Episode 37 : Assault on Gran Mal

Skeleton General Skull Kaiser
(In Hell)

Skull Kaiser, formerly one of Samhain's greatest generals, stages a rebellion against impossible odds. The fate of countless worlds rests upon his ability to protect the Loss Queen and beat back her assailants. Along the way he is forced to fight old friends and make new allies...

Episode 37 : Assault on Gran Mal

The episode opens with a long shot on Gran Mal making progress across the dark, desolate countryside. We get closer to the Gran, and it begins to look like something is slowing or impeding its movement. Indeed, one of its legs won't continue forward. We focus on something in the extreme foreground, taking Gran Mal out of focus and see one of Merlot's robot ants. We zoom out and can see that there are in fact many ants and they've set up some kind of field between them that only becomes visible in brief flickers, but Gran Mal cannot move past it. Two silhouettes (Agrippa and Merlot) dash off towards the Gran, splitting off in different directions as they near it.

We cut to Gran Mal's bridge, where Titan Foiler expresses his anger at the implications of this trap and that it's clear that Schatten Messer failed at the cost of his life. Titan Foiler asks the impassive Puppet General, Nou Wire, if his troops are ready and he's answered with a nod. He then turns to Phantasma King and Kali Dharma and orders them to investigate. The two Darkness Squad members look at each other distrustfully, then go.

Outside, Phantasma King makes a discovery, but Agrippa steps out from the shadows with a sinister grin to meet him.

We cut to Kali Dharma who's investigating on her own. As she's searching, we have a voice over of her saying that no matter how she felt or feels, it's imperative that she get back into Titan Foiler's good graces and make Samhain's plans a reality. In her reverie, she stumbles across Merlot who's standing directly before her and a little incredulous that Kali Dharma could be so careless and unmindful. Kali Dharma instantly becomes very catty and angry and the two begin fighting. After some preliminary melee, Kali Dharma backs off and executes the Dharma Wheel attack. Merlot counters with the Jakuten Drill which passes through the Wheel, but doesn't stop it. The Jakuten Drill continues and grazes the side of Kali Dharma's head where it draws blood. There is a contest of wills as Merlot is crucified on the Dharma Wheel, but while working, Kali Dharma simply cannot maintain the attack because of the head wound. Merlot breaks free of the Wheel and upon landing, unleashes a furious Phantom Army attack. This completely overwhelms Kali Dharma and actually cripples one of Gran Mal's legs.

We cut to Skull Kaiser who has just met Oketsu, a golem of animate blood, and the Gatekeeper of the 3rd Hell where the callous are punished. Oketsu is very cold to Skull Kaiser. He accuses Skull Kaiser of once being very compassionate, in the time before he became the Skeleton General, but then as the Skeleton General, he purged all compassion from himself. He was guilty of callousness as a rule on a daily basis and his conscience was suppressed or dead, only to be resurrected at the time of his death at the hands of the Loss Queen. While Skull Kaiser has made great strides to make up for his evil past, his debt of callousness is excessive and that is why fighting with Oketsu is going to be a real challenge, more so than any of the Gatekeepers so far. And the next Gatekeeper, Oketsu adds nonchalantly, will be even tougher. Skull Kaiser bows his head and acknowledges his crimes. He vows to prove the truth of his intentions by defeating all the Gatekeepers of Hell as he was charged and thanks Oketsu for the opportunity to fight with him as a means to satisfy that charge. Oketsu merely "hmphs" smugly.

We cut to an exterior shot of the Root Palace where the Undead Vine rises up into space. Gear Binder's troop ship appears over a Jump Field platform and lands there.

Cut to the interior of the Root Palace where Sam
hain welcomes back Gear Binder and the retired generals. All bow before Samhain reverently and ask for orders.

To Be Continued...