BotP Close-up 046

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Bobkat
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BotP Close-up 046

Post: # 515Post Bobkat »

This week is Giant Gila Monster and, in my humble opinion, not one of Battle's strongest eps. This ep focuses strictly on Mark and the mysterious character Zeno. Because of this, we don't see the other team members (much). Jason and Princess video conference with Zark at the beginning of Act Two explaining Mark's precarious situation. The entire treatment of Zeno leaves a lot to be desired as far as Federation politics goes. I also know this has led to some fan debate over the years. The mech, however, is impressive.

The Other Jason's write-up is here: https://www.battleoftheplanets.info/ep46.html

Enjoy this week's plot! :)

E46: Giant Gila Monster

Act One

7-Zark-7 is accustomed to dealing with threats from outer space while at Center Neptune. However, he's dealing with a triple Red Alert. He calls Susan on planet Pluto with a warning for her. Zark explains that the last known survivor of Zenos has been in protective custody at the Institute for the Study of Ancient Civilizations on Earth for years. But the survivor has escaped. Susan says that could lead to all sorts of trouble. Zark has already alerted the Outer Space Patrols on planet Zeross. He tells Susan to keep her sensors sharp.

Zark returns to his monitors to see if he can find the Zenobian as 1-Rover-1 watches. Zark wonders where the survivor is going and why. He watches a playback of video during a snowstorm saying Zeno, as he's called, was first discovered wandering the desolate wasteland of his planet. It took a dozen men to subdue him and to bring him back to Earth. It appears Zeno was the lone survivor of his people. Zark says Zeno has been "a privileged inmate" at the Institute but has refused to talk with multiple escape attempts. The playback shows Zeno ramming through a guarded gate during the storm. While all roads to the Institute are being guarded, he slipped by everyone.

Inside the Institute's administration building, Zeno's escape is a matter of great concern. A communications operator has verified that Zeno has taken a rocket ship back to his world. The head of the Institute orders Center Neptune to be alerted with instructions to return Zeno unharmed. A woman conferring with the head of the Institute asks why Zeno should be returned to the Institute before lighting a cigarette. Turns out, the woman is a member of the Galactic press corps and the head of the Institute is not at liberty to divulge any security details. The head of the Institute is a professor and gives her a glare before she walks out disappointed that the professor won't confide in her.

Wherever the Institute is, apparently sports car can drive through the snow with ease. The female reporter drives away into the storm as the professor watches from a window. The reporter is actually a Spectran agent and says she must contact Zoltar right away.

Zoltar briefs a batch of hand picked troops to go after the Zenobian. He tells them to find the Zenobian and with his secret they can conquer Earth easily. Meanwhile, the G-Force team has taken off for the Zenobian's home world in the Cygnus constellation. Due to security issues, Mark will be working undercover while the rest of the team will be orbiting the planet. Zark says records show the Zenobian can be dangerous and reminded Mark to keep his wrist communicator on.

On the planet, Mark is hanging out at an airfield working on his airplane. Zeno shows up and pulls a gun on Mark demanding that he fly Zeno in another plane. Mark isn't about to argue staring down a barrel of a gun. He does warn Zeno that they don't know what they're getting flying someone else's plane. Mark takes off and sends out an emergency signal to Zark.

As they fly along in the yellow and red airplane, Mark tells Zeno he could be facing a kidnapping charge. Zeno doesn't care and tells Mark to keep flying. They're suddenly in a roll with Mark yelling that he told Zeno there could be something wrong with the controls, which there is. Mark tries to bring the airplane under control as the ground comes up fast. Fortunately, Mark is able to steady the plane as the rudder becomes unstuck.

Zeno believes all the maneuvering was Mark's doing. Mark tries to change the subject asking what's in the case. Zeno says it's not Mark's concern but Mark notices how tightly Zeno hangs onto it. They keep flying but now the oil pressure drops and Mark tells Zeno they'll have to bail out. He hands Zeno a parachute and says he'll try to hold the plane steady. Zeno is confused at first but takes the parachute and puts it on. He asks how it works and Mark tells him about the ripcord. Before jumping, Zeno tells Mark that he thinks that Mark is his friend. Mark tells him they're both in danger and he needs to jump. As Zeno falls, he calls out, "Remember me, Zeno!"

As soon as Mark sees the chute open, he focuses on bringing the airplane down in one piece. After striking some trees, he bounces in a field and the airplane finally stops just short of a chasm! Mark shuts the engine off and kicks a landing strut. "Luck of the Irish!" He wonders where Zeno landed and what he's up to. As he watches Zeno land, Mark knows he needs help and hopes the Phoenix is in range but his wrist communicator is no good – "must have shaken something loose."

Mark contemplates his next move and wonders if Zark has been trying to get in touch. Just then, a bunch of Specran ships show up and head in the direction Zeno was landing. Mark hides behind the airplane but watches as the ships land in the chasm forming up to create a Gila Monster! Mark climbs down saying it figures that Zoltar "would horn in on this." Zark comments that something must have gone wrong with Mark's communicator because he's lost contact but he will keep trying.

Act Two

Zark paces in Nerve Center because he's concerned about Mark. He pulls his head out flying to his monitors to contact the Phoenix and G-Force who are still flying standby around the Zenobian planet. Jason answers, "We're still out here, Zark. Going around in circles until we're dizzy." Jason explains they had visual contact of Mark until they went onto the other side of the planet. Princess adds that when they looked for him again, Mark was gone but they're in the process of finding him. Zark tells them it's imperative they find Mark because the Zenobian can be dangerous. On top of that, the Zenobian can't be killed in a fight, at least not in the way humans can. Jason says the commander is in "big trouble." Zark agrees and tells them to try to warn Mark about the Zenobian and Spectra.

On the planet, Mark reaches the bottom of the chasm only to find an "old Western town." He notices the town is "deserted" and speculates that Zeno once lived here. He also knows the Spectran ships are nearby. Things slowly fall apart as the Gila Monster mech strolls into town. The commander orders the infrared activated to find the Zenobian. The goons are skeptical but they soon find Zeno climbing down the cliff to the town. The commander reminds his men that "untold rewards" await them if they're successful in their mission.

The Gila Monster moves in as Zeno calls it a "dragon" and makes a run for it. The commander orders the mech to break into smaller pieces and give chase. Mark jumps out of their way as Zeno shoots back. The Spectrans eventually surround him and order him to drop his gun. Zeno drops his gun as the Gila Monster puts itself back together. Zeno isn't worried as he's faced "talking metal monsters" before. Mark walks up behind him with his hands up. Zeno asks Mark why he's there and Mark tells him the same as the Spectrans, looking for him!

Mark tells Zeno that he's a friend but Zeno says no one is his friend. However, he likes Mark and decides to fight the Spectrans together. The commander tells Zeno that he's a "guest" but threatens to shoot when Zeno ignores him. Zeno tells him that they won't fight and the commander says he know they won't.

The commander has them tied up and lowered into a water well. The pulley is on a timer and the commander tells Zeno his only escape is to talk to him. The commander orders the goons to guard them closely and if Zeno decides to talk, to grab him right away. While they're tied up, Mark explains he was sent to take Zeno back to Earth because his people are worried about him. But Zeno says Earth isn't his home. Zeno says he needs to get free and he's running out of time because his "life force" is ebbing. He goes to say he's from another dimension and water saps his life force. He tries to lifts his feet out of the water but they are being lowered ever so slowly. Next thing they know, they're waist-deep. Mark tells Zeno to hang on and transmutes underwater.

The commander orders his men to take the town apart and find the briefcase that Zeno carried. Mark confronts the commander throwing his sonic boomerang to disarm him. Zeno has been able to turn the tables, tying up a pair of goons in his place. Zeno has to make his way to the ancient doorway. His people are waiting on him on the other side.

Zeno meets Mark on the street and Zeno says he needs to go in but Mark has set it to blow up! The building explodes and Mark knows that Spectra will be after them. Mark carries Zeno up the cliffs as the Gila Monster gives chase. At the top, Zeno explains he will die there because the doorway has been destroyed. He has no way to go back to his people. Mark apologizes. The Spectran commander says he will take the Zenobian and his briefcase. Zeno tells Mark that a small group traveled from their dimension long ago to here but something in the air saps their life force. Mark offers help but Zeno makes one last move and tackles the commander. The Gila Monster falls back down the chasm and explodes.

Mark contemplates Zeno, a strange man, his sacrifice, and his determination to help his people. He kicks open the briefcase that held the answers to the questions but Zeno is no longer alive to unravel the mystery. Zark says the Phoenix finally located Mark and they're in the process of reuniting.

Zark says the secrets of the Zenobians died with Zeno who was a stranger and different but not really dangerous – just someone trying to go home. The possibility of Spectra using the power of dimensional travel to complete their invasion plans is horrible to think about. Zark compares robots and Zenobians because both are different. Robots work all the time, never eat or sleep, never go out with friends or bowl. But if he did bowl, he would bowl a perfect game every time. Rover covers his eyes and Zark says that he acts like a real, live dog. Rover then helicopters over to Zark. Zark comments that some may find that move strange but only shows that Rover has received superior training from G-Force. Both robots give the salute.

This plot summary Copyright Bobbi Baker ©2021. No reproduction of any kind without permission.
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