THE END OF THE CIRCLE: Robotech's last story.

[aga...@merrimack.edu]

THE END OF THE CIRCLE: A review of the LAST story of the ROBOTECH book series.
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For all the Robotech fans out there it is sad and safe to say that the
series of ROBOTECH is now over. Jack McKinney wrote the final story of the
book series last December which cleared up a question which remained in your
minds for the past five years: WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO RICK HUNTER? Everyone
remembers that at the end of the Invid War (MOSPEADA: GENESIS CLIMBER in Japan,
ROBOTECH: The New Generation in Comico's comic book adaptation of the TV
series), the SDF-3, Admirals Rick and Lisa Hunter's flagship, never manifested
out of hyperspace. THE END OF THE CIRCLE by McKinney answers that fateful
question.
Everyone remembers at the end of the last episode, SYMPHONY OF LIGHT, then
Lt. Scott Bernard took off for space in a Beta fighter that he used to fight
the Invid prince, Corg, in. As far as we know, the other freedom fighters took
off for different parts of the world to start over again, Rook and Rand left
together, Lunk, Annie, and Marlene (Ariel) went off to somewhere, and Sera and
Lancer remained together. The Regis left with the Invid for parts unknown. In
the process of leaving, the Invid bonded with the remaining Protoculture on
Earth and became transubstinated. In leaving they created a vortex in the
space continum which we know to be a black hole.
The SDF-3 left from Tirol at the same time, but in the process of
executing a space fold, they couldn't do so. Why? Because as in episode 4,
the fold engines disappeared. Who or what took them? Since the fold drives
were made from parts of the SDF-1's fold drives and those found in Breetai's
ship, the Invid Queen "stole" the Protoculture from the drives, and they (the
crew of the SDF-3) themselves were caught up in the black hole. The area they
were in was dubbed by Dr. Lang and Rem, Cabell's clone of Zor, as "newspace."
Not all the ships of the Saturn Group of the REF were destroyed. A ship
under the command of Vince Grant, brother of the late Claudia Grant and father
to Bowie Grant, named "Ark Angel" had been spared the fate of the other
returning ships. Scott met up with the crew because he could not make the
journey to Tirol himself in the Beta fighter. Since no one knew what happened
to the SDF-3, the only theory they could come up with is that its disapperance
had something to with the Invid's departure from Earth. Since not all the
Invid had left Earth, Scott decided to look for Marlene and Sera. He
discovered that Rook and Rand were going to have a baby, and Rand told him were
to find Lunk and Marlene. He, however, was not really welcomed with open arms
by Lunk. Marlene decided to go with him in order to find Sera, who had been
closer to the Regis.
When they found Sera and Lancer in NYC, they discovered that the Regis'
leaving had affected Sera. She was now dying. In her dying breath, she told
Scott that he could find them if he found the Regis. Immediately, the Ark
Angel left for Tirol. They arrived, only to discover that Haydon IV's
Awareness was effected and decided to go into the vortex. The Karbarrans, in
rebellion against the Awareness, soon met their fate. Those kept prisoner by
the Awareness - Max, Miriya, Dana, and Aurora Sterling; Veidt of Haydon IV;
Sarna of Spheris and thousands of Karbarrans, were later set free by those
aboard the now called PETER PAN. Now it was up to them to save the others.
A new planet had been created in the vortex, and on it many crew members
encountered the Regis and found out that they were part of her plan to reach
the final stage of the Invid evolutionary state. In the process, those on the
planet were recalled to the ship. It seems a group of human and Zentreadi
children led by the Hunters' son, Roy, had come in mental contact with Aurora,
the Sterlings' youngest daughter. Because she was half Zentreadi, half human,
she had some telepathic ability, and led the PETER PAN to the SDF-3. The Regis
decided to use the Robotech Masters that were attacking Haydon IV in her plan,
and set the SDF-3.
As far as we know, the SDF-3 and the PETER PAN returned to Earth after
dropping off the SENTINELS on their prespective planets. We later learn that
Marlene returned to Earth with Scott, Lancer had died, and that Rook and Rand
had a baby girl who they named Maria. The Earth SENTINELS lived the normal
lives they always dreamed of after 4 decades of war.
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I apologize to those who have not read this book yet. Even if you are not
a Robotechy, this is one book I recomend. This is one unbelievable science
fiction novel that tops all of the stories of the ROBOTECH series. If the
produers of ROBOTECH were ever to make another movie (as we know the first one,
which dealt with the arrival of the Robotech Masters on Earth, did not air too
long in the theatres due to its violence, and that it was not suitable for
young children, this would be the one ROBOTECH story to make another movie
about. I know the SENTINELS series was never aired on TV but came out on
video tape, was released as a comic book sereies, and was released as five
books by McKinney, but who thinks (seriously) that ROBOTECH II: THE SENTINELS
should air after all? Come on ROBOTECHIES!!!! If Harmony Gold realizes the
demand, ROBOTECH II on TV and ROBOTECH: THE MALCONTENT UPRISINGS as a paperback
novel and a TV series might be born.
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By the way, I'm writing a book similar to the ROBOTECH series about a group of
Earth's last defenders called THE AMERICAN SENTINELS. It details parts of a
third world war, America's second civil war, an invasion war (similar to that
of the first ROBOTECH series, but very different) and an intergalactic war. If
anyone has any suggestions, please post them. I'd like that.
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Written by Francis S. Agana.
Copyright 1990 Merrimack College McQuade Library Computer Terminal #2.
Any comments about my commentary are welcome. If you should have any question
about the series or the book itself, please ask. I will try to answer them.
For now as Kasey Kasum always says "Keep your feet on the ground and keep
reaching for the stars."