18. Footsteps in the Forest of Fear
Voltron version: Zarkon Is Dying
At the Imperial Galran Occult Science Research Lab, Sincline shows interest in an experiment going on there. A concoction that uses the brain extract of beastmen is to be used on plants to make them ferocious. Sincline wonders what it would do to humans. His musings are interrupted by a guard who tells Sincline that Daibazaal has collapsed. Sincline rushes to his father's side. When the guard wants to bring in three doctors to help, Honerva runs him off saying her prayers will cure him.
Sincline thinks the prayers are bullshit, but he plays along anyway.
Honerva devines a message from the Galran God. To save Daibazaal, he needs to drink the fresh blood of a young girl. Sincline vows to go in search of it on Altea, with the ulterior motive of grabbing Fala, too. Honerva warns that Daibazaal is weak and even the cure may not restore him. But if Sincline tries to save him, his efforts may be rewarded by Daibazaal making him the new ruler of Galra. That is motivation enough for Sincline.
On Altea, the boys are building a log home for orphans. Fala decides to go with some maids into the woods to pick strawberries and shiitake mushrooms. Somehow they end up picking raspberries (don't ask). Sincline used some of the plant potion to animate some of the trees in the forest. With the girls cornered, Sincline makes his appearance and tells of how the girls will be a sacrifice for Daibazaal but that Sincline himself will 'get his fill' of Fala's blood. Luckily, the boys realize something isn't right and rescue the girls in time.
The tree beasts are in pursuit but when they start losing the fight, Sincline orders them to combine into the Beastman Treeder (editor's note: stupidest name EVER lol). Of course, GoLion makes short work of the beast and Sincline must return to Galra empty handed.
Sincline returns to the lab and puts the poisonous blood of a king rade snake in a vial. He forces the warlock that made the plant formula to drink it, causing his death. Satisfied, Sincline decides to offer up the same for his father to "put him out of his misery". The poison cures Daibazaal, however, although the Emperor seems unaware that his son just tried to kill him.
Quotes:
"God of Galra, grant him life." - Honerva.
"Go tell them the Emperor is simply bored to death." - Honerva, on what to tell the masses about Daibazaal's condition.
"These things piss me off." - Kogane regarding Beastmen.
"Father truly is the devil embodied." - Sincline after the poison cures rather than kills Daibazaal.
Key Differences:
The cure for Zarkon was much less horrific in Voltron - he needed berry juice, rather than human blood.
I rather preferred the ending in Voltron, where Zarkon realizes what Lotor tried to do and rubs it in his face. Daibazaal's disappointingly clueless in GoLion.
Facts:
The Galrans, or at least Honerva, have Gods they look to in times of need.
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Captures From Footsteps in the Forest of Fear
