Awaken! Victory Leo



If Jean cannot awaken the soul of God Ginrai within the bestial Victory Leo, it's the end for him and Holi!


 * English/Malay dub name:  "Wake Up, Victory Leo" 
 * Also known as: "Awaken, Victory Leo!"

Synopsis
With word coming in of Decepticon attacks in the Orient, the Autobots move the Shuttle Base to Japan. As Galaxy Shuttle departs on patrol, the watching Jean, Holi, Wingwaver and Dashtacker are distracted by the roars and shouts of Victory Leo, who is crashing and blasting is way through a nearby rocky outcrop. Wingwaver tells him that training is one thing, but to be careful not to destroy the base... only to be immediately silenced by the icy glare the feral Autobot shoots him. Dashtacker sighs that he can't think of Victory Leo as God Ginrai reborn, and Jean grows depressed again as he is reminded of this fact. The two Multiforcers head inside to rejoin Machtackle, who has just intercepted a coded Decepticon message. Decrypting the communiqué, they deduce that the Decepticon are targeting the geothermal power plant on Mount Asama and inform Star Saber that they are going to head out. The Supreme Commander (currently undergoing a mysterious procedure at the hands of  Wheeljack, Perceptor and Minerva) orders them to stay, and instead dispatches Victory Leo, Holi and Jean, much to the Multiforce's chagrin.

On the slopes of Mount Asama, Gaihawk and Hellbat await the arrival of their Breastforce teammates. Spotting Victory Leo's aerial approach, Gaihawk immediately takes to the skies and attacks him, only to be quickly blasted out of the sky. With this obstacle removed, Victory Leo heads on to the power plant, where Jean and Holi have been surrounded by Killbison, Jarugar and Drillhorn. Victory Leo tears into the three Decepticons as the two youths take up defensive positions at the rear of the plant, at which point Leozack arrives and has Killbison and Drillhorn go after the plant's energy while he takes over the fight. Unsurprisingly, Jean and Holi aren't much of a match for the two Breastforcers, and the villains force their way into the plant. Holi gives chase, planning to shut the whole plant down, but winds up cornered by Drillhorn and buried under a huge pile of rubble. Things aren't going much better for Holi, who is being chased through the plant by Hellbat, and manages to trip and knocks himself out. Hellbat locks him in the room where he falls, but when Jean comes to, he realizes he's in the same collapsed room as Holi is buried in, and starts to dig his friend out. He can't get Holi dug all the way out, however, and Holi is unable to activate his communicator to call for help.

Back in the Shuttle Base, Perceptor and Star Saber discuss the installation of a special circuit in Star Saber's head, and Star Saber sadly notes that it will all be for naught if God Ginrai's heart does not reawaken within Victory Leo. In was in the hope that this might occur, Perceptor correctly guesses, that Star Saber sent Jean and Holi with Victory Leo on this mission. At this point, Wingwaver arrives to report that they have not head from Jean or Holi for several hours. Star Saber immediately contacts Victory Leo, but he ignores the transmission to carry on fighting Leozack. Wingwaver doubts that Victory Leo will save his comrades, but Star Saber insists that God Ginrai's heart will shine through. Perceptor announces that they are about to being the circuit installation, and has Wingwaver leave.

On Mount Asama, Victory Leo dodges his way through a hail of Jarugar's missiles, leaping into the air and crashing down on Leozack. With Victory Leo's rifle pointed right at his head, Leozack is immobilized, and Jarugar can do nothing to help. Behind the combatants, however, the power plant begins to tremble as explosions go off within it. The voice of Jean, crying for help, drifts out of the building, and Leozack grins, expecting Victory Leo to leave him and save the boy... only to be shocked when Victory Leo inquires why he should care! As the cries continue to ring out, however, Victory Leo begins to recognise, and remember, until finally, Jean cries out for Ginrai, and his soul is at last truly reawakened. Jarugar uses this distraction to blindside Victory Leo, but he quickly disposes of the two Decepticons and tears his way into the base, flattening the other Breastforcers as he smashes through wall after wall in order to find Jean. He recovers Jean and Holi and carries them outside, where Leozack and Jarugar are waiting, but a volley from his Victory Leo's cannons does enough damage to send them packing.

Victory Leo, Jean and Holi return to the Shuttle Base, where Jean joyfully announces that Victory Leo is truly God Ginrai reborn after all. As Star Saber's circuit installation procedure is completed, the Supreme Commander rises from the operating table and apologizes for worrying Jean, crediting Ginrai's rebirth entirely to him. As the sun sets over the Shuttle Base, Star Saber meets with Victory Leo out on the deck, and tells him that from now on, they will be able to fight together. Victory Leo smiles and nods, and shakes Star Saber's outstretched hand.

Stats
Written by:  Toyohiro Ando

Original airdate: 3th October 1989

Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Animation and/or technical glitches

 * Killbison's transformation footage is recycled from "Mach and Tackle", which is not really notable in and of itself, but mostly because it's a shot of him flipping the bird again.
 * In a moment of complete cheapness, the animation of Wingwaver leaving the medical bay as Star Saber's procedure begins is just the animation of him walking in, reversed. You moonwalk on outta there, Wingwaver!
 * As he tears through the power plant, the head-on shot of Victory Leo colors his fangs golden instead of white (as seen in the title card at the head of this article).

Continuity errors

 * It's never even explained why the power plants turbines explode!

Transformers references

 * God Ginrai was rebuilt as Victory Leo in "Fight!! Victory Leo".

Miscellaneous trivia

 * Hilariously, the "coded message" is actually just English text, printed upside down, and mirrored. It reads: "Next Target Get up your -- ASAMA." Up your Asama too, buddy.