Heart of Mars

Season 2, Episode 26
Air date	October 17, 1994
Written by	Mark Edens Frances Moss Ted Pedersen
Episode guide
Previous	Call of the Unknown
Next	Winged Fury

"Heart of Mars" is the 26th episode of the second season of Exosquad.

Summary

Both Marsh and Typhonus make seizing the alien technology their top priority. Both the exosquads and Neo frames make it to a central complex, and a battle follows. A Fusion Pack explosion in the core causes the alien complex to begin to self-destruct. Everyone tries to frantically escape, as the planet itself suffers from quakes and lava flows. Soon after the Exosquads, Jumptroops, and Exoscouts escape; the planet Mars is destroyed in a gigantic explosion.

Synopsis

Click HERE of a detailed synopsis of "Heart of Mars"

Quotes

• After the jumptroops have successfully trapped the Neos, Butler learns of Marsh's promotion:

Butler: "I don't intend to let Typhonus get away, Lieutenant."
Marsh: "It's Commander Marsh now, Captain, and I'm ordering you to call off the pursuit."

• Upon entering the alien structure:

Algernon: "Incredible, it's... huge."
Bronski: "Hey, I coulda told ya that."

• During the fight in the center of the alien complex, Professor Algernon is very nervous:

Algernon: "My,... my scientific knowledge is too valuable to risk in a fight."
Marsala: "If we don't win this fight, none of us will get out alive."
Algernon: "Good point."

• As the planet is about to be destroyed, Torres and the ExoScouts tie up Typhonus and steal his shuttle to escape.

Typhonus: "You'll pay for this!"
Torres: "Maybe, but you won't be the one to collect."

Significant events, revelations, and other notes

• The Neosapien Commonwealth has been dealt a severe defeat. Apparently they now only control Earth and its moon. What natural resources Mars had is unknown, but because Neo sapiens were created to mine it the assumption that some resources have been lost is a safe one. The affect on morale, since Mars was the home planet for most Neo sapiens, is unknown, but perhaps significant. ("The Price of Courage")
• Exofleet's alliance with the Pirates, seen in "Expendable", states that at the successful conclusion of the war the Pirates will be given the planet Mars. Obviously they will not be happy with accepting the planet in its current condition.
  • Winfield may be forced to give them Venus as a compromise.
  • Another option is to give the Pirate Clans the technology they need to terraform the Outer Planets.
• Neither the Exofleet nor the Neosapiens were able to attain the alien technology. There may not even be any material for salvage. So neither side was able to gain the decisive edge that they were looking for.
  • Exofleet did gain more reliable eyewitness reports, the most valuable was that Algernon was able to see the Insectoids device.
• Unlike the rivalry seen in "Behind the Shield", there has been no open hatred between Exial ("Martian Luck") and Typhonus. They had disagreements, but Exial did not undermine Typhonus's authority. Instead he has acted as an advisor and offered moderate verbal objections.
• Why did Typhonus decide to attack the ExoTroopers? He had been forced to retreat to a gully and the Jumptroops destroyed several of his E-frames. While we see the Neosapiens using E-frames inside the alien structure, his previous losses should have made him wary of more combat.
• In "Call of the Unknown" and "Heart of Mars" the Exocarrier Arnhem was able to approach Mars, remain in orbit, and leave the planet without using a Cloaking Device. The Mars Fleet never appears, combat is limited to the ground.
  • In "Warrior Brood" the pirate ship decloaks and changes orbit without interception from the Earth Fleet.
• Avery Butler's dislike for Marsh ("Under the Skin") and E-frame pilots ("The Last Man") re-appears.
  • How widespread is this interservice rivalry?
• Phaeton makes a reference to the creation of the Doomsday Device.
• Typhonus is dead, again.
• The destruction of the planet Mars is likely what Weston foresaw in "The Dream War".
• Torres has been reunited with Able Squad.

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"