Part 77: The Advent of the Omega!!

Elgan's passed on the news that something's about to go down at Saotome's lab; Shirota and Ohtsuka have decided GOONZ is flying back to Japan to respond. But Musashi and Hayato aren't too hot on jumping at Elgan's beck and call; they're just about fed up with the mysterious Elgan's mysterious ways. Shirota explains that the revelations from the counter-Red Shoulders operations has put a dent in GOONZ' trust for the good Chairman, but in retrospect, he's been pulling all the strings from before there was even a GOONZ, wasn't he?

Ohtsuka stammers that this is why Elgan agreed to meet us in person, but even the Crushers and co. aren't satisfied with that anymore; he may not be lying, but he's definitely keeping them in the dark. Ohtsuka's breaking down, so we stick him with the big question: how does he know something's going to happen at Saotome Labs, exactly? The WPC detail watching the place hasn't reported anything -



"Who gives a shit!" roars Ryoma suddenly. Elgan's business doesn't concern him. If the Professor's up to something, he's going there, and if the Professor's going to destroy the world, he's going with his fists up. Ohtsuka brightens, but Ryoma adds that he still wants Elgan to know that they're not going to be his pawns forever.



But then a gigantic flying Ganmen appears on the radar, and its flight vector is headed straight for Japan. If the beastmen are also headed for Saotome's lab, there's definitely something big going on there...



The time has come...
It begins now, here! The end of the world... Armageddon!
...
Genki... Genki, my child... don't be afraid...
I'll protect you. Even if it costs me everything...
...
But my sins are too heavy... if only I had never tried to study Getter Rays...
Forgive me, Genki... forgive me, Michiru...



Despite the good Professor's words, Mishima sees that the Getter Rays have taken over him. But he assures Benkei not to worry: "They'll come. Energy is only energy. It knows no good or evil. If Professor Saotome uses Getter Rays for evil, they will use the Getter Rays to stop him."

All the same, Mishima has preparations to make for the worst...


Chapter 40: The Advent of the Omega!!



It's nice to see someone enjoying his job; Saotome growls that "the fools who reject the Getter Rays" cannot stop him.



And Getters pour out of the lab; both leaders (I guess) are determined to crush their opposition.

Are you assholes starting something behind our backs?!



Our main characters are, of course, the Getter Team and Gurren-Lagann; support cast will be all the super robots in GOONZ.

So you've come, GOONZ...
Professor...
...
Mankind must be punished...
For the sin of daring to touch Getter Rays, infinite power, without an inkling of its true nature...
You're just in time to rue the dawning of the sun over last day of the world!

This is sure a thing (Team Godsigma says Saotome is going down the same path their own Fuumi did); Saotome shouts that neither we nor the beastmen can stop him. Cytomander is ready to seize an opportunity to capture Getter and destroy GOONZ at once. Both beastmen and Getters start firing on everything that isn't them; we have no choice but to stop both of them, but Ryoma would love nothing less!

I did tell, you, old man, that I'd be the one to take you out...
And now is the time, old man!



Despite Ryoma's resolve, our actual job is to knock out the Cytomander's Dai-Gan-Ten, and of course, we have six turns to do that and deal with whatever else he and Saotome have up their sleeves.





On Cytomander's side, he's brought his good Cannon Gannons. It's not actually necessary to take any of the other beastmen down, but it helps.




The Getters, on the other hand, are weaker than the originals we fought a while ago, though not by that much.



Overall, I'm sending GOONZ generally north into the breach, with a small strike team moving in on the Dai-Gan-Ten. Taking down Cytomander is the immediate goal, but all the fun's going to be over by Saotome's lab.



By the way, the two enemy armies will attack each other.



Cytomander deigns to attack, from some kind of stupid range.

Show me if you're worthy of standing in combat with Cytomander the Zephyr!
Oh, but don't leave depressed. It's not that you're weak, you see - I'm merely stronger!






You know what? Let's knock this smug fucker down.

Princess Nia! Are you on that vessel?
I demand an answer, Cytomander! Why did Father order you to attack that facility?
Are you still acting as though you're a real princess? You are no longer the daughter of the Spiral King!
I've a mind to despoil that pretty face of yours and present it to the King!






I did say the Great Gurren was ass against the air.





Are you all right, Nia?
What? Is something the matter?







Oh, this is good. Let's have some of these.



Ryoma rushes over to give them a taste of Getter Beam,



But it doesn't do anything. In fact, it looks as if the Invader ate the beam. Ryoma's idea is just to keep firing, but Hayato stops him; he's realized that the Getter energy is feeding them...



Benkei shouts at them to Open Get and he'll deploy their spare Get Machines...



Allowing each of them to form their own Getter Robo and link their reactors together...



Overloading the Invaders with the power of three Getters at once.



But now there's a new, terrifying thing - a demon fused into the back of a lizard-thing.



It wrecks all three Getters, but the pilots are still alive, and their last chance lies within Saotome's lab.



As they make a dash for the building, Cytomander sends one of his Cattoras to intercept them.



Simon makes a leap to catch the flying Ganmen...




and Gurren-Lagann absorbs it and takes to the air on its new wings!

See that? It's like I said, drills can do anything!

Now that Gurren-Lagann can fly, it can go straight for Cytomander's ship; meanwhile, we have Saotome's monster to worry about. What was Saotome doing with that thing, anyway?



Gurren-Lagann, everybody!



"Giant Gol/Burai" is our second midboss this evening; it's not necessary to defeat him by any means, but doing so earns you midboss experience and money as well as a Psychic Reactor, a powerful Will booster.



Anyway, let's scoot Simon back over so he can take a crack at Cytomander...



While our Super strike force advances further at the Saotome Lab.






And that wraps up the turn.



Hey, the Getter Army is finally thinning out.









I'm not sure I remember this from Armageddon...






This has never come up before, but while the Ptolemaios is armed now, it's not well armed, so you'll never use it as a gun platform as you would, say, the Macross.






Sky vs. Mountain. It's great.




Anyway, let's finish this Ganmen thing.

Gurren-Lagann! How dare you take one of my soldiers' Ganmen for your own?
S-Simon! We're not used to flying yet! It may not be possible to--
In the Great Gurren Gang, we go beyond the impossible and kick reason to the curb!
If we just slam ourselves into him, we can't miss! Then we'll drill right on through!








Interestingly, the Dai-Gan-Ten drops a Flight Module. Rossiu learns Spirit - I've been remiss on writing down every Spirit for a while, but him gaining this one marks his growth as a pilot and Simon's partner.



Anyway, Cytomander retreats with all of his Ganmen, shouting that he'll be back sooner or later. But we still don't know what brought him here - weren't the beastmen just trying to exterminate humanity?



Saotome releases even more Getters, a ton more Getters, but they're not attacking...

Behold! It's the beginning of the end!
Come forth! The one who brings forth Armageddon! Its name...
Change! Getter! Ooooooomega Draaaaaaaaaaagoooooon!
That's...
All the Getters are combining together!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Dammit, old maaaaaaaaaaan!

I have anticipated some questioning about this decision and prepared an explanation. If you have no concerns about the presentation of this chapter so far, ignore me and carry on.



The Getter monstrosity towers over the landscape; the sky darkens and the trees wither for miles around.

That is Omega Dragon! The herald of Armageddon!
Who was that man with you?
Did he make all those Getters combine?
Hahahahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Grr... fine, if you won't talk, then...

Ryoma pulls a gun on the good Professor; Benkei tries to stop him, since Genki is there too. Mishima, almost gleefully, tells the bunch that Saotome's been taken over by the Getter Rays. Speaking of which, that Omega Dragon thing is emitting Getter Rays at an alarming rate. The effects of Getter Rays at this level on living creatures is not well understood, but probably not good, if the Invaders are any indication, so we urgently need to shut that thing down.

The Getter Team can't do a thing without their Getter, though, but Mishima has a solution to that - "The last bit of good in Professor Saotome," he calls it - and "the Omega among Getters."



Outside, GOONZ has come to the same conclusion - the monster is putting out copious amounts of Getter radiation.

CHAAAAAAAAANGE! GETTER ONE!



This is... Omega Getter!



The ultimate Getter... Omega Getter Robo!
Old man!
But even Omega Getter cannot stop Omega Dragon!
Armageddon is upon us! Bwahahahahahaha!



Invaders suddenly surround the base; Hayato suggests they were drawn by the radiation coming off of that Dragon. Saotome is impressed that Hayato has figured out the first thing about Getter - but it's too late now that Omega Dragon has awakened!

Can it, old man! You're not gonna get away with this!
We'll stop you! We'll take that Omega Dragon down and you'll go down with it!



And now for our final objective: destroy Omega Dragon!




Omega Getter-2 (Hayato Jin, Musashi Tomoe, Ryoma Nagare)
Skills
Prevail L3+6
Predict
Counter L6
EN Save
Dash
Spirits
(Hayato)
Mercy
Alert
Analyze
Sense
(Musashi)
Guts
Gain
Drive
Luck
Guard
Faith
(Ryoma)
Vigor
Strike
Trust
Invincible
Traits
Getter Vision
Transform
Weapons
Drill Missile (4 Ammo, barrier)
Plasma Drill Hurricane (12 EN)
Drill Hurricane (24 EN, barrier)
Omega Getter Change Attack (1 ammo, 120 will, size)
Ace Bonus: Trigger rate of Getter Vision-like traits increased by +20%.




Omega Getter-3 (Musashi Tomoe, Ryoma Nagare, Hayato Jin)
Skills
Prevail L8
Will+ (Damage)
Defensive Support L1
SP Up +9
Spirits
(Musashi)
Guts
Gain
Drive
Luck
Guard
Faith
(Ryoma)
Vigor
Strike
Trust
Invincible
(Hayato)
Mercy
Alert
Analyze
Sense
Traits
Transform
Weapons
Hammer Punch (15 EN)
Missile Storm (4 ammo)
Avalanche-Roars-Down-The-Mountain (40 EN, 110 Will)
Omega Getter Change Attack (1 ammo, 120 will, size)
Ace Bonus: The "Spirit" Spirit is replaced by "Drive."




Omega Getter-1 (Ryoma Nagare, Hayato Jin, Musashi Tomoe)
Skills
Prevail L7+2
Break Will Limit
Will+ (Destroy)
EN Save
Spirits
(Ryoma)
Vigor
Strike
Trust
Invincible
(Hayato)
Mercy
Alert
Analyze
Sense
(Musashi)
Guts
Gain
Drive
Luck
Guard
Faith
Traits
Blade
Transform
Weapons
Battle Wing (8 EN)
Getter Scythe (12 EN)
Head Getter Beam (24 EN)
Getter Beam (40 EN)
Omega Getter Change Attack (1 ammo, 120 will, size)
Ace Bonus: Deals 1.3x damage above 150 Will.

Meet the new Getter. Same as the old Getter. Just better in every way conceivable. And not only has it joined fresh on HP and EN, but the Getter Team is filled back up on SP and capped out on Will.



Dragon, meanwhile, is a big lump. He drops a Super Repair Kit. Interestingly, it's listed with a terrible SP pool and no Spirits or Skills. This doesn't affect gameplay in any way, but neither do I, and some thought does go into how enemies' flavor stats are assigned.

Heh heh heh. The Getter Rays can draw out the power sleeping within you.
What's that old fart talking about?
You don't understand? Ignorance, too, is a sin.
Is it? Look, I may be stupid, but I'm not stupid enough to let you do whatever you're doing!
Sleeping power? You're kidding, right?
We'll draw out our power with good old fashioned anger! Brace yourself, monster man!







Hey, we can see its HP now.






The Homing Getter Beam is Dragon's only attack to begin with, though it'll build the Will to use its other one soon.

I can feel it... your bodies, too, overflow with that energy...
"Your body?" Seriously? You are one creepy rude old man!
I will crush you before your power awakens! Armageddon is all you deserve!
Back off, creep! No one decides where I'm headed but me!






That is one creepy Getter! I'm shivering just looking at it!
Of course you fools wouldn't understand the might of Omega Dragon!
Even we can see that robot is a danger!
So we fight! We will not let that thing destroy our future!





Interesting... that robot is equipped with a device similar to Getter's.
You... are you sure you're human?
Heh heh... I see you're special. I'm afraid I can't let you leave alive.
I'll end you before you reveal your knowledge!
I don't even care what you are, but that's not going to happen!
And I'm taking down your big old monster! We're not letting it run free!











Invincible never gets old.





Second attacks are not a ton of damage, but it is free.

This dark aura... my clairvoyance is trying to tell me something about Omega Dragon!
Takeru Myojin! Your power is a threat!
I will crush you to dust before you grasp my true nature!
Omega Dragon and Professor Saotome... what is that great shadow I see behind them?







An office worker at a security firm dares stand in my way?
That's what we're paid for!
Then you should leave! You're putting your lives at risk!
This is a life-threatening job! It doesn't matter what the risk is!
We office workers are gonna show this mad scientist what we can do!







Unfortunately, that was with Soul.



Wait, what is this?



Oh, goddammit.

That telekinesis whatever thing Gol/Burai did? It has an effect that halves the affected pilot's stats for the round.

Whoops.

Anyway, where was I?

I'm afraid you're so deep into your research that you won't listen to reason.
Reason? We're far beyond reason.
All creatures need is power... the power to consume all in their path!
If you reject the power of the human mind, you're no longer human at all.
So I'll deal with you as you deserve! Even though it's not my preference!





Photon power, the energy of mankind's dreams! But even the power of a god is as nothing before Getter's might!
Professor Saotome! What do you know about photon power?
I know it well... the power of my kind's ancient enemy!
Your kind?
There's no need for you to know! You will crumble, power of god!






Professor Saotome, why are you doing this?
There's no point explaining to you. It's a waste of timing explaining why to those about to be destroyed.
I'm afraid you've made a mistake in your logic!
This is not the last day of the world. As long as I fight with Daitarin 3, the sun will always rise on a new dawn!






Banjou, uh, was too far away. He doesn't have Accelerate or anything.

What the hell is this thing? Just another no-frills monster like the Damons!
Gh... what is the energy it emits?
He must mean the Brasta's Sphere...
Another power, different from the Getter Rays... I must study it!
This is my partner. I'm not handing it over to some mad scientist.
The Chief's already more than enough mad for me!










...I'm pretty sure this thing doesn't have Prevail, but...

Ryoma, Hayato, Musashi! You don't have the mettle to handle Omega Getter!
We'll see about that! You haven't seen how much stronger we've gotten!
Ha! If that were even half true, Michiru would still be alive!
!
Gh...
Ryoma! Hayato! Don't listen to him! It was an accident!
No, it wasn't! You killed Michiru!
You're right, old man, we did.
Ryoma...
But that doesn't mean she'd be happy with what you're doing!
Be silent, Ryoma! You have no right to talk about Michiru!
No, you be silent! When we take you down, we'll give you one for Michiru too!
With Omega Getter!





Doing pretty well for the end of turn 3, I think.



We're leaving a few Invaders alive for Gurren-Lagann to chain off of to reach Dragon. Not that they can be taken out in one shot anyway, but it's good to have them on the field for this.




Mazinger can do it, of course.



Oh, and I forgot about these two. Dancouga defends.



Oh, and Dragon definitely regenerates HP.




This is the only time that's going to hit something unprotected.






Saotome's definitely going down the crazy hole.



Oh, and Ryoma learns Valor there will be no survivors.



The only thing left to do, other than knocking out Gol/Burai (do I even have to show it?), is giving Simon a shot at Dragon.



On the way, Simon learns Valor the destruction will be unimaginable.

There you are! Wielder of Spiral Power!
Spiral power?
Is he talking about Gurren-Lagann's drill?
Are you listening, king of the beastmen? I will destroy these creatures for you!
And yet all your efforts will still be in vain! This planet will be ours!
You can't have this planet, and neither can the beastmen! It's our world, and we'll fight for it!






Valor.



With Omega Dragon a tenth of a hit from death, nothing stops me from just throwing GOONZ at Gol/Burai until it falls over. Saotome mutters that he doesn't need them as long as he's still alive. He deigns to tell Ryoma and Hayato that those monsters were clones of them, part of his plan. Weirdo.

Anyway, there's only one way to end this battle:






Hayato learns his last Spirit, Fury.

No... Omega Dragon... my dream!
...
Genki... can you hear me, Genki...
If this is the fate of those who touch the Getter, I have no regrets, even if I encroached on God's domain...
And I want you to carry on my work! Do you understand?
!
The hell are you talking about, old man?
I'm sorry... that you had to suffer my punishment with me...
What?
If I had only been watching! But I... I...
I didn't realize who the true enemy was...
Old man!
I'm sorry...




Omega Dragon explodes, taking Saotome with it; the Invaders also explode, likely, as the new expert Hayato theorizes, from Getter overload.



And the whole lab is going down after them!



The GOONZ make it out just in time...



These two fuckers are back in New York. Coen mutters that this is a setback, but Stinger assures him that they have time to take things easy.



And then Elgan Roddick walks in and shoots both of them!

Rather than dying, they scream that Elgan can't be human to have divined their true nature - but it's too late to stop their plan now! Armageddon is still on its way!



As Coen and Stinger escape, Ambassador Dorian arrives wondering just what those gunshots were about. Roddick brushes him off, saying that they won't be seeing the two again. "GOONZ," he murmurs. "Only you can stop Armageddon. I'm not a god; all I can do like this is have faith in you..."



Standing in the ruins of Saotome's lab, Team Getter can't believe their battle is over. Benkei is sure that whatever happened to the Professor after Michiru died, the fact that he left Omega Getter for them must mean he still believed in them deep down. Ryoma is still full of rage at Saotome, but Hayato blames Getter Radiation itself; it's what drove Saotome mad, and it's also what brought the Invaders to Earth.

That demands an explanation, and Hayato lays out the facts. The Invaders always attack wherever they go, don't they? Akagi suggests they were scouting out their enemy, Getter Robo, but there's no way they're that smart, right? Hayato says they want Getter Rays, that they consume them as they did today, and that they were destroyed not by the Getter Beam's force but by absorbing in excess.

Hayato still can't say if Saotome knew that when he built Getter Robo, nor what his aim was in awakening Omega Dragon, but since the beast was a tremendous source of Getter radiation, it had to be destroyed before it brought the Invaders' full force on the planet. Mishima adds that Omega Dragon's vast power couldn't be contained with any technology we have access to anyway, and it was only a matter of time before it went into overload. If we hadn't intervened today, all of Japan would be awash in Getter radiation right now.



It's a good thing we handled that, but what about Saotome's surviving child? Benkei says he'll take Genki in. In the meantime, the main Getter team will resume service in Japan. Mishima is headed to join his old friends, the three old scientists from the Photon Labs. Ryoma swears he'll use Omega Getter well, as an emblem of the last good in Saotome.

Hayato's not done mulling though; there's still the question of the Invaders attacking humans but ignoring the beastmen entirely, as well as why they attacked Saotome. Did they know what Saotome was going to do? And still, why did he create Omega Dragon? And who was that man who appeared before the Dragon did? And what did his last words to them mean?



Gaioh has felt something happening in Japan. He's going out for a bit, and he's going alone. Shioni and Cheval both beg him to take them (well, Shioni's army) along, but Gaioh brushes them off. Cheval grovels and offers up his head, but Gaioh growls that his head isn't worth taking "for now." He kicks Cheval's prostrate body out of his way. Ime Liard wonders if this will bring Gaioh's memory back; the man himself can only hope so. But, wonders the liar, would that be good or bad for them?



Oh, he survived.

Oh.... oh, Go...
...
Genki needs... the whole world... needs you...
I will...



Well, this explains that. Gaioh introduces himself as "Gaioh, and nothing else"...



And we fade to black. Oh well!