God Ginrai - Into the Sky!!



With the Bomber Project completed, God Ginrai heads for the moon, and the battle of his life!


 * English/Malay dub name:  "Batle for the Moon"
 * Also known as: "God Ginrai Goes into Space"

Detailed synopsis
As works proceeds apace on the final stages of the Autobots' Bomber Project, Metalhawk follows up on Phoenix's report of a Decepticon attack on the weather observatory base on the Moon, but proves unable to contact the personnel there. This, of course, is due to the fact that Mega and Giga have attacked the facility and imprisoned its staff, and now wait there to rendezvous with the approaching BlackZarak. The prisoners attempt to mount an escape, lasering their way through the door of their makeshift cell, but Giga and Mega have been watching them via the security monitors, and Giga stops their escape by blasting them with a freeze ray. A second group of escapees, however, manages to use the time their comrades have bought them to beam a message to Earth, which is received by the Autobots. Mere seconds later, Grand Maximus radios the Autobots to inform them of BlackZarak's approach on the moon, and they realize the Decepticons' intentions to meet up with him there. Shūta's mind turn to what would happen to the Autobots if BlackZarak is allowed to reach Earth, and the scenario he imagines horrifies him.

Ginrai, Lightfoot and the Headmaster Juniors review the status of the Bomber Project and its projected end result, but Ginrai's thoughts are consumed with his previous defeat at the hands of Overlord and the inevitable impending rematch. When he punches a wall in anger, Minerva observes as he winces, having aggravated the injuries which linger from his battle with Overlord. She tells Shūta and Cab, and when they approach Ginrai as he is in the middle of training, he asks them to spar with him. Cab and Shūta are actually able to hold their own against Ginrai, until Lightfoot arrives to tell them all that the Bomber Project has been completed. Everyone returns to British Motors to view the finished "Godbomber", and Ginrai is intent on merging with it and heading for the moon right away. Metalhawk refuses, telling Ginrai that he cannot save the Earth all by himself, but cries of support from the Headmaster Juniors and affirmative words from the other Pretenders drown him out, and Ginrai fuses with Godbomber, becoming "God Ginrai" for the first time and immediately taking off into space.

Devil Z observes the launch of God Ginrai, and informs Mega and Giga, who merge into Overlord and intercept Ginrai in space before he reaches the moon. With the increased power of Godbomber, Ginrai proves much more resistant to Overlord's attacks and is able to mount a powerful against the Decepticon's assault. Overlord retreats back to the lunar surface with the intention of stalling for time until BlackZarak arrives, and Ginrai gives chase, preparing to the end the battle with a Chokon Power-enhanced blast from his God Cannon. Before he can fire the weapon, however, a beam of energy strikes him, knocking him to the ground, and he turns to see the imposing form of BlackZarak towering over him! BlackZarak impales Ginrai's shoulder with his spear, but the Autobot leader remains upright, caught between his two greatest enemies yet, and ready to take everything they've got!

Stats
Written by:  Toyohiro Ando

Original airdate: 25th October 1988

Featured Characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Transformers references

 * Overlord arrived on the moon in the previous episode.
 * The Autobots have been working on the Bomber Project, in preparation for the coming of BlackZarak, since "Life? Death? Lightfoot Must Choose". That episode also featured the sole previous appearance of Grand Maximus, who returns in this one.
 * Ginrai was defeated in battle by Overlord in "Super Ginrai Gets Blown Away in the Desert!?"

Miscellaneous trivia

 * Some genius decided that it would be best to have BlackZarak first appear in robot mode in  Shūta's daydream. Oh, brilliant idea there, genius, way to preserve the dramatic flow of the narrative. Moron.