マクロスF Episode 14
Macross F Ep. 14
Macross Frontier Anime
Macross Frontier 14

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

Alto manages to barely avoid destruction as the effects of the Dimension Eater disappear, leaving much of Gallia 4 blown away. Back on Macross Frontier, Luca meets with Nanase where he tells her about what happened with Ranka and Micheal. Bobby and Ozama have a talk about how Ranka has become a young woman. On the bridge of the Macross Quarter, the three female bridge officers and Kathy talk about relationships while they share a pizza. After briefly discussing Cathy’s former relationship with Ozama, the conversation turns to Monica’s romantic interest in the Macross Quarter’s captain when the captain appears on the bridge and enjoys one of Monica’s sausage creations when she offers it to him.

The alert goes off on SMS Macross Quarter as sensors detect a large number of ships defolding. On Macross Frontier, the alert goes off as well with people being told to evacuate. To bring home the point, the Macross Frontier closes its armored lid as the island ships raise armor over their glass domes. People begin to panic as they head for shelter. Luca tells Nanase that he has something to tell her and then takes off, vowing to himself to protect her. Luca returns to the Macross Quarter to rejoin the Skull Squadron. After launching fighters, the captain orders the ship’s transformation into mecha mode.

Back at Gallia 4, Alto realizes that the Vajra fleet must have gone for the Macross fleet. He connects with the new fold engine still in orbit and folds out. On the battle site, Sheryl finds their fighter still clinging to a Vajra warship but Micheal is unconscious. She sees the fighting and decides that she can do anything. However, despite what little training she’s had, it is not enough and it is all she can do to not crash the fighter. Luca hears her transmissions and races to help as Vajra fighter units are en route to her. Sheryl and Micheal’s fighter is destroyed, but both are still safe thanks to Sheryl’s ejecting them. Luca can’t reach Sheryl and thinks they are all about to die when the Vajra units are taken out by Alto as Alto defolds on the scene. Together with Luca, they take Sheryl and Micheal back to Macross Quarter.

Meanwhile, on board the Vajra mother ship (formerly the Global), Ranka longs to be with the Macross Frontier fleet and Alto. Her ship and escorts defold behind the Macross Frontier fleet. Despite raising energy shields, the new ships are able to penetrate Macross Frontier‘s shields and armor. Leon points to the mother ship as the reason for the highly organized Vajra attack and his words cause the President to authorize the use of Reaction weapons. In response, the captain of the Macross Quarter orders the ship to turn to face the new threat. Alto, who is refueling and rearming his fighter, begs for the captain to wait as Ranka is on the mother ship. The captain gives Alto permission to show him what Alto has.

Alto is armed with four (large) Reaction missiles and takes off after telling Sheryl he’s going to rescue Ranka. He’s joined by Ozama, who promises to kill Alto if something happens to Ranka. As the two race to the mother ship, Ranka has a vision of a group of women all looking alike (based on Ranka’s mother apparently), who have a song for Ranka from them. The woman sings and Ranka also sings her ballad as the fighting continues. Alto launches his Reaction weapons, which take out four supporting ships before Alto opens fire on the mother ship to open a hole in the hull.

Brera hears the singing and races inside the mother ship, passing Alto. Alto gives chase but Brera reaches Ranka first and frees her. Alto arrives and while Ranka is happy to see him, she tries to stop him from attacking the Vajra queen. Alto cannot hear Ranka and launches everything at the queen Vajra, the explosion forcing him out of the ship. Brera also leaves, then makes a broadcast announcement stating that he is a survivor from the Macross Galaxy, Antares Squadron, and his name is Major Brera Sterne. The President and others are stunned by this, but Leon just has a knowing look. The SMS forces soon take out the mother ship completely and inflict heavy damages on the Vajra, defeating them. Ranka cries and Brera asks her why, but she doesn’t have an answer.

Elsewhere, Grace is in what appears to be a medical scanner bed. She opens her eyes and wonders if this girl (Ranka?) is the “Little Queen.”

Thoughts/Review:

Ha! I knew that Grace wasn’t really dead even if that body on Gallia 4 was destroyed. So, maybe she wasn’t a cyborg, but an android…or maybe a biomechanoid like the Vajra units.

Is Brera really from Macross Galaxy? With the time distortions from fold technology, maybe he is or maybe he isn’t. I still think he’s Ranka’s real older brother, which would make him have been a part of the Global originally. That doesn’t mean he couldn’t have infiltrated Macross Galaxy since the Vajra did apparently take them out first.

What exactly is Ranka? “Little Queen?” Maybe she was experimented on during her time on Global. It would explain her apparent connection with the Vajra.

I’m glad Sheryl failed as a fighter pilot, not because of any dislike for Sheryl, but because while I might believe she’s had some flight training, I do not believe she’s had any fighter training. So no Iron Eagles moments here, thankfully. Anyway, based on the previews, it looks like Sheryl returns to the song spotlight. Maybe she takes over Ranka’s gig.

Tactics. I’m glad to see the Macross Frontier fleet actually use some this time. In the first episode, even though the fleet came under attack, the various colony ships failed to shield themselves. This time, the armored lid closed on Macross Frontier, and the island ships (for lack of a better term) raised armor. Then, shields were also raised. Its about time.

Leon seemed keen on getting the President to authorize the use of Reaction warheads without making it obvious. I still don’t know what his game plan is but I’m sure it will soon come to light.

One side note, the three bridge female officers of SMS Macross Quarter are as I suspected — a tribute to the bridge officers on the original Macross series. I’m not sure what Monica would see in the captain, but oh well. There’s someone for everyone as they say.

Speaking of romance, I hope Luca gets to confess to Nanase and she accepts. You go, boy!

So, another good episode.