Venus Rising

Season 2, Episode 15
Air date	, 1994
Written by	Mark Edens
Episode guide
Previous	Behind the Shield
Next	Miracle

"Venus Rising" is the 15th episode of the second season of Exosquad.

Summary

The ExoFleet is having success in its campaign on Venus. James Burns leads the Venus resistance in an attack on Vesta, and he is severly wounded by Draconis in the process. Knowing that the ExoFleet will take the city, Draconus orders Thrax to detonate a hydrogen bomb, but after much thought Thrax does not obliterate the city. Phaeton arrives with The Olympus Mons II to prepare a counterattack.

Synopsis

Click HERE of a detailed synopsis of "Venus Rising"

Quotes

• Takagi chides Bronski as they land to rejoin Able Squad:

Takagi: "That was great, Bronski. You had that gun ship right in your sights. Too bad it was ours."
Bronski: "Hey, I knew it was a friendly. Why do you think I missed?"

• As Draconus prepares to leave Vesta on his shuttle, he tells Thrax to detonate the bomb that will obliterate the city, which prompts:

Thrax: "Should I rendezvous with the shuttle after I set the detonator?"
Draconus: "By all means, try." (Thrax leaves)
Creon: "Do we really wait for him?"
Draconus: "It would be a long wait. There is no timer, the device will explode when he turns the key."

• When Thrax decides to not detonate the bomb, he says:

"No. I joined this war for justice for the Neo sapiens. I will not destroy just for the sake of destruction."

• After Takagi has disarmed Thrax, Thrax turns around.

Takagi: "I know you."
Thrax: "It's not true, then, that we all look alike to Terrans."
Takagi: "You were on Mercury, you let me live. Why?"
Thrax: "It seemed like a good idea at the time." (puts his arms down and walks away)
Takagi: "Halt! Don't make me fire."
Thrax: "No one makes you fire. It's a decision you make for yourself. And you have to live with it."
(Takagi puts his gun down as Thrax enters his e-frame and takes off.)

• When Thrax is later brought to Draconus:

Draconus: "There was no explosion, Thrax. Vesta has not been destroyed."
Thrax: "I armed the device, sir. Perhaps the Terrans found and disarmed it before it exploded."
Draconus: "I see. I would have taken your life for disobeying my orders, but for lying to me I will make you regret that you ever existed."
Thrax: "Yes, I disobeyed. Even in war there are some things a soldier must not do.

• Draconus asks Phaeton if he is bringing reinforcements:

Phaeton: "I am bringing a single ship."
Draconus: "What good is one more ship?"
Phaeton: "It depends on the ship." (gigantic ship arrives)

Significant events, revelations, and other notes

• James Burns, Nara's brother, gets severely wounded.
• Takagi returns the favor by sparing Thrax's life. For their first encounter see "The First Step".
• Why did Winfield declare that Vesta was an open city? Use of the "open city" tactic is used by the defender to spare the city from needless damage. The jumptroops and E-frame units would certainly have been forced to attack Vesta since Draconis would have ordered that the Neosapien units destroy whatever they could.
• Krueger appears in "Ultimatum" as the leader of an extremist faction.
• If Krueger is any indication, the Venus Resistance may prove a problem to Exofleet.
  • The problems encountered with the Earth Resistance, such as Nick Tyree, are never that severe. While the Battle of Australia proved that the Australian cell could not be controlled, the Fourth Battle of Earth showed the Earth Resistance operating under a unified chain of command. In the following episodes on Venus, the Venus Resistance appears to break apart.
• The ExoFleet assault on Venus is going successfully.
  • What is the status of the GRAF Shield?
  • The Exofleet ground forces encountered minimal resistance from the Neosapien military.
  • What sustained resistance they did encounter was broken by the E-frame attacks.
  • The orbital bombardment was limited to the forts, even then an E-frame assault could have been used. Although, the causalities would have been higher.
• Just as on Mercury, Phaeton does not send any reinforcements. Draconis declares that he intends to retake Venus, but if he didn't have enough troops to hold it, how can he expect to retake it?
  • In "Behind the Shield" Draconis ordered an immediate retreat to Vesta after the Jumptroops landed.
  • Draconis's military reserve force (similiar to the National Guard) consists of shuttle pilots, military police, and mechanics.
  • Unlike Mercury, which had limited strategic value, Phaeton likely withheld reinforcements for 2 reasons.
    • 1. He does not trust Draconis and wants to undermine his support.
    • 2. He knows that the space battle is where victory will be decided. In "Miracle", Winfield orders Venus evacuated when it becomes clear that the Neosapien fleet will overtake them.
• Thrax could be seen as an Erwin Rommel like character. Rommel was loyal to Germany, but the units under his command did not commit any war crimes.
  • By the time of "The Price of Courage" Thrax no longer believes in Phaeton or the war.
• How large is The Olympus Mons II?
  • It must be significant since the Neosapiens were amazed at its size when compared to The Olympus Mons. Furthermore, unlike the other capital ships seen, it survives the damage taken in "Miracle" until engaged by the Resolute II.
  • Similiar surprise was shown in "Inner Dark" when Able Squad found the Resolute II.
  • This could be a reference to the Super Star Destroyer from the "Star Wars" universe.
• Draconis's order to destroy Vesta is similiar to the order Hitler gave that Paris was to be destroyed/razed if the Allies were about to capture the city. However, there is a major difference between this episode and real-life.
  • A somewhat similiar action happens in "Abandon Hope".
  • Albert Speer refused to follow the Nero Decree and convinced others to ignore the order.
  • In the episode Draconis gives a direct order to destroy Vesta and Thrax refuses to obey because he will not destroy for the "sake of destruction".
  • After the Liberation of Paris, the actions of the German commander, Dietrich von Choltitz, have fallen into 3 arguments.
    • von Choltitz wanted to destroy the city, but lacked the weaponary.
    • von Choltitz refused to destroy the city since he knew it would accomplish nothing worthwhile.
    • von Choltitz was convinced by Raoul Nordling and Pierre Taittinger that razing Paris would accomplish nothing worthwhile.

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"