A volcano erupts in Africa, scaring the natives and local wildlife. At school, Seiji’s class runs a marathon under the intense heat. Hotaru has a vision of Africa being attacked and collapses. Seiji and Hikaru take her to the infirmary where she starts talking in her sleep about the Earth getting ripped to pieces. Misuzu appears on the news reporting that the eastern half of Africa is experiencing severe earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Seiji sees the connection between the events and Hotaru’s ramblings and quickly takes off for Africa with the Brave Fighters after school. They approach the African continent and find it covered in plumes of volcanic ash. Lady Pinky asks Seven Changer about what’s happening in Africa and the latter informs her that Violetche has found a planet energy reservoir. Pinky demands to know why Seven Changer allowed that to happen and the latter replies that he doesn’t recall agreeing to help her before ending the transmission. Sky Saber informs Seiji that they’re nearing the epicenter of the seismic activity, and Seiji orders everyone to land. Seiji tells everyone to split up and look for a digging device or an enemy base, then runs behinds a few trees so he can pee. Violetche ambushes Seiji in his beast form and chases him into a trapping pit. Seiji wakes up in Violetche’s ship and tries to contact Da-Garn X, but Violetche tells him that his transmitter won’t work. Violetche leads Seiji to a dining room table lined with food and introduces himself. Seiji asks if Violetche saw his face, and the latter replies that he has no interest in his identity. Violetche offers Seiji some food and the later refuses, causing Violetche to remark that humans are savages just as Redlone reported. Seiji is surprised to discover that Violetche and Redlone are on the same side and realizes that Butcho and Lady Pinky are as well. Violetche is amused that Seiji got this far without knowing anything and tells Seiji to give up and work for him. Seiji refuses and lunges at Violetche but the latter easily evades and restrains him. As the Brave Fighters search for Seiji, Drill Lander calls in and says he found something they should see.
The Brave Fighters find Violetche’s ship and Jumbo Saber suspects Seiji is inside it. Seiji gloats that Violetche is finished now but the latter responds by zapping all the Brave Fighters with lightning. Violetche explains that his job is to go to different planets to steal their energy, which is the raw power found on all life-bearing planets. He shows Seiji a planet similar to Earth and explains that when all the planet energy reservoirs are tapped at once a huge surge of energy pours out and causes the planet’s destruction. Violetche says that the planet’s inhabitants died because they refused to cooperate. Seiji demands to know how that is considered a good thing, and Violetche retorts that the universe belongs to their leader Ohboss so he can do what he wants with it. Da-Garn X destroys the ship’s lightning emitter with Earth Cannon and tells the rest of the Brave Fighters to attack. They dodge the ship’s anti-air defenses and pelt it with blasts. Violetche tells Seiji that it’s too late because the planet energy activator right below them has almost reached the reservoir. He explains that the activator’s drilling function is stimulating the Earth’s mantle to move rapidly, causing the continents to split apart. Violetche tells Seiji that he can’t stop the process but the latter retorts that he won’t let Violetche do as he pleases with Earth. Violetche announces that Seiji is beyond any reasoning and locks him in the room before escaping in his smaller ship. Seven Changer watches the battle from afar and notices the planet energy activator. The Brave Fighters destroy the ship’s missile launcher while Drill Lander infiltrates it. He catches Seiji’s transmission and relays it to Da-Garn X, who separates back to Da-Garn and drives inside the ship. Seiji explains the enemy’s plan to Da-Garn and tells him that they need to hurry before Africa splits apart. Drill Lander breaks into the room and Seiji tells Da-Garn that they need to destroy the planet energy activator before it reaches the reservoir. Drill Lander burrows down to the bottom of the ship but the activator fires at him. Seiji has all the Brave Fighters fire upon the activator and they manage to destroy it, but not before it reaches the planet energy reservoir. Several volcanoes violently erupt and the landmasses start splitting. The Brave Fighters evacuate to the skies as Violetche’s ship falls into the magma and explodes. Da-Garn asks Seiji for his orders, but the shocked Seiji retorts that he doesn’t know what to do. Up in his larger ship in space, Violetche remarks that one reservoir is down.
This episode eschews the traditional monster of the week fight in favor of a combination exposition dump and geography lesson. Despite that, by activating the planet energy reservoir Violetche manages to accomplish what Ohboss’ other underlings never did and handed Seiji his first real loss. Up until now Seiji had taken the Brave Fighter’s power for granted and barely made it out of tight situations by the skin of his teeth and Hotaru’s help, but this time he finally faces the reality that he may be in over his head. On the flip side, it sure is a handy coincidence that the previous planet that Violetche destroyed just happened to have the same civilization as a twentieth century Earth.
Da-Garn Info
Director(s):
Katsuyoshi Yatabe
Shinji Takamatsu
Writer(s):
Fuyunori Gobu
Yasushi Hirano
Mechanical Designer:
Kunio Okawara
Character Designer:
Masayuki Hiraoka
Musical Composer:
Yasunori Iwasaki
Format:
46 episodes
Airdates:
Japan 02.08.1992 – 01.23.1993
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