Target: Earth

Season 1, Episode 5
Air date	October 23, 1993
Written by	Mark Edens
Storyboards by	Gerry Acerno
Episode guide
Previous	Resist!
Next	A Traitor Among Us

"Target: Earth" is the 6th episode of season one of Exosquad.

Summary

Marsh, DeLeon, and Marsala land on Earth to coordinate with the resistance group in Phaeton City. They explain their mission is to destroy the GRAF Shield, when it is in fact to capture its creator, Xenobius. This deception was because the resistance has a traitor, revealed to be Diana, within its ranks. Once Marsh, DeLeon, and Marsala have successfully captured Xenobius, he reveals during the interrogation that the shield's creator is actually a Terran named Algernon. Because Algernon is busy creating one on Venus, and the GRAF Shield on Earth prevents their escape, Marsala concludes that they have failed in their mission.

Synopsis

Click HERE of a detailed synopsis of "Target: Earth"

Characters

• J.T. Marsh
• Alec DeLeon
• Marsala
• Algernon
• Diana
• Shiva
• Xenobius

Quotes

• After Xenobius tells Shiva not to launch e-frames, because his GRAF Shield can destroy the ship, this exchange occurs:

Shiva: "Are you prepared to stake your life on that?"

Xenobius: "I am a scientist."

Shiva: "A dead scientist if you fail."

• Napier's entry, with a gun pointed at Marsala, interrupts Alec and Marsala discussing dogs:

Marsala: "It is true. Dogs do not like Neo sapiens."

Napier: "Neither do I."

• Xenobius, in a depressed mood, talking to the computer as he tries to understand the GRAF Shield:

Computer: "Have you another request?"

Xenobius: "Yes, make me a genius."

• Marsala, when he forcibly barges into Xenobius' study:

"Dr. Xenobius, I presume?"

Significant events, revelations, and other notes

• The time lapse between this episode and the previous one is set at one year. Able Squad spent this time in the brig because of their insubordination at the beginning of the Neosapien War.
  • Why was Marsh or Winfield unable to request an appeal or a new trial? Considering the circumstances and Marcus's actions, Winfield could have made a convincing case to have the charges dropped and the death sentence revoked.
• Why has Marcus not been removed from command and re-assigned to a non-combat position? Considering Marcus's actions to this point, Winfield has enough evidence that Marcus is not reliable in a combat situation.
  • Considering the weak evidence that got Marsh sentenced to death, removing Marcus from the Resolute should have been very easy.
• The GRAF Shield makes a direct assault on Earth by the Exofleet impossible.
  • How did Exofleet learn of the GRAF Shield?
• The GRAF Shield and Xenobius are treated with suspicion during their initial deployments and first activations. This could be because the generals are wary of Phaeton using the shield against them.
  • "Target: Earth" -- Shiva makes an indirect threat to Xenobius if the shield fails to work.
  • "Scorched Venus" -- Draconis tells Xenobius to get the shield online despite the lack of field testing.
  • "Sabotage" -- Phaeton says he spent billions for the GRAF Shield's research and development. This could be the reason for the earlier resentment. It diverted funding from other military projects and/or the shipbuilding programs.
• Ways in which Neosapiens are superior to Terrans, with regard to better sight and hearing, are also mentioned.
  • The greatest weakness that the Neo sapiens have is their lack of adaptability (according to Marsala). Xenobius also mentions that Terrans are more creative.
  • This difference in creativity is mentioned again in "The Dogs of War".
• Dogs do not like Neosapiens. That this revelation occurs in the same episode as Noretti's death is either very coincidental, or well planned. After all, Marsala deduces in a future episode that a cloned Noretti planted by Phaeton is a Neosapien in part because of a dog's reaction to her.
• References are made to Napier's marriage to Amanda Connor.
• The studio audience at The Amanda Show was Terran, and they were cheering. It is an indication that Phaeton wishes to gain support among the Terrans, or at least keep them placated.
• Although we know who the collaborationist is, the members of the resistance still do not.

Season 2

"The Gathering" • "The Embassy" • "Pirate's Ransom" • "Ultimate Weapon" • "Expendable" • "Mindset" • "The Last Man" • "Dragon's Rock" • "Inner Dark" • "The Dogs of War" • "The First Step" • "The Greatest Fear" • "Flesh Crawls" • "Behind the Shield" • "Venus Rising" • "Miracle" • "Under the Skin" • "Ultimatum" • "Warrior Brood" • "The Dream War" • "No Surrender" • "Fire Ship" • "Martian Luck" • "The Lost Patrol" • "Call of the Unknown" • "Heart of Mars" • "Winged Fury" • "Night of the Traitor" • "Trial by Combat" • "The Perfect Warrior" • "The Price of Courage" • "Dark River" • "The Art of War" The Fall of the Neosapien Empire "One Small Step" • "Fifth Column" • "The Last Jump" • "The Night Before Doomsday" • "Abandon Hope" "Beyond Chaos"