3. Building a New World
Reviewed by: Purrsia

Main Featured Characters: Jeff, Cric, Cliff, Lisa, Commander Hawkins, Captain Newley, Commander Hazar, Captain Quark
Original U.S. Air Date: 11/03/1984*

Synopsis: Apparently starting where the last two episodes left off, the Voltron Force are enjoying some temporary peace on the new world they found but are bored waiting for the Alliance's construction fleet to arrive. Chip is nearly run over by vehicle on the flight deck of the Explorer, resulting in an exchange of harsh words between him and the driver of said vehicle (some Alliance guy who remained nameless). It eventually comes to blows after Chip feels he's been insulted, but the bigger, arrogant driver easily puts scrappy little Chip in his place. That is until Jeff steps in and throws a few punches in Chip's defense. He might have beat the guy to a pulp, too, if Cliff and Cric hadn't stepped in. Their stepping in resulted in Jeff getting sucker punched, resulting in a black eye. Later, however, Jeff laughs it off over some drinks with the driver of the vehicle.
It all seems to be water under the bridge until Cliff starts chastising Jeff for setting a bad example with his temper and outbursts. Cliff feels as overall team leader of the entire Voltron Force, Jeff needs to control his temper better. Jeff combats this by, uh, losing his temper and making like he's going to punch Cliff - until Ginger steps in. Everyone chalks the tension up to boredom, but Jeff vows that "some of them" just won't remain friends.

By next scene, this seems to be forgotten as Jeff offers Cliff a drink of "analog orange juice" to which Cliff quips "I'd rather drink the dish water they serve as cocoa" heh heh. Drinks and squabbles are forgotten however as the Alliance fleet arrives. The teams run off, eager to help start building bases and other construction that will lead to the colonization of the new planet.

Hazar, however, has different plans. Worried the Alliance will get a foothold in their galaxy if allowed to settle the planet - not to mention wanting it themselves - Hazar has decided not to let them have it that easily. He readies a barrage of missiles and then radioes the Explorer to deliver his ultimatum: Vacate the planet or it will be destroyed.

Hawkins tries to garner support from the Galaxy Alliance, but they can't send back-up in time. This also causes the officers at Galaxy Garrison to wonder if they can defend settlers that far out in the galaxy. In the end, the Explorer and her crew are left to their own devices so Hawkins sees fit to leave while still pleading with Hazar to talk it out.

Hazar will not go for such stall tactics and fires the missiles. While the Voltron Force manage to knock out some of them, there's just too many and they start pulverizing the little planet. What's worse is Quark is dispatched with a fleet to destroy the Voltron Force and the rest of the Alliance Fleet. On top of that, it is said the vehicles do not have enough stored energy to form Voltron so they must fight without using him.

Though they hold their own, all the fighting and missiles lead to the planet's utter destruction. Though the Voltron force makes it off the planet in time (this episode is among the first to mention VV's need to have enough stored energy to form Voltron), the planet is a total loss. Despite some editing and voice over work by WEP (a lame Ahnold-esque declaration of "I'll be back" as his ship explodes, plus Wolo whining about Quark getting away again), Quark dies in the DXV version. Why he felt compelled to land his command ship on the dying planet in either version of this I still don't know - the reason is not apparent, but it ultimately lead to his ship going "boom".

The DXV Difference:
Racaal (Quark) dies (the scene is shown in VV, but with a voice over disclaimer of how he somehow survives the ship exploading), and Dorita's (Hazar) office scene where he stands amid a collection of nude sculpture and paintings is cut. Also, Aki (Jeff) is drinking Bourbon, not O.J.
I don't have a subtitled copy so I can't really tell you if there were any major differences plot-wise at this time.

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