Bucky O'Hare - 06

"Kreation Konspiracy"
Bucky and his crew are sent on a mission that has them searching for artifacts from the past: in particular, the banished toad scientists who built Komplex, and an odd imagination-based weapon from an ancient lost civilization that enables its wielder to turn targeted objects into completely different objects. (Naturally, the Toad Empire in general and Komplex specifically would very much like to acquire this weapon for themselves.)

Points of interest:
1:23 One more proof everyone's got universal translators: this octopus doesn't even have a visible mouth, yet speaks as clearly as any of Bucky's crew.
3:08 Bruiser's looking at a centerfold? How'd that get past the censors?
3:12 While Bottlenose does have a visible mouth, actual dolphins and porpoises and other sea-dwelling mammals typically communicate with each other in ultra-high-pitched squeaks and wails; so again, his voice being understandable is more proof that everyone's using universal translators.
4:00 Komplex's directing its troops' activities this way is kind of the science fiction version of how Sauron in the high fantasy Lord of the Rings stories directs his orcs in battle: by using his powers to influence their minds directly.
4:08 This weapon is reminiscent of the reality-warping device in the G.I. Joe two-episode story "Worlds Without End" which tore a hole in the space-time continuum itself when it exploded, flinging several of the titular heroes into an alternate universe where the villains had won and taken over the world.
4:23 Of course, something one has to wonder when hearing of a lost civilization that could produce such amazing technology as this is: if it's known to have been so technologically advanced, why has no one thought to go searching this civilization's ruins for such valuable artifacts before now?
5:23 Considering what we saw in the previous episode, those are probably Simoleans Blinky just used to purchase those bananas.
6:01 Like Toadborg and the Air Marshal, these toads have evidently learned how to control their instinctive fear of baboons (probably by reminding themselves they've got superior weapons).
8:59 Ever get the impression the writers weren't too fond of hippies?
9:53 As with currency, the anthropomorphic animals in this dimension also apparently have their own unique forms of measurement, e.g. the "kiloglides" Jenny mentions here.
10:39 Of course, out in space, the mammals escaping the exploding ship wouldn't be using parachutes; but evidently, certain commercials on toad TV have got really cheesy production values just like certain ad campaigns we've had on television in our world. One does wonder whether Komplex would be ticked to see the toads doing such a shoddy job of producing propaganda to promote obedience to it, however. (Something else one wonders: mass producing these matter transmuters? How can Komplex be sure mass producing such a powerful weapon isn't exactly what destroyed the ancient civilization that first invented it?)
11:08 Something I notice is that the toads in command who demonstrate the most competence tend to be the ones who are the least addicted to watching television and who are always getting on the other toads' cases for being addicts (although the Air Marshal is not too competent; and it's established early on he's secretly a bit of an addict himself). This presents Komplex with a kind of paradox: since addiction to television is how it keeps its subordinates loyal and obedient, its most competent officers are also the ones statistically most likely to disobey it.
11:20 Yeah, Air Marshal, Komplex can think of a place on—or in—you where it might just want to stick that medal.
15:22 This highly memorable moment creeped out more than one of the show's original viewers.
15:57 Sadly, the Air Marshal has a point there.
16:08 While there isn't enough gravity out in open space for that heavy anchor to drag the ship anywhere, having it there would tend to throw off its flight dynamics, especially if the artificial gravity still operating inside the ship extends out from it very far.
17:19 All right, so they aren't *that* far from any planets in outer space. By the look of things, however, whatever kind of goo the matter transmuter made of their Toad Croaker must be magnetically attracted to something on the S.S. Righteous Indignation, as that's about the only explanation for why it heads in the direction it does with such speed and acceleration.
17:41 If Blinky's explanation is accurate, maybe the Righteous Indignation would have fared better if somebody onboard (looking at you, Jenny) had thought to raise its shields the moment everyone saw who and what "Dogstar" and the "Indefatigable" truly were.
18:12 That's a respectably extendable pair of arms you've got there, Blinky. Maybe you ought to use them that way to get you and your friends out of trouble more often.
19:08 If that matter transmuter can turn non-life into life, that would have some far-reaching implications indeed; but I like to think that since it's a bit of an imagination-based weapon, that moon-sized "baboon" isn't actually alive, but is merely made to seem so by moving according to what Willy imagined it doing while he was transforming it.
19:16 If you look closely, the toads in the leading fighter have rather... unique appearances; some kind of in joke for the artists and/or writers?
19:52 Well, of course they don't know that, Bucky! You could have thought to ask whether Komplex had any other less-than-obvious vulnerabilities of which they might happen to know, however.