Keyop finds a beetle


Keyop's new pet has evil intentions


Zoltar confers with Kinatch


Returning with the rescued children

 


The Alien Beetles

Written by: Jack Paritz
Alternate Title: A Swarm of Alien Beetles, also A Giant Beetle Kidnaps Keyop
Production Number: 17
Airing Number: 75
Script Completion Date: 12/18/78
Episode Completion Date: 1/5/79
Preview / Trailer: Preview
Credit Version: C
Title Card Version: B
Official episode synopsis

..To use children as expendable power sources for their new robots.
..To safely return all the children Spectra has kidnapped..

 
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Stay tuned! Coming up next on Battle of the Planets!
A swarm of giant beetles descends on Earth from outer space, bringing terror and destruction! What is the real mission of these awesome winged attackers? What strange reason do they have for capturing Earthlings and carrying them away?
"What kind of bugs are they?" (Mark)
Can the unique Cerebonic powers of G-Force cope with such malign forces from planet Spectra?
"Got to get close… but not too close!" (Mark)
Or will the evil Zoltar finally capture them too, in his mad determination to drain Earth's energy and conquer the galaxy?
Be sure to watch this exciting episode, coming up next!
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Three young children find odd-looking beetles at a construction yard and run off with them. Keyop, who has been sent out on a wild goose chase for a rare butterfly by 7-Zark-7 later finds the same type of beetle and thinking it’s cute, takes one home for himself. Later that evening, the beetles grow to massive proportions and kidnap each of the boys. The four beetles then proceed to cause massive destruction in Capital City. Zoltar’s commander Kinatch says their plan to use the boys to power the beetles is working perfectly. The Spirit thinks using humans as power sources could be their greatest chance at saving the dying Planet Spectra.

The next morning, the beetles continue their wave of destruction. While Mark is surveying the situation, he follows one of the beetles and calls 7-Zark-7. Mark says he can take out the beetle easily, but 7-Zark-7 says he has detected Keyop inside the creature. Mark X-Rays its hull and sees Keyop inside hooked up to some machine. He follows the bug to its base and contacts the rest of the team to come to his signal.

G-Force arrive at the base and sneak inside to find the boys. Princess locates Keyop and gives him his wrist bracelet. He transmute and helps free the other boys. Mark asks Jason for a distraction so they can escape and Jason obliges by driving his car through the base. Everyone is able to get out safely and Zoltar launches the beetles against the Phoenix. They don’t have enough missiles on board to take care of the beetles, but just then Colonel Cronus and his team appear, destroys the beetles and leaves without saying a word.

Zoltar tells his commander to demolish the base and that he may not return to Spectra. He complies and destroys the base along with himself and his men. Jason is caught in the destruction and nearly pulled underground. Tiny pilots the Phoenix down and uses the grapple to grab Jason's car and pull him to safety. They report to 7-Zark-7 that they are on their way back to the center. The other boys, who are also on board wish that they can be members of G-Force when they grow up.


 

 

Name: Beetles
Type: Giant Mechanical Monster
Body Shape: Beetles
Origin: Planet Spectra
Sighting: Planet Earth

Weapons: Brute strength
Flight Capable: Yes
Crew: Yes
Status: Destroyed

These four mechanical beetles started as regular sized insects, but were able to grow to incredible proportions. They hypnotized and captured children to use as power sources in a process called Electro Generation. The Beetles and the children were kept in a secret Spectra base on Earth. The Beetles were destroyed when Colonel Cronus and a fighter squad from Planet Riga came in to assist G-Force.

Princess sometimes brings breakfast in bed to Keyop

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