Star Blazers: The Comet Empire

The year is 2201, one year after the Star Force returned to Earth with the CosmoDNA which removed the Gamilon radioactive pollution that was threatening all life on the planet. The Comet Empire prepares to begin its assault on unsuspecting Earth. We learn that Desslok of Gamilon is still alive, and in league with the Comet Empire. Most of the Star Force crew members are now on Earth. The Argo (with Wildstar and Homer) is returning from remote patrol duty in the solar system. On the way back to Earth, the Argo receives an encoded message amidst a huge electromagnetic power surge. It is not yet known whether the surge was used to send the message, or to jam it, or for some other purpose. During the surge, the Argo is attacked by an unidentified squadron of fighter planes. With its radar damaged, the Argo has a near collision with the new Earth Defense flagship, Andromeda, which refuses to give up its flight path for the incoming Argo. The two ships scape by each other, and the Argo lands on Earth.

The year is 2201, one year after the Star Force returned to Earth with the CosmoDNA which removed the Gamilon radioactive pollution that was threatening all life on the planet. The Comet Empire prepares to begin its assault on unsuspecting Earth. We learn that Desslok of Gamilon is still alive, and in league with the Comet Empire. Most of the Star Force crew members are now on Earth. The Argo (with Wildstar and Homer) is returning from remote patrol duty in the solar system. On the way back to Earth, the Argo receives an encoded message amidst a huge electromagnetic power surge. It is not yet known whether the surge was used to send the message, or to jam it, or for some other purpose. During the surge, the Argo is attacked by an unidentified squadron of fighter planes. With its radar damaged, the Argo has a near collision with the new Earth Defense flagship, Andromeda, which refuses to give up its flight path for the incoming Argo. The two ships scape by each other, and the Argo lands on Earth.

Sandor and Wildstar visit the new shipyards, and discuss many of the new tech improvements going into Earth's new fleet. The Andromeda and other ships have skeleton crews, with most of the central systems controlled by computer. Sandor laments this since he believes that "we must keep control of the machines we create. If we don't, we're doomed." (see episode 1-18). There are improvements for the Argo too: New shock cannons that have an increased range (150% of the original); and, a time radar that is capable to detecting past events in space. Sandor demonstrates it for Wildstar by showing Chief Engineer Orion urinating against a ship-yard wall. Must be getting old, that one. But, all the improvements are not welcome. Sandor reveals to Wildstar that Earth Defense Committee wants the Argo to be adapted to the same kind of computer control system a la Andromeda. Derek flies into a rage and storms off to the Commander's office in protest. He urges, "The Argo's heart and blood is the Star Force. It's people, not machinery!" While pleading his case to the Commander, as if in symmetry to the recent power surge, there is a power blackout over most of Earth, which is an attempt by the new enemy to soften up Earth defenses. During the outage, Wildstar spots an alien spy plane (a horseshoe crab-shaped bomber) flying over the darkened city. Sandor notices a huge comet in the distant sky heading towards Earth. He and Wildstar analyse the radio message received during the power surge but can only determine that it must be "in some unknown language."

Wildstar and Nova visit the remains of one of the underground cities that Earth used when it had been devastated by Gamilon radiation. Wildstar fears that the new threat could make them necessary again, and knows the the EDF government will not act quickly enough. The encoded message received during the power surge is analysed and determined to be a jammed distress call from outside the solar system -- originating somewhere in the same area as the approaching comet (the issue of it being in some "unknown language" seems to have gone away). But the Earth Defense Committee refuses to take action or to take the possibility of a new threat seriously. Wildstar assembles the old Star Force crew in front of Captain Avatar's memorial statue (Heroes' Hill), and proposes a renegade mission to seek out the new threat.

Against the wishes of Earth government, the old Star Force is reassembled to answer the distress message that Sandor received. Derek Wildstar summons Dr Sane to join them, telling him not to inform Nova. Nova, however, is keen to what is going on and insists she come along. On their way to the Argo's undersea dock site, they pass the Hero's Hill monument once again, where they encounter Mark Venture. Resigned to the apparent fact that Venture is not joining them on their mutinous journey, Wildstar prepares to take the Argo through the water locks. But, just as he gives the orders, Mark Venture arrives on the bridge to take over. "Boy, Venture, you sure had me worried." They take off from the undersea dock against orders, dodging magnetic missiles, and destroying a battle satellite in the process.

Captain Gideon of the Andromeda goes after the Star Force in the Mars-Jupiter asteroid belt, but, like the EDF Commander, decides that their determination and their mission is honourable. He allows them to slip past and reports to the EDC that he merely could not locate the renegades.

The forces from the Comet Empire attack the 11th planet, Brumas, and the Star Force picks up the Space Marines, including their leader, the obnoxious Sgt. Knox. With the enemy threat established, the Earth Defense Commander rescends the warrant for the Star Force, and orders them to seek out information on the threat.

The Star Force is attacked by a fleet of Comet Empire stealth sub-space submarines. Knox begins to resent Wildstar's authority, and unrest grows among the ranks of the Space Marines.

It is discovered that the encoded distress signal originated from a mysterious woman named Treleina of Telezart, a planet on the extreme edge of the galaxy, about 40,000 light years from Earth.