Episodes 22 - 24 Summaries

A New Beginning

Awesome summary and comments written by LKK. Thank you!

Episode opens with Mushra chained and hanging from the cliffs of truth as in Awakening except that this time he is not wearing his crown. A young human girl offers to rescue him. Her name is Binka. Unable to pull Mushra up by the chain, Binka uses a bazooka from her flying vehicle that looks like a turtle. Unlike Yakumo's reaction in Awakening, when Mushra announces that he wants revenge on the gang that turned him, Binka is enthusiastic and wants to come along.

In the nearby town, the gang of Enterrans that turned Mushra into the sheriff for the bounty is bragging about their accomplishment when they see a vision of Mushra walking through the smoke. Mushra fights the gang and knocks all of them out. The townsfolk witness the fight. From their reactions, it's obvious they think that Mushra is a troublemaker who's always starting fights.

After the fight, Mushra announces that he's the "greatest warrior around". Binka says that Mushra and her should go on an adventure together to find Shinzo. Mushra has never heard of the place. Binka says that Mushra needs to go to Shinzo in order to save the world because he is one of the chosen who can become Mushrambo, according to what Yakumo told Binka. Yakumo, whom Binka describes as an angel, warned Binka that Mushra wouldn't believe the story. Mushra agrees to listen to Binka's story if she buys him lunch.

In a local pizzeria run by Kutal, the kittens rush in to announce that Mushra is coming. Kutal obviously doesn't want Mushra in the pizzeria. Despite that, when Mushra enters, Kutal greets Binka and him warmly and offers them a special Mushra pie. While the two are eating, Estee compliments Mushra on winning the martial arts championship the previous year while the twins complain that Mushra has let the fame go to his head. Mushra has become too egotistical; most of the townsfolk don't like him any more.

Offended, Mushra leaves the pizzeria; Binka follows him out. She asks Mushra whom he meant when he said "Kutal" earlier. Does Mushra know Kutal? Kutal overhears her question and says that he is the one Mushra meant. Binka is shocked. She can't believe that this "bumbling overweight pizza maker" is part of the great Mushrambo whom Binka pictures as looking like Kutalrambo from Ryuma. Unbeknownst to Mushra and Binka, a small creature follows them and calls Binka by name.

The motorcycle gang has recovered from their battle with Mushra and discovers the small creature. They insult him calling him a "loaf of bread with legs" then walk away. Offended, the creature offers an apology to his master, but he cannot remain quiet in the face of such an insult. The creature transforms into a large centipede / lobster creature and starts attacking.

Mushra is annoyed that Binka has been following him and tries to get her to leave. Instead, she offers him the "Crown of Kora" to help him save the world. Mushra refuses the crown. In the distance, they see a bell tower fall and decide to investigate. Once Mushra discovers that the centipede is attacking the motor cycle gang, he decides not to help. Binka is furious at Mushra's cowardice and attacks the centipede. The centipede fights back trying to get the Crown of Kora from Binka. In the fight, Kutal's restaurant is destroyed.

Mushra joins the fight in order to save Binka, but the centipede is too strong for him to defeat. Binka throws Mushra the crown. Even though he puts on the crown, nothing happens. Binka urges Mushra to draw from his inner power and to do it for Yakumo. Dazed, Mushra has a vision of Yakumo who tells him he must remember that he had once saved the world and that he must do it again. Inspired, Mushra transforms into Hyper Mushra, complete with the wings he gained in Secrets of the Seven. After a fierce battle, Hyper Mushra defeats the centipede and gains its card.

From a distance, a human-looking male and female monitor the battle. The female wonders how Garazani could have been defeated. The male says Mushra was merely lucky. Soon it would be time for their people, the Kadrians, to take over the planet.

After the battle, Mushra and Binka examine the centipede's card. It's octagonal shaped rather than the normal rectangle of most En cards. Binka is amazed at the power of Hyper Mushra. He says the power must have come from the Crown because once he put it on, he felt power come from deep inside him and the next thing he knew he was hyperformed.

Mushra decides that it's his destiny to seek out Shinzo and find the angel he saw in his vision. Binka says that she doesn't know where Shinzo is located, but she'll come with him to help find it. The episode ends with the two of them flying off while yelling goodbye to the kittens who have come to hero-worship Mushra.

Comments

1) For some reason, I expected new scenes for the opening and closing credits. There weren't any. *shrugs*

2) The sign seen in Battle of One stating why Mushra is hanging from the Cliffs says "Here Hangs the HyperEnterran Mushra". But in this new timeline, no one should have known that Mushra was a HyperEnterran since he didn't have the Crown of Kora yet. Continuity logic glitch.

3) Binka's turtlemobile reminded me of a children's amusement park ride. But it's pretty sophisticated since it can not only fly but also go underwater like a submarine.

4) Mushra's hometown looked very Italian to me. It reminded me of Florence, Italy, specifically.

5) The bell tower that the centipede destroys is miraculously restored in the end scene when Mushra and Binka are discussing the battle.

6) The characters' personalities seem to be slightly different from their original incarnations in the first timeline. Mushra doesn't seem as intense or hotheaded than he was before. He's no peacenik, but he's definitely calmer. Is this an effect of five hundred years of peaceful existence? Or is it an effect of the personal growth he experienced in the first timeline? Or perhaps both?

Kutal is different as well. In the first timeline, he's more duplicitous, at least at the beginning of the series. In this timeline, Kutal is far more respectable, a member of the
business community. This too could be a result of five hundred years of peace. Or it may be the influence of having the kittens around all the time since it was the kittens that triggered Kutal's personal growth in timeline 1.

Speaking of the kittens, although the twins seem unchanged, Estee has developed a crush on Mushra. While she admired him in timeline 1, now she's seems positively
smitten with him. I wonder if her crush will last throughout the season.

7) Binka. Wow. Could you possibly envision any character more unlike the pacifistic Yakumo? Binka's love of fighting almost matches Mushra's. She's a good fighter too. I wouldn't want to cross her if she has that bazooka nearby. Binka obviously knows more about Shinzo, Yakumo, and Mushrambo than she's telling at the moment.

8) Even though humans and Enterrans have been living peacefully for five hundred years, there are very few humans in Mushra's town. None that I saw, actually. Have humans and Enterrans interbred so much in the intervening time that the two are indistinguishable? (I'm going to totally ignore the impossibility of human and Enterran interbreeding at this point until if and when the series chooses to address the problem.)

9) There was no sign of Sago in the episode. I assume we'll meet him in the next episode.

10) Final thoughts: I will admit up front that Sago is my favorite character. Any episode that doesn't feature him lacks something for me. Even still, I was engrossed in this one. The changes in the characters intrigued me. The Kadrian male and female look like formidable foes. I'm looking forward to the next episode where hopefully Sago will make his entrance and the old gang gets back together formally.

Awesome summary and comments written by LKK. Thank you!

The episode opens with Mushra and Binka traveling along a dirt road beside a forest. Initially, Binka is worried that more Kadrians will attack them before they find Sago. However, she is comforted when she remembers how Mushra defeated the first Kadrian they met.

A flashback narrated by Binka shows scenes from A New Beginning: the centipede Kadrian attacking the town, Mushra fighting the centipede, Mushra having visions of Yakumo, and finally Mushra's transformation into Hyper Mushra.

The flashback switches to a dream vision. A voice over by Yakumo tells Mushra that a meteor containing the leader of the Kadrians crashed into the earth. Before impact, a piece of the meteor broke off. This piece contained the jewels that allow Mushra and his friends to hyperform.

Yakumo's narration is interrupted by a vision of shadowy Kadrian warriors attacking defenseless Enterrans. The male Kadrian from A New Beginning declares that Yakumo cheated them out of their destiny once, but when their leader Lanancuris is freed, their destiny will become reality. The female Kadrian reminds him that their plan will not succeed unless Yakumo and Mushrambo are destroyed first. To that end, the female plans to steal the jewels from Mushra, Sago, and Kutal before they realize the jewels' power. The female knows that Binka has the jewels and sends two Kadrian cards, Chiro and Kuro, to steal them.

Mushra's dream sequence ends with a vision of Yakumo beginning him to remember. After Binka wakes up Mushra, she reminds him that they are looking for Sago in order to give him his jewel. Binka explains that the three jewels are what allow Mushra, Sago, and Kutal to hyperform and to combine together into Mushrambo so that they can fight the Kadrian forces. Mushra is reluctant to tackle such a foe; however, after a tearful chastising from Binka, Mushra agrees to save the planet. In their imaginations, Mushra and Binka sees Mushra receiving accolades and flower petals from Binka and Kutal. The vision passes. The duo discovers that Kutal is standing behind Binka. Since his pizzeria has been destroyed, Kutal thought he would tag along to see if he could help. Mushra wants Kutal to join since he can cook. But Binka refuses to let the "homely short-legged tub of lard" travel with them. Binka rides off in the turtlemobile while Mushra tries to console Kutal who is about to be left behind.

Mushra and Binka reach a town by nightfall, still looking for Sago. Mushra leads them to a casino, believing that Sago is likely to be inside if he isn't broke already. Binka is shocked. "This hero likes to gamble?" Mushra corrects her. "He likes to win." Sago is inside the casino, winning at the craps table. Mushra grabs his attention, and the trio retreats to a bar where Sago's large pile of money and pearls is helping to pay for his drinks. After listening to Binka's story, Sago concludes that she's hallucinating. Mushra is inclined to agree with him until Binka pinches his buttock with a pair of pliers. Having decided that money is Sago's weakness, Binka offers him the blue jewel and promises to give him more if Sago agrees to join them. Sago refuses; he's satisfied with his current stash. Dejected, Binka leaves the casino alone. Mushra has decided to stay behind and gamble with his friend.

Sitting on the sidewalk curb outside the casino, Binka doubts that Mushra and Sago are truly the chosen Enterrans. They don't seem very interested in saving the world. A ball rolls up and distracts her. In the middle of the street, two cute cat-like furry creatures pop up from behind a second ball and ask Binka to roll the first one back to them. The creatures introduce themselves. The black one is name Kuro; the white one is named Chiro. Delighted to be with someone again, Binka thinks they should become friends and play together.

Later that night, Binka offers Chiro and Kuro some milk at the campsite she has established in the forest outside of town. She wonders if Chiro and Kuro can help her save the world since Mushra and Sago don't want to help out. Sago has a problem with responsibility, according to Binka, and Mushra is surprisingly late to come back to the camp. Lost in thoughts of Yakumo, Binka fails to see two large panther-like creatures rising up behind her. One creature is black; one is white. The white creature swipes its paw at Binka. At that moment, Mushra and Sago run up. Mushra attacks the white one with his pole, while Sago cuts the black one's forearm with his razor boomerang. The creatures withdraw and disappear.

For the first time since they're arrival, Binka notices that Mushra and Sago are missing some of the clothing they wore earlier. Sago's cape is gone. Parts of Mushra's orange armor are missing along with his shoes. According to them, they lost the clothes gambling. Binka grows angry but is waylaid by Chiro and Kuro's return. Mushra asks Binka for Sago's jewel. The guys plan to sell it to get seed money to spend at the casino. Binka uses her bazooka to show them what she thinks of that plan.

The next day, the trio along with Chiro and Kuro are back in town. The guys have retrieved their clothes somehow. Chastened, they promise Binka that they will not gamble again and that they will find Kutal. In a playful mood, Chiro jumps on Mushra's head. It reaches down towards the Crown of Kora but its hand is zapped away by the jewel. Angry, Chiro jumps back into the turtlemobile. As the gang walks out of sight, Kuro's forearm shows a wound in the same place as the cut Sago's blade made in the black panther's arm the night before. Once the group is out of earshot, Kutal pops up from a trashcan where he was hiding and wonders why they are looking for him when he's right beside them.

After finishing lunch at their forest campsite, Mushra asks Binka what they should do next. Find the real Kutal and then form Mushrambo, she answers. Sago objects. He doesn't intend to join the group permanently. To say thank you for getting his clothes back, he'll act as a bodyguard for a while but that's all. While Mushra appeals to Sago's sense of adventure to convince him to stay, Chiro and Kuro steal Binka's knapsack where the other jewels are kept. Kutal sneaks up to the campsite to listen but is overwhelmed by the delicious smell of lunch. He falls into the campsite, unknowingly stopping Chiro and Kuro and saving the jewels. Binka sends Kutal away again because, according to her, no real hero would try to steal food. That afternoon, Binka and the others search throughout the town looking for the "real" Kutal to no avail.

The group has returned to the forest for supper and a night's rest. After Binka collects the dishes, Chiro and Kuro ask her to play with them, suggesting that they play hide and seek. From his sleeping pad, Sago watches the three go play while Mushra sleeps on the pad next to him. Sago wonders to himself if they could really save the world and how they're supposed to form this mysterious Mushrambo Binka keeps talking about. He rolls over to ask Mushra only to find him missing.

Mushra has collected the kitchen utensils into a large sack and intends to sell them in the town for gambling money. While Mushra sneaks towards the town, Chiro and Kuro sneak farther into the forest, dragging Binka's knapsack behind them. Binka and her bazooka stop Mushra in his track. From the bushes, Kutal watches as Mushra is blasted backwards landing on Chiro and Kuro, unknowingly saving the jewels again.

Back at the Kadrians' lair, the female Kadrian is furious with a panda-like creature's attempt steal the jewels. The male Kadrian is amused at the creature's failure; the female is not and orders Chiro and Kuro to get the jewels.

After breakfast the next morning, Sago announces that he will be leaving soon, to Binka and Mushra's dismay. Mushra notices that Chiro and Kuro are missing. Binka calls for them. They jump from the bamboo reeds on the forest's edge and bite Binka. Chiro demands the jewels, and then both transform into the panther creatures from before. While Mushra attacks, Sago herds Binka to safety but bamboo suddenly grows from the ground blocking their way. More bamboo grows under Mushra, lifting him towards the panthers' claws.

Hanging unto a vine, Kutal swings into view and rescues Mushra from the bamboo. However, the vine can't hold their combined weight. It breaks, and the two tumble to the ground. Kutal had wanted to show that he was one of the chosen Enterrans and hoped his actions would prove to them that he was. The panther creatures find the thought of the three -- Mushra, Sago, and Kutal -- being the source of Mushrambo a hilarious idea. Distracted, they almost miss Binka flying towards them in the turtlemobile. They notice her at the last moment, though. The black panther grabs her and opens the knapsack on her back. He wants the jewels and won't let a little thing like Binka's friendship earlier stop him.

Mushra and Sago are furious at the panther's treatment of Binka. Mushra: "Now you've got me mad." Sago: "Me, too. We'll see who pays." At Sago's words, one of the jewels floats into the air and splits into three pieces. Just after Mushra begins to hyperform, the jewels come together on Sago's helmet. He too hyperforms. Mushra knocks Binka from the black panther's claw and she falls on top of Kutal.

Prepared for battle, Mushra and Sago watch as the two panthers fuse their Kadrian cards and transform into a large -- and not very menacing -- panda. Embarrassed by its form, the Kadrian transforms again into a fox / jaguar type creature. Mushra attacks but the fox creature disappears before he can hit it. The fox creature reappears and disappears in several locations, playing a cat-and-mouse game with Mushra and Sago. To complicate matters, large bamboo shoots unexpectedly grow up further confusing the duo. Eventually the bamboo shoots trap the two in a makeshift cage. Sago hears the fox moving through the bamboo and is able to jump aside just before the fox strikes but Mushra is not so fortunate. He is knocked aside into an even tighter bamboo trap. Sago's blade prevents the fox from finishing off Mushra. However, a fuselage of bamboo shoots distracts Sago enough that the fox is able to pin him to the ground.

In despair, Binka begs Kutal to do something. Kutal: "I'm afraid I'm not strong enough." Those are the words the third jewel has been waiting for. It rises from Binka's knapsack and attaches itself to Kutal. He hyperforms. Binka is overawed. Kutal splits the ground from beneath the fox's paws. As the ground cracks, the bamboo shoots of Mushra's trap fall apart. A water blast from Sago followed by a fire blast from Mushra finally finish the fox. It is reduced to the original cards, which burn up and disappear. For the first time, Binka truly understands the power the trio possesses.

That night, the trio -- back in their normal forms -- is outside the casino again. Intending to use the jewels for gambling money, they discover that the jewels cannot be removed. A bazooka-carrying Binka who offers them several blasting reminders of their promise not to gamble any more interrupts their efforts.

The episode ends with a vision of Yakumo begging Mushra to remember Shinzo.

Comments

1) The male and female Kadrians clearly appear for the first time in this episode. They address each other by name in their first scene. But I can't figure out what they call each other.

2) No sign of Sago's scooter in this episode. However, the forest campsite did not seem far enough away to justify using it.

3) This is the first episode where Lanancuras is mentioned by name.

4) I found it interesting that the female Kadrian knew Mushra, Sago, and Kutal's names. How did she know? And why didn't the male know about them and the jewels if she knew?

5) Binka is surprisingly cruel to Kutal. She insults him every time she meets him. In addition to the insult I quoted, she also calls him a "cow" and fears that he will slow them down in their travels.

6) None of the casinos I've visited have served me soda in a martini glass like Sago's soda was served in. Very amusing attempt to gloss over the liquor aspect of the scene. Amusing, but not very successful.

7) According to Sago, he was grateful that after he lost his clothes, the casino owners let him keep his helmet, his underwear, and his boots. Since he's wearing the green shirt and pants that he normally wears, does that mean the shirt and pants are his underwear? Uh, that's a little too much information for me. Thank you.

8) Binka has a highly romanticized vision of how a "hero" should look and act. Sago doesn't act how she thinks a hero should. Kutal doesn't look the part. Perhaps she'll reevaluate her opinions now that the jewels have showed her the truth.

9) Favorite text line(s). Kuro: A shrimp, a wimp, and a blimp. Chiro: This is what makes up Mushrambo? This is a good line to see in writing. It comes across nicely.

10) Favorite delivery of a line: Mushra: Sago, you got anything left? Sago: Oh, yeah. Two simple words that don't mean anything special when you see them written. But the actor's delivery is filled with a knowing confidence that promises a good bad-guy bashing to come.

11) Speculation question: Now that all three have hyperformed, will they remember how to form Mushrambo? In other words, did the memory of how to create Mushrambo return along with the knowledge of how to use their individual powers?

12) Final comments (and it's about time, don't you agree?): Fun and exciting. Points taken away for Binka's treatment of Kutal though. He didn't deserve the abuse she heaped on him, in my opinion. I hope she's over that. Other than that, high marks for the show.

Awesome summary and comments written by LKK. Thank you!

The episode opens with Mushra, Binka, Sago, and Kutal traveling in their vehicles. Binka winces as the guys argue about whom should get to eat a fruit they found. Listening to them, Binka begins to doubt once again that they are the three who combine to form Mushrambo. Her doubts prompt a memory of Yakumo and her in a lush garden. Yakumo tells Binka that she must believe that Mushrambo exists and is their only hope. Find Mushra, Sago, and Kutal, she begs the young girl. If Lanancuras' subjects succeed in releasing him from the meteor prison, Enterra will be doomed unless Binka and Yakumo can find Mushrambo.

Later, the travelers have entered a small Enterran village. As Mushra, Sago, and Kutal drink from a water fountain, the village elder welcomes them and encourages them to drink as much water with them as they want. The villagers also have food to share with the travelers. The guys happily overindulge themselves in the villagers' hospitality.

At the Kadrians' lair, the male Kadrian, Eilis, is upset that the Enterrans now have their crystals and are heading for Shinzo and could possibly become Mushrambo again. Eilis swears he will do whatever is necessary to prevent Mushrambo's return. Eilis reminds the female Kadrian of the history the Kadrians' arrival on Enterra. Five hundred years ago, the Guardians of Light encased the Kadrian leader, Lanancuras , in a meteor. However, pieces of the Guardians energy broke off the meteor and were absorbed by Yakumo and Mushrambo. Now, Yakumo is growing weak. Eilis vows that Lanancuras  will rise from his prison to rule Enterra.

The female Kadrian remembers their history as well. For eons, the Kadrians drifted in space; their life force trapped within the meteor that destroyed their home world. When the meteor collided with Enterra, the explosion released two fragments of the Guardian's power. The infant Yakumo's body absorbed one piece. The Enterran Mushrambo's body absorbed the other. Mushrambo could have been a powerful ally of the Kadrians and could have helped them conquer Enterra. Eilis reminds the female Kadrian that because of Yakumo's interference Mushrambo became her guardian and Enterra's greatest warrior instead. Now, Mushrambo's energy has been divided among Mushra, Sago, and Kutal who do not yet know they can use the crystals to reform as Mushrambo. Yakumo could tell them how though. So Eilis will make certain that they never reach her.

At the same time, Yakumo is kneeling among the ruins of an ancient city. A golden light surrounds her as she prays to Mushra, Sago, and Kutal asking them to hurry because she needs their help. Seemingly aware of Yakumo's prayers, the female Kadrian smirks that Yakumo is using up her power and growing weaker. Soon Lanancuras  will be able to escape the meteor as they have done. When he escapes, Yakumo will not be able to stop him without Mushrambo's help. In order for Mushrambo to help, the Enterrans must reach the ruins of Shinzo. Eilis again vows that the guys will not reach Shinzo. He plans to make sure the trio will never be together again.

Mushra is the key to forming Mushrambo, according to Eilis. When in hyperform, Mushra can absorb the others energies. Therefore, Eilis is going to make sure Mushra never sees his friends again. With that promise, Eilis flies off to carry out his plan. The female remains behind admiring Eilis's ruthlessness. It's so intense that it makes her almost feel sorry for the Enterrans.

After lunching at the village, the travelers have returned to their journey. Unfortunately, the guys stuffed themselves silly and now only want to rest. Binka says she's tired of hearing them complain and won't let them stop because Yakumo said that they have to hurry. They need to reach Shinzo in time to stop the Kadrians. Mushra doesn't see the urgency. The trio defeated the Kadrians before, and they'll do it again when necessary. Sago suggests stopping at a nearby place he knows that has nice rooms, a pool with a waterfall, and possibly a card game. Kutal and Mushra think this is a great idea. The mention of gambling infuriates Binka. She threatens the three with her bazooka. Suddenly the guys find the idea much less appealing. None notice a white light streaking over their heads towards the village. The village erupts in loud explosion. Startled, the gang heads back to the village to investigate.

Inside the village square, the four see nothing but destruction. All the buildings are destroyed. All the villagers have been carded including the children. Mushra picks up the village elder's card only to have it crumble to pieces in his hand. The Enterrans are horrified at the loss. Who would have done such a thing? The Kadrians, to try and scare us, answers an unnerved Binka. The guys try to reassure her, but it's clear she's very upset at the devastation.

The four bed down for the night inside a ruined house. The afternoon's events are still heavy on their minds. Mushra begins to fight Kadrians in his sleep. Tossing and turning, punching out dream Kadrians, he wakes up Sago who's sleeping next to him. Trying to get back to sleep, Sago overhears Binka muttering in her sleep. Curled up against the far side of Kutal, Binka is having a nightmare about the village and what might happen if the Kadrians are not stopped. Concerned, Sago is about to wake her when Kutal stops him. Kutal thinks Binka would be ashamed if she knew they knew how scared she was.

The next day, a very tired and depressed set of travelers set out again heading for a mountainous area of tall cliffs and deep canyons. Kutal tries to cheer up Binka by making funny faces at her. Sago performs a little trick turning water vapor into shapes that look like roses. But neither effort succeeds. A passing plane drops leaflets on the group. The leaflets offer coupons for free admissions to an amusement park called The Shinzo Dream Center that promises to make dreams reality through the latest holographic technology. Mushra heads off to have some fun at the park. Binka calls him back, but Kutal and Sago convince her that a few hours of fun might take their minds off of more unpleasant things and that they might sleep better afterwards. The idea of no more nightmares convinces her to go along.

From a cliff top, Eilis watches them head for his trap -- the Dream Center. He'll let them enjoy themselves and relax. Until they feel safe and unaware, that is.

The tall wooden gate to the Dream Center opens to reveal a Disneyland-like amusement park. The four rush from ride to ride, enjoying themselves. They end up in a room that projects different styles of fancy dress on them. Mushra, embarrassed by his sailor girl outfit, jumps off the holographic projector and walks away. Unknown to Mushra, a silver blob rises up behind him and solidifies into a wall separating him from the others. Binka notices his absence and grows concerned.

Meanwhile, Mushra has found himself in a dark hallway. He calls for his friends, but when he gets no answer, he decides not to worry. He'll meet up with them again. Another wall rises up behind him further separating him from the others.

Once again outdoors, Binka is worried that they haven't found Mushra. Sago convinces her that no harm could come to him in an amusement park. Kutal notices a sign saying a special exhibit is inside, and they head for the building. Inside, they find a globe of Enterra. The exhibit instructions say that by touching a place on the globe, what is happening right now at that place will be holographically displayed to them. Binka tries a south sea island location. The hologram is so convincing; Kutal can smell the scents. Sago tries another location. This time, the three see city skyscrapers burning and scenes of mass destruction everywhere. Citizens are running helter-skelter from flying creatures that maim and kill. Binka is convinced the creatures are Kadrians. Terrified, she runs outside. The others follow.

As soon as the three are outside, they discover that the park has changed. The buildings are depilated. The sidewalks overgrown with weeds. Nothing is as it was. A wider view shows that the ruins are on the plateau of a small peninsula that juts into the curving arc of a large and deep Niagara Falls-sized waterfall. Kutal is the first of the three to realize what has happened. They have fallen into a Kadrian trap intended to capture Mushra and separate him from the others.

In his wanderings, Mushra has found a hall of mirrors and is making faces at himself and practicing his martial arts moves. Hearing a slight noise, he suspects he's not alone; he orders whoever is there to show himself. Eilis speaks to him, taunting him. The Kadrian surprises Mushra by appearing from out of one of the mirrors. Mushra destroys the mirror trying to fight back. Eilis attacks again, hitting Mushra hard from behind. Despite this, Mushra refuses to give up. The Kadrian is pleased.

Outside, the others have been searching for Mushra and calling out for him to answer. They finally conclude that he must be some place where he can't hear them.

Inside Mushra continues to fight Eilis, but it's a losing battle. Still he refuses to surrender. Mushra thinks he finally has the upper hand when he thrusts his javelin into the Kadrian's chest. But Eilis is unharmed. Kadrians are shape-shifters, he explains, able to instantly configure their life force to avoid injury or inflict it on others. His body dissolves into quicksilver; the quicksilver twists and turns, freeing the javelin. Eilis turns the javelin back on Mushra. Fed up, Mushra begins to hyperform. However, Eilis punches him in mid-transformation. The force of the blow throws Mushra backward through several walls including the outside concrete wall. Hurt and dazed, Mushra vows to keep fighting, to never surrender, but the fight has been too much for him. He passes out from exhaustion and pain.

Eilis is ready to kill Mushra when a blur of color followed by a flash of light stops him. Standing at the bottom of the steps to the building are Kutal and Sago in hyperform. Binka is a few feet behind them. Sago cradles the unconscious Mushra in his arms. Eilis proclaims that no one will leave unless they hand Mushra over to him. Kutal attacks. Just before he reaches Eilis, the Kadrian dissolves into nothing and then reappears for a massive blow to Kutal's chin that throws the Hyperenterran back to Sago and Binka.

Eilis dissolves into different quicksilver forms again and again attacking the others. After the second attack, Sago realizes that Kadrians must be shape-shifters and that the quicksilver is their true form. Sago hands Mushra to Kutal and summons the Aqua Dragon to face the quicksilver. Eilis dives into the dragon's head, turns the dragon to quicksilver, and viciously attacks Sago with his own creation. Bruised and bloodied, Sago realizes the Kadrian is too powerful for them to defeat. Kutal suggests they find a way to escape.

Hearing their plans, Eilis dissolves again. This time the quicksilver melts to the ground, covering everything in the moving silver's path. Binka, Sago, and Kutal, carrying Mushra, flee. Kutal tries to stop the quicksilver by carving several deep trenches in its way. But the silver quickly tops the trenches and pursues them again. Reach the plateau cliffs, Sago grabs Binka and flies off the edge. Kutal uproots a mature tree. Tree and Mushra in hand, Kutal follows Sago and Binka over the cliff. A water plume in the lake below hints at the Hyperenterrans' plans.

Eilis reaches the cliff edge in time to hear the splash below. He dissolves into quicksilver once more, covering the plateau, the waterfall, and the lake below instantly killing every living thing in the water with the molten quicksilver. Looking for the Enterrans remains, he finds a silver clump. Removing the quicksilver, Eilis is surprised to discover a tree and not dead bodies. He's not angry at the trickery though. He rather enjoys the thought of continuing their game at later date.

Safely hidden in a cave behind the waterfall, Binka, Sago, and Kutal -- both now back in normal form -- watch over the still unconscious Mushra. He's barely breathing, and Binka is very worried. Sago reassures her that Mushra will recover after some rest. Kutal has another concern. If all Kadrians are as powerful as the one they just fought, how will they be able to defeat them? Binka realizes only Mushrambo will be able to do so.

While unconscious, Mushra has another vision of Yakumo. This time, she is comforting him, promising that he will feel better and his wounds will heal. She tells him that Sago and Kutal are the only hope Enterrans have of surviving. Mushra realizes this is because they help him form Mushrambo. Mushra promises Yakumo that he will get well quickly and won't let her down.

The episode ends with Binka worrying that they need to get to Shinzo before Yakumo's strength runs out.

Comments

1) The kittens don't seem to be a factor in this timeline. We haven't seen them since the initial episode, A New Beginning.

2) Question: Why would the group need to get water from the village when Sago can summon water on demand?

3) The animation of the trio stuffing themselves with the villagers' food comes straight from the Ryuma episode.

4) There is a *whole* lot of exposition at the beginning of this episode. Most of the back history of the Kadrians is presented here in two slightly different versions. Some of what Eilis says conflicts with what the female Kadrian says. Eilis says that the Guardians encased Lanancuras  in the meteor 500 years ago. This must have happened shortly before the meteor crash if it only happened 500 years ago. However, in the female's story, the Kadrians' life force had been trapped inside the meteor and drifting in space for eons before it hit Enterra 500 years ago. I suppose the Guardians could have encased Lanancuras in the meteor long after the Kadrians' life force had become trapped inside. However, the two versions don't seem to imply that this happened. Maybe later episodes will clarify the Kadrian history.

5) Binka loses her tough-kid image at the sight of the destroyed village. The mission to Shinzo was never a game or an adventure to her. But the destruction seemed to truly bring home the severity of the mission in a way she must not have felt beforehand. It's the first time Binka comes across, as she really is -- a very young girl.

6) When Mushra pulls up Sago's helmet, we get a resolution to a continuity issue from Season 1. What color is Sago's hair? In The Giant Robot, Sago's helmet is partially pulled off by the giant magnet revealing brown hair underneath. However, in The Two Mushrambos flashback to child Sago accepting his crystal, his hair color is blue. Blue is more in keeping with Sago's hyperform hair color, but that doesn't mean his normal hair color must also be blue. In this episode, Sago's hair is also blue. By two votes to one, Sago's hair color is blue.

7) Binka must be one heck of a runner. When fleeing the quicksilver, she manages not only to keep up with Sago and Kutal but also to match them stride for stride even though their legs are at least twice as long as hers.

8) I found Yakumo's comment to Mushra puzzling. She says, "Sago and Kutal are the only hope Enterrans have of surviving." Why just Sago and Kutal? Is this simply a matter of fitting English to the Japanese mouth movements and there wasn't enough time to say "Mushrambo" or "You, Sago, and Kutal"? Could it be a hint that Sago and Kutal have an importance to Enterran survival beyond their supporting the Mushrambo transformation? Or is it what I suggested in the recap? A way to get Mushra to understand the others' role in forming Mushrambo?

9) This was an unusual episode in that it featured a long action sequence with no Hyper Mushra. It provided a rare opportunity for the sidekicks to shine a bit. It wasn't their fault that they were outclassed. That Eilis is one powerfully dangerous opponent.

10) Final comment: If a Shinzo episode could be said to be about anything, this one was about building relationships among the characters. The trio will probably still quarrel among themselves about inconsequential things. I can't see that aspect going away. But the four have just gone through the kind of experience needed to forge a tightly knit group that needs to work together as one.