bit older than them.
And, to top it off, there are Kouji and the Getter Team which are also teenagers. Aqua still groans over being the oldest pilot around.
And there’s also Duke’s convo with the captains and his rant when Douglas wonders if we could achieve peace with the Vegans like we did with the Baamians.