Episode Guide
The Robotech Masters
Episode 49: A New Recruit
Dana Sterling's exercise regimen is interrupted by an emergency call from General Emerson's office. When she arrives, she is given a new assignment: the alien Bioroid pilot, Zor, needs to be debriefed, but his memory is completely wiped out.
General Emerson puts him under Dana's personal direction. It is his hope that exposing Zor to a military environment will jog his memory somehow.
While Dana does her best to try to integrate Zor into the 15th Squadron, her orders for the 15th to make him feel welcome are met on deaf ears. He proves to be quite a good shot in a training scenario, but a young Hovertanker named Eddie starts to pick a fight with him.
Dana chooses an amusement park as the setting for her “debriefing” session with Zor. She does little to contain her enthusiasm at spending some time having fun with the strangely compelling alien, but a trip on the space tunnel ride not only starts to unlock memories within Zor, but almost proves fatal for Dana when her harness breaks.
The next day, Zor goes over images of the Robotech Masters' ships and weaponry in the hope that it will jog his memory. However, an image of the mounds that cover the ruins of the SDF-1 sets off voices in his mind: “Earth is the final source of Protoculture, the basis for our power, the lifeblood of our existence. Our foremost goal is to control this life force by conquering Earth.”
Zor collapses and starts muttering fragments of what he's heard.
The Robotech Masters analyze the images Zor's neurosensor has provided them.
They are worried about Zor's returning memories, even more so about whatever it is Zor Prime has recognized in Dana. His emotions relating to her may be the key in his memories returning. For this reason the Masters decide to start controlling Zor Prime directly.
n a staff meeting, Supreme Commander Leonard relays what has been learned from Zor to the rest of the Southern Cross command. Emerson feels that since they know what the Robotech Masters are after, they should try negotiating with them, but Leonard decides that now is the time to attack.
Zor tries to distance himself from Dana, and when he returns to the 15th Squadron's barracks Eddie starts to taunt him again. Eddie doesn't believe Zor has lost his memory, and blames Zor for the death of his brother. The overwrought young man decks Zor, then nearly hits him again, but ends up striking an interfering Angelo instead before running off.
n the exercise room, Zor mulls over his encounter with Eddie. Dana tracks him down, but Zor says he wants her to leave him alone and doesn't want his memory back. “If they want what's locked up in my brain,” he says, “tell them to operate.” Dana only wants to help, and tells him the only way to win is to face his past, but Zor tells her it's over.
She kicks a mirror over in frustration, and Zor sees his reflection in the falling shards, which triggers a strange vision where he fights his way through one of the Masters' ships and encounters the muse Musica, who he uses as a human shield and watches die. When he awakens, he tells Dana about the dream. “I'm a clone, an android. I did kill Eddie's brother, I'm sure.” He pounds his fists into the shattered mirror until they bleed. “My god,” he proclaims, “the Robotech Masters, they must control me completely!” Zor is convinced the only way to defeat the Robotech Masters is to destroy himself, but Dana assures him there is always hope. He apologizes for his behavior, and is determined to find some answers.
n search of those answers, Zor goes to General Emerson's office, but stands outside when he hears people talking inside. Emerson and Colonel Rochelle are discussing Commander Leonard's reckless new plan of attack. Angelo notices Zor walking away from Emerson's office and grows suspicious.
Above the Earth, the Masters are pleased with Zor's performance. ”One simple fate remains for the Micronians,” one among them states, “that we will annihilate every one of them.”
Next Episode: Triumvirate