SYNOPSIS

At a meeting between the senior colonists, Sheryl puts forward her data on the examinations of the Ideon pilots, noting the Gauges rise when the pilots sense danger. Bes also clashes with Cosmo and Kasha over battle protocol. Later on, Deck persuades Cosmo to let him co-pilot the Ideo-Delta, despite Lotta's objections. Almost immediately, the Solo Ship comes under attack from a recovered Damido and his squadron. The Ideon forms to meet this attack.

The Ideon is able to avoid capture, but Damido's whole attack is a diversion, allowing Harulu in the Dorowa Zan a clear run at the Solo Ship. Bes radios the Ideon for help, but Cosmo and Kasha decide to press home their attack on Damido instead. The Solo Ship's main engine takes a direct hit, while the Ideon is caught in a hook attack by Damido's force. Deck's fear causes the Gauge to rise, and the Ideon is able to break free and escape to the Solo Ship, destroying two Zigg Macks and killing Damido in the process. The ship then enters DS drive. Bes then has Cosmo and Kasha put in solitary confinement as punishment for ignoring orders.

NOTES

Damido Pechi: Damido was injured by the Ideon in episode 11. He dies here when the Ideon throws another robot at him, cursing the robot for ruining his life. His plan, as per usual, involved hooks...

Deck Afta: Deck becomes Cosmo's co-pilot on the Ideo-Delta, replacing the rotating generic gunners that have been appearing off and on - it's something of a promotion from his usual work of half-arsedly baby-sitting Lou, Fard and Ashura. Deck is intelligent, especially for his age, having already learnt most of the controls in his spare time. For about ten minutes we have what will be the main crew line-up for most of the series - Cosmo & Deck in the Ideo-Delta, Moera & Bento in the Ideo-Nova, Kasha & Tekuno in the Ideo-Buster.

Fard Malaka: Fard cries like a little girl when Lou (that's right, big scary Lou) wrecks his sand... mound.

Sheryl Formosa: Sheryl presses Bes for the solitary punishment at the end (he was just going to remove them from the Ideon roster initially) - I'm not entirely sure why, it's more likely to piss off Cosmo and make him tell Bes she stitched up Karala (not that he does). Very spiteful and bizarre behaviour.

The Solo Ship: The colonists loaded the thing up with a variety of battle/space suits - this is the first showing of one that's kid-sized, for Deck. Rapappa spends this first sortie naked, the poor thing.

REVIEW:

Almost automatically, the return of Damido somehow turns this into a retread episode. Damido himself, with his callous, promotion-driven outlook is a respectable character, especially when freed of the tiresome double-act with Gije, but there's just little new in this episode.

And why exactly does Harulu keep sending her forces after the Ideon piecemeal? The thing must have destroyed five or six Zigg Macks since she arrived with reinforcements, and they've come close enough to winning that it's possible a mass attack would result in victory.

That said, Cosmo and Kasha act like brats throughout, and it's great to see them get called and punished for basically not caring about anyone else - they only actually return to the Solo Ship when they're afraid it will DS away without them. That aside, this is very by the numbers stuff.