Robotech "Farewell Big Brother" question (spoilers)

Cafe Society
#1

I saw this episode on DVD recently, and the big scene went like this: Roy got out of his Veritech and went straight to Claudia’s apartment for dinner (and probaly sex afterwards). Meanwhile, some mechanics were looking at the Skull Leader Veritech and marvelling at all the holes in it. Cut back to the apartment, where Claudia asked Roy something, got annoyed when he didn’t answer, then turned around to discover he had collapsed on the floor. Next thing we know he’s been declared dead at sickbay.

Problem is, that’s not how I remember it from when I was a kid, watching this strange but fascinating show that was so much better than the likes of GI Joe and He-Man. I’m almost positive that Roy went to sickbay first and was told to stay in bed, but he brushed off his wounds in a casual manner and left to see Claudia. The mechanics weren’t just looking at the general damage to Roy’s Veritech, but specifically at several holes that went through the pilot’s seat. Finally, the scene in the apartment ended not just with Claudia looking shocked, but with Roy facedown on the floor in a growing pool of blood.

So the question is this: What the hell happened to that scene? Why was it on the air on a schoolday afternoon but not on the remastered DVD? I may be misremembering some details, but I’m damn sure I saw Roy bleeding to death on Claudia’s floor.

#2

I remember this episode, and I don’t recall him going to sickbay before heading to Claudia’s apartment. I do recall the pool of blood around him though.

#3

There’s no sickbay, etc. in Macross, which is the original footage.

But… and this is so embarassing… if you read the books, he went to triage, I think, and snuck out (the implication being that he knew how bad it was) to spend time with Claudia. As I recall, that is - I at least haven’t read them recently or anything. Five, seven years ago, maybe? But I remember that bit quite well because I was really torn up about it. They’re really not half bad. But if you did pick that one up, that could be what you’re remembering.

#4

I agree with Zsofia that you’re likely conflating the TV series with the novels (which are actually pretty good, but not in the same universe as the TV series - they add several bits of tech and history, and change several of the characters), where things happened mostly like you describe.

I just watched my copy and it went like I remember it - the mechanics look into the cockpit, and comment on the damage (implying that something went through the cockpit (and Roy) itself - although they look across the seat, rather than at it, so it looks like it came in through the right side of the cockpit), and the scene with Roy and Claudia ends with a closeup of the fruit salad she’d made for him, rather than Roy.

#5

Hmm, that could be it. I don’t have the books anymore, but I did read them. It’s possible I dreamed up the image of Roy dying based on the book, complete with low frame rate and kinda sketchy artwork. :smiley:

#6

Yeah, it does kind of give “persistence of vision” a whole new meaning - your brain dosen’t just imagine it moving, it imagines a whole 'nother realm of emotional content. :slight_smile: It’s true, when I got my Macross set a few years ago I was all excited to see that episode in Japanese and cry about it all over again, and I popped it in and said “Huh? Where’s all the stuff I remember happening?”

God, do I love Claudia. Possibly the coolest anime female ever.