Golion Episodes 16-20

After giving Prince Sincline's introduction -- here are a bunch of rewatches. Warning: Some of these episodes can be grim. Yes, stuff that's not appropriate for TV-Y7-FV -- stuff that made localizing Hyajakuu Golion a necessity. Anyway, here are some of the episodes coming up!

Episode 16

After Sincline's introductory arc -- it's time for him to get into a regular episode. The story of the two kingdoms is told. Two lovers from ages past tried to build a bridge. The love goddess Roman (this might be the same Goddess that split Golion) heard their pleas and built a bridge. Years later, it was destroyed during Galra's invasion of Altea. The bridge is rebuilt but spoilers -- it's destroyed again! This episode reveals Sincline's womanizer nature. Tsuyoshi gets to act as the youth from Helena. Fala acts as the youth from Altea.

It's interesting to see Daibazaal try to teach Sincline about the basics. Daibazaal's probably only 50 years old by Galran Years. However, Daibazaal knows he can't live forever. Sincline is taught this basic rule -- destroy the enemy. The battle of the Beast Fighters is there again. Beast Fighter Mammoth is converted into a tank-like cyborg. Sincline wants to put Fala into his collection. Sincline's daydream is utterly disturbing -- he's surrounded by many women and Fala is to be in HIS COLLECTION. Yes, Sincline's a womanizer and he may have had children off-screen!

This episode shows Sincline's rebellious tendencies. I'd say Daibazaal probably wasn't too careful raising his heir. After Sincline gets chastised for his defeat -- Daibazaal reveals he's perhaps failed to do damage control. Daibazaal insists that Sincline should behead Fala and they drink their blood (gross). I guess Daibazaal hasn't thought that making Fala one of Sincline's slaves is a fate worse than death. 

Episode 17

There is some editing between Lion Voltron and Golion. Fala and Amue (Romelle) aren't first-degree cousins. However, they had a common ancestor. Some distant ancestors of the Altean royal household had a rebellious twin. That rebellious brother got exiled to the Planet Heracles. Interestingly, its heir is also named Prince Samson. There's a centuries-old grudge between Heracles and Altea. Fortunately, this episode ends it but without a price. The king of Heracles also intends to rebel -- not a very good move!

Sincline's arrogance and lasciviousness are his weaknesses. While Sincline challenges Samson to the arena -- he gets distracted by Amue's beauty. The king has every right to get enraged. However, it didn't take long to know that Sincline is anything but a good guy. Prince Alor, the younger brother, thinks of Sincline as a good guy. Okay, let's get it straight -- if these guys did ENOUGH RESEARCH -- Galra is blatantly and UNASHAMEDL EVIL! Come on, Galra does wicked actions for the sake of it! Samson is also another Beast Fighter created from a humanoid. I bet the same was true for Bambara the guy with the serpents. Bambara most likely volunteered to become a Beast Fighter for Galra.

Sincline shows his nasty personality even more. Sincline was most likely upset that Samson couldn't beat Golion. Sincline's next act was rather murderous -- MURDER both Samson for failing as a Beast Fighter AND the king of Heracles. Unlike Gilgon from Voltes V -- Samson was destroyed because he was deemed TOO WEAK. At least Gilgon died with honor refusing to continue a useless battle. Sincline has some sense of honor. However, Sincline was raised For the Evulz.

A funny note though is this. In Lion Voltron, the dialogue is totally bonkers. However, there was a slight touch of comedy. The Galrans kidnap Amue thinking she as Fala! I laughed when Sincline overreacted. It would be like if I were planning to kidnap Shin Hye Sun but ended up kidnapping Sarah Elgago. 

Episode 18

An episode that had some dub editing as well. The Lion Voltron episode had Zarkon's medicine as berries. However, Daibazaal requires the blood of a human girl. I bet Galra got too wasteful with their resources that they can't give it ASAP. Daibazaal collapses for some reason. Was it because of some ill omen or what? Honerva performs some witchcraft telling Sincline to get some human women. Sincline must also deal with Sundra -- a staff at the Occult Science laboratory. 

Sundra comes up with a new experiment -- creating Beast Fighters out of plants! Sincline has some bias towards Sundra. Sincline uses the material on some trees -- hoping to round off some women. Fortunately, the Golion team goes just in time to rescue people from the Beast Fighters created from trees. Sincline assembles the three of them into one Beast Fighter called Treeder. This plan was a failure. We also get to see how Sincline is a Bad Boss too.

The Lion Voltron didn't have Sundra getting murdered. Sincline murders a snake and forces Sundra to drink it. Yup, it wasn't surprising that Sincline made Sundra drink the deadly snake blood. Sincline plans on murdering his father. However, Daibazaal has recovered! Was  Honerva's divination faulty? She could've just gotten that snake. Daibazaal thanks Sincline. The Lion Voltron has some added dialogue of Honerva casting a spell on Zarkon. However, here, Sincline says, "Truly father is the devil embodied!" Well, Galra is a kingdom of For the Evulz and just wants to be EEEVVVIILLL one way or another.

Episode 19

It's an episode without Sincline. Instead, it focuses on Honerva. I guess Sincline's planning for some zany scheme or had to do some housework. The episode revealed an ancient castle. However, this castle was turned into a giant trap by Honerva. Honerva plans to turn the Golion team into a human stew! Just watching this -- I wonder how Sincline managed to hide his true personality from Alor during the first visit? Also, shouldn't Galra's disgusting habits repel the more refined people of Heracles? 

Hiroshi along with three friends plans to explore the castle. One of the space mice is sent to help Hiroshi. Isamu mentions a nostalgic moment going to a haunted house. The castle is full of traps as Honerva intended. The Golion team gets lured into it and is about to be captured. Daibazaal has a very minimal role here. Daibazaal mentions about having human stew! Is Daibazaal really simply eating people to prove he's eeeevvvviiiillll?  The Beast Fighter Kame Gata Warship is used as a last revolve.

The episode had some nightmare fuel here and there. However, Sincline's absence wasn't what I had in mind. Sincline is really cooler than the rest of Galra. Not that I'm going to discount Honerva's murdering of Takashi. I feel Honerva's booby trap is typically a Saturday Morning Cartoon. Honerva releases a Beast Fighter after everything fails. The ending has the children still cheering for Hiroshi. Isamu also shows a childish side here.

Episode 20 

This is one depressing episode. Something that World Events Productions couldn't show. It was changed into Pidge's home planet. Here? Well, it's really titled "Goodbye, Earth!" The Earth doesn't survive the nuclear war in 1999. Was it already the Year 2000 here? It's not really explained. What's really brutal is how this episode makes one think about moving forward. It's easy to get stuck in the past and get sentimental. Meanwhile, the Golion team must move forward!

The Golion team seeks to go to Earth to see what's going on. Earth's about to erupt. I don't blame Raible and Hysteria for objecting. This episode is Hysteria sounding like Okane from Daimos. The Earth heroes must choose between the past and the future. If they do leave -- Altea will be defenseless. This is definitely where I want to criticize Galra -- why can't Galra launch an all-out attack with a Beast Fighter on ALTEA while the other four are at Earth? Instead, Daibazaal orders Sincline to go after them to Earth and bring their bones. Where was the Daibazaal who gave his sons the lessons of being evil at the arena? Beast Fighter Batolda should've been released at Altea instead of Earth. 

This episode has a lot of sad memories. There are times I pass by places that no longer exists. I can't help but still feel sad or want to cry a bit. Hearing that once-fabled toy store no longer exists is sad. Hearing Gift Gate is closed is sad. Seeing the playground of my childhood destroyed is sad. However, this is one ONE ENTIRE PLANET that's destroyed! I can't help but feel sorry for Akira, Isamu, Tyuyoshi, and Hiroshi. First they lose Takashi and then their home? How dark than Golion get? Lion Voltron tried to add some padding by saying, "Everyone was evacuated!" Wut? Keith's face was full of shock. Akira's dialogue fits the narrative better. 

Fala helps her teammates recover. Fala is The Heart of the Golion team. Fala tells them, "Think of Altea as your new home." There are times I wonder did Toei take things too far by DESTROYING EARTH? This episode alone shows why Dairugger XV can't be in the same continuity. Somehow, I'm glad Dairugger XV wasn't connected to Golion. However, Toei would later produce animation for WEP's Fleet of Doom movie featuring the two Voltrons.