Daimos' Main Villain, Generalissimo Olban's Contingency Planning

I did notice there seem to be a lot of things copied over by Toei themselves. The late Tadao Nagahama's Robot Romance Trilogy went to a full-blown romance. Yes, it's a Romeo and Juliet though spoilers, Kazuya and Erika did make it through. I guess Kazuya was just too exhausted and the way he collapsed, didn't look like he died. I re-watched and the ending says that as long as both lived - both races came together. Now, it's time to examine another Super Robot villain we love to hate - Generalismo Olban. Olban was the main villain of Daimos. He's pretty much an Expy to Zu Zambojil of Voltes V and may have inspired Emperor Corsair in Dairugger XV. 

Unlike Zambojil, we saw Olban giving Richter orders to conquer the Earth. As a villain, Richter only wants to save his people but Olban has other plans. Richter got into the fight because his father, the late Generalissimo Leon, was poisoned at a lunar base. There are some obvious clues early on to which would get rather obvious. Maybe, some would be shocked but I wasn't too shocked. Olban's rise to power was typical villainy. It turns out that Olban orchestrated his rise to power and had some contingency planning. 

It's assumed that Olban himself became Generalissimo of Shou Baam (Mini-Baam) because Richter wasn't old enough to occupy the throne. I guess Olban was meant to rule as a regent until Richter became old enough to take over the throne. However, slowly but surely, Olban had no intention to hand over the throne to Richter when the latter reaches the age of maturity. Olban would later attempt to replace Richter with Aizam. Fortunately for Richter, Aizam was a loyal friend. However, Olban was going to be a bigger traitor. To think that Olban was once the trusted aide of Generalissimo Leon. 

What's not surprising is that Olban and Georiya orchestrated the death of Generalissimo Leon. Episode five made it too obvious with Georiya's gestures that he really poisoned Generalissimo Leon. Episode 34 was when the explosive revelation happened. Maybe explosive to Richter and the rest. However, not to anybody who at least noticed Georiya's gestures in the fifth episode. It's revealed that Olban himself has been secretly (from the others) ordering rebellions. Himley, the brother of Balbas, tried to report the genocide to Olban only to find out that Olban ORDERED IT. Episode 32 also has Olban's revelation that he plans to convert several Baams into mindless cyborgs. Those who can't be brainwashed would later be treated as wasted experiments.

Olban knows that he has to give up on the throne sooner or later. The next plan was to get rid of Richter. Olban had Georiya take over the Underwater Palace. This was all about securing his place since Richter would soon reach the age of maturity. I guess Olban anticipated that if the brainwashing doesn't work - he needs to get rid of any other heir. Then the not-so-surprising move happens. Olban decides that he was going to marry Princess Erika. Sure, they have a huge age gap or he can marry any woman he wants, why Erika? It's too obvious that Erika is called a flower for one reason. A flower is a symbol of royalty. Olban must make sure that his reign is LEGITIMIZED at all costs. The people don't view him as the proper heir but just as a regent. Olban later gloated that only Erika was left of Leon's line. It was obvious that the beautiful flower was to lift him up into power. 

Later, Olban reveals that he's had more fail-safes if ever he should fail. It's obvious that marrying Erika will legitimize his rule. It's obvious that converting several Baams in suspended animation into cyborgs will not be easy. Olban was also ready for his death. Before that, Olban had a body double because he knew people under him hate his guts. Olban did try to blackmail Richter with the lives of billions of Baams in suspended animation. That is, Olban was threatening to cut off the life switch. Richter finally killed Olban only to discover one thing. Olban was MORE THAN READY to take the whole Shou Baam center with him. Shou Baam would collide into Jupiter in case he died. Even in death, Olban really was a menace. The central control was so well-guarded just so he could carry on his spite. 

Pretty much, Olban was a very well-prepared villain. Sure, he may have been finally killed off as the plot requires. It's the fact that he's so well-prepared that made him a very dangerous foe indeed. Unlike Miwa who was plain Stupid Evil--Olban was pretty smart most of the time.

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