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Last updated 30-mar-2001
[Toonami's TV-Y7 censoring produces some rather odd behavior on the part of Tenchi, Ryoko and Aeka. Why (the new US viewer asks) is he so upset by a fairly modest bikini? Why is Aeka wearing a swimsuit under a towel? Why is she so upset when it's uncovered?]
[Toonami's TV-Y7 censoring produces the odd scene of two women scrubbing themselves while wearing swimsuits. Not since Steve "did I do that?" Urkel has a TV character worn a wetsuit in the shower. There's the whole issue of jp-us translation of bathing; there's a social dimension in Japanese culture that post-Roman Western Europe (hence the US) lacks.]
They stare sidelong at each other, considering this new threat.
"Sasami's beauty will outshine my own," thinks Aeka.
"I thought, because Aeka's no threat, Sasami wouldn't be."
"Yes, Sasami will have a full set of memories."
"That's not what we're worried about!"
[The Toonami version deletes the blood, and turns sake to "tea" (shades of "Starblazers").]
At GPHQ, Mihoshi's superior struggles to deal with her final report on the Kagato affair.
At the shrine, Tenchi is raking the gravel while Aeka scatters water. A dark-haired woman in Jyuraian robes climbs the steps, and asks to see the shrinekeeper. Tenchi goes to get Grampa, while Aeka gasps in recognition; it's FUNAHO, queen of Jyurai and Yoshou's mother.
Yoshou serves tea to Funaho, who explains that Mihoshi's report came to the attention of Jyurai's Executive Committee; it contained some rather disturbing revelations. Yoshou drops his aged disguise; he's still smooth-skinned and black-haired (and doesn't need glasses). Royal trees are responsible for the longevity of the members of the royal family to which they're bound, but usually lose their power when they take root in soil (as Yoshou's tree, also named Funaho, did after his ship crashed). Moreover, they must be periodically recharged from the trees on Jyurai. He explains that Ryoko's power gems (now attached to the Master Key Tenchi-sword) apparently replaced that power supply. Funaho agrees; the report had mentioned the gems, and since they're compatible with the trees, Ryoko -- like the Jyuraian royalty -- should be able to generate the proprietary Lighthawk Wings. Yoshou gasps.
At the house, there's a knock at the door, and Sasami (busy cooking) sends Ryoko to greet the visitor. It's another woman in Jyuraian robes, with blue hair and two dots on her forehead: MASAKI, second queen of Jyurai and Sasami's mother. She embraces Ryoko and sobs in joy-of-reunion. "Sasami, you've changed so much," she says, surprised-upset and grabbing Ryoko's face. "What happened to your beautiful hair? It's so hard and pointy," she babbles, deaf to the protests of mistaken identity. "And your eyes are so mean." Carrot apron-clad Sasami steps out of the kitchen to the commotion, and the two royalty's eyes meet. Masaki rushes over to her daughter (carelessly slamming Ryoko into the wall).
Aeka returns to the house; catching sight of her, Masaki gives her a dark glance. Is there bad blood between them? "I'm going to do something you could tease me about," she mutters /sotto voce/ to Ryoko, lounging against a wall. "I warn you: don't. This is for your own good." She puts on a smile and opens her arms to her mother. "MOMMY!" Ryoko collapses in giggles. "You -- said -- *mommy*," and Masaki is instantly on that side of the room, berating her for making fun of her daughter. Sasami hastily scribbles a prompting-placard, and Ryoko reads it to "the pretty young lady," instantly restoring herself in the queen's graces.
Funaho talks to Washu, who agrees not to create any more Ryokos or Ryo-ohkis. Washu asks to be called "Washu-chan" (as noted by Aeka in #7, a singularly inappropriate honorific for somone 20,000 years old). Funaho likewise asks to be called "Funaho-chan" (apparently the queens are a bit touchy about their youthful looks).
The king's ship arrives. He beams down. He's ready for his daughters to return home *now*, and isn't so happy about Aeka's affections towards this *Earthman* (even if he *is* his own great-grandson). Or Sasami's response: "if I leave, who will cook for them?" Funaho icily reminds him that *she's* from Earth. Anyway, he's already chosen a suitable husband, and a pink-haired fop with fan beams down. Under pressure from his family, he'll allow Tenchi to remain a candidate -- if he can defeat S in a duel.
Aeka begs him to fight for her, while Ryoko (who likes this new arrangement) urges him not to. Masaki cheerily holds up a piece of stationery: "this is a bill for all those parts of Jyurai you blew up when you last visited -- but we might be willing to forget it." Ryoko grabs the bill, eats it, and cheers Tenchi on.
Tenchi retrieves sword-Tenchi, and the two suitors face off at the end of the pier. Everyone else sits on the porch, munching snacks. (Ryoko elbows Aeka, who spills popcorn all over Masaki.) S boasts that he'll be merciful, but "the barbarian" points a finger skyward. The spectators all pull parasols. SPLAH! Mihoshi's ship crashes into the lake, raising a tidal wave and initiating a short rainshower. When it passes, Tenchi is drenched but still standing; while S is out cold, bobbing like a cork. A sodden Mihoshi begs Washu to fix her ship again.
The king acknowledges the win and the right of the princesses to stay. The two queens rejoin him. He turns to his son and says gruffly, "I can wait another two thousand years for your decision." A subspace portal opens in the sky, and one queenship drops out to hover next to his. They beam up. Later, in space, the two tiny queenships flank the monstrous kingship. Aboard it, in the royal court, Masaki turns to Funaho and says, "I think he's getting used to Tenchi, don't you?" On the throne, the king growls and vows that he's only begun to fight.
[This episode, #13, seems to ignore the changes in #12 "Zero Ryoko". It'd make more sense if the Tokimi arc came *after*. Also, Washu assures Funaho she'll create no more gem-powered Ryokos (a threat to Jyurai's monopoly on Lighthawk Wings), but she couldn't anyway; as she told Clay in #12, the gems predate even her.]