Morphylogeny

VR Troopers

#88: VRT 236 "Despera Strikes Back".

Features Footage from (bold = new):
Shaider, episodes 1, 3, 10, 17, 24, 39, & 41; Spielban, episodes 1, 8, 43, & 44; and Metalder, episode 7.

The complete program, from opening to end of end credits, lasts roughly 21:16;09.

Opening is about 1:00; by itself.

Ending is about 0:30; by itself.


Opening Credits

Source Description Edit Note
METALDER #07.

Zoom in on Ziktor Tower (no smog).

Recycled; transitions in.

VRT 207.

Karl Ziktor morphs into Grimlord, teleporting up to his Dark Fortress above, which floats through the virtual dimension.

Recycled.

SPIELBAN #01.

The Air Castle emerges from some clouds in the sky.

Recycled; plays in reverse; transitions in.

SPIELBAN #43.

Close on a yellow orb on the Air Castle bridge.

Looped; Transitions out.

SPIELBAN #43.

The Air Castle sinks into the water.

Recycled, per source; fades out.

SPIELBAN #08.

Establishing shot of the dam.

Recycled; trimmed to end, and freeze-framed.

SPIELBAN #43.

Air Castle sits at the bottom of the bay.

Transitions in.

SPIELBAN #43.

Desponda stands on the edge of the dam, spreading arms outward, smiling like Rita Repulsa.


SPIELBAN #43.

A group of Skugs rushes onto the dam.


SPIELBAN #43.

Close side angle on the Skugs, each armed with an axe or a blade.


VRT 101.

Kaitlin & JB raise their glowing Virtualizers.

Recycled.

VRT 101.

J.B.'s VR transformation sequence.

Recycled.

VRT 101.

Kaitlin's VR transformation sequence.

Recycled from 201.

SPIELBAN #43.

A pair of Skugs leaps off the edge of the dam.


SPIELBAN #43.

VR JB knocks a Skug down with his saber, then blocks a second Skug's axe swipe, at the same time as hitting a third back. VR JB slashes the second Skug away, then turns around to slash down the first Skug, before locking blades with the third Skug.

Cuts before he whacks his saber against the Skug's axe, knocking him away, then splits the rest off for use in a minute.

SPIELBAN #43.

With a Skug on each side of her, VR Kaitlin climbs over railing, hits a third Skug, then kicks it away.

Cuts before she kicks up over the railing at the second Skug then leaps away from the first one's attack.

SPIELBAN #43.

VR Kaitlin 2 slashes a Skug down with her scythe, then turns and blocks a second Skug's axe, before kicking the first one back down, then flips over the second one. She turns, and clashes weapons with a third Skug.

Cuts before she knocks third Skug down, then kicks a fourth Skug down, then splits off the rest of the fight for use in a minute.

SPIELBAN #43.

Continued, VR JB kicks a Skug, slashes another down, and a third rolls in under his slashing, so he stabs the Skug, but then has to try to slash it one more time.

Split from a few shots ago; cuts follow-up close-up of Skug's head exploding on impact.

SPIELBAN #43.

Continued, VR Kaitlin 2 turns around to see a Skug striking, so she spins, blocks the blow, then flips the Skug over, strikes its chest with her scythe, before she stands back up and tosses the scythe into another Skug, knocking it over.

Split from two shots ago; freeze-frames and fades out at end; cuts follow-ups of a fight with Desponda in a quarry (for use in a later episode that never happened).

SPIELBAN #43.

VR JB and the VR Kaitlins rush to a stop on the dam, the former nod-talking.


SPIELBAN #43.

The Air Castle rises from the water.

Recycled, reversed, per source.

SPIELBAN #43.

VR Kaitlin 2 points skyward as she, VR JB & VR Kaitlin, look upward.

Split.

SPIELBAN #43.

The Air Castle floats up over the dam and fires a red ray downward.


SPIELBAN #43.

Continued, VR JB nod-talks to each of the VR Kaitlins as the ray washes over them.

Split from two shots ago; red ray added.

SPIELBAN #43.

The Air Castle hovers over the dam and firing a red ray downward.

Recycled; trimmed to end.

SPIELBAN #43.

VR JB, VR Kaitlin, and VR Kaitlin 2 leap through the air.

Red ray added; cuts follow-up of each one flying through the sky.

SPIELBAN #01.

The Air Castle emerges from some clouds in the sky.

Recycled; trimmed; fades in from black.

SPIELBAN #43.

VR JB & the VR Kaitlins drop from the ceiling into Colonel Icebot's lab, landing on the floor. They quickly get up, VR JB posing defensively as the trio face the yellow orb in the center of the Air Castle Bridge.

Red ray initially added; cuts final shot before creature appears in pinkish dimension.

SPIELBAN #43.

Sharp zoom on VR JB reacting, then reaction shots for each of the VR Kaitlins.


SPIELBAN #43.

Close on VR JB, nod-talking.


SPIELBAN #43.

Zoom out as VR JB readies his saber as he and the VR Kaitlins step into the bridge to face Desponda.


SPIELBAN #43.

VR JB lifts his head, then poses ready with his saber.

Cuts surrounding shots of the VR Kaitlins reacting to Icebot's human form on the ground nearby.

SPIELBAN #44.

VR Kaitlin 2 nod-talks, then begins to walk across the bridge.

Cuts before VR JB stops her.

SPIELBAN #44.

A blobbish monstrosity writhes about amid a pinkish dimension.

Shortened.

SPIELBAN #44.

VR Kaitlin 2 tosses her scythe at Desponda, who smacks it back at her with her staff, knocking her against the wall, while VR JB and VR Kaitlin act concerned, then defensive.


SPIELBAN #44.

Desponda zaps the three VR Troopers with electricity, until they stagger back to the doorway, where VR JB recovers and poses aggressively.


SPIELBAN #43.

VR Kaitlin 2 shifts her weight in posing, then looks to our right.


SPIELBAN #43.

VR JB grips his saber tightly.

Cuts before Japanese text appears onscreen.

SPIELBAN #43.

Zoom in past Desponda, onto VR JB, gripping his saber tightly.

Trimmed heavily.

VRT 208.

Ryan's VR transformation sequence, version 2.

Recycled; fades out.

SHAIDER #01.

VR Ryan summons to the sky.

Recycled; fades in.

SHAIDER #10.

Blue Hawk flies out of the clouds to our left.

Recycled.

SHAIDER #03.

Looking up, VR Ryan gestures and leaps up.

Recycled.

SHAIDER #24.

VR Ryan leaps straight up through the air.

Recycled.

SPIELBAN #02.

"VR Ryan" flies up through the air.

Recycled; VR JB recolored slightly to be all blue.

SHAIDER #10.

VR Ryan lands in his cockpit, motioning both fists, then grabbing controls.

Recycled.

SHAIDER #10.

Blue Hawk does a barrel roll into the clouds.

Recycled.

SHAIDER #41.

In his cockpit, VR Ryan nod-talks.


SHAIDER #41.

Professor Hart appears on a monitor.

US footage inserted into recycled Shaider backplate.

SHAIDER #01.

The VR Blue Hawk flies off into the wild blue yonder.

Recycled.

SPIELBAN #01.

The Air Castle emerges from some clouds in the sky.

Recycled; trimmed.

SPIELBAN #43.

Close on VR JB, nod-talking.


SPIELBAN #43.

VR Kaitlin 2 shifts her weight in posing, then looks to our right.

Recycled.

SPIELBAN #43.

Zoom out as VR JB readies his saber as he and the VR Kaitlins step into the bridge to face Desponda.

Recycled; cuts before they finish stepping onto bridge.

SPIELBAN #44.

Desponda zaps VR JB and the VR Kaitlins with her staff, lights flashing as they struggle against the energy, with VR JB getting close to Desponda before she zaps him back where he came from.

Electricity effects added.

SPIELBAN #44.

Desponda motions her arms and talks, as golden electricity splits her in half, creating two Despondas, one flower-based, one armored. VR JB poses, then leaps forth, only to bounce off of armored Desponda as she strikes him with her staff. As the VR Kaitlins tend to VR JB, the flowery Desponda appears and the VR Kaitlins take her own, while VR JB rushes after the armored one, getting smacked back by her staff again.


SPIELBAN #44.

VR Kaitlins battle flowery Desponda while VR JB fights armored Desponda.

Cuts follow-ups of more fighting.

SPIELBAN #44.

The two Despondas merge together into one flowery robotic armored Desponda, to which VR JB and the VR Kaitlins react.

Cuts follow-up close-up of Desponda's new form due to Japanese text onscreen for some of it.

SPIELBAN #44.

Desponda wraps energy tendrils around the VR Troopers' necks, before going from zapping golden energy, to sapping red energy from them.

Cuts follow-ups of Desponda zapping and the three VR Troopers writhing about.

SPIELBAN #44.

Slow zoom in on Desponda, continuing to zap the VR Troopers with her tendrils.


SHAIDER #17.

Blue Hawk flies up and away from us into the clouds.

Recycled.

SPIELBAN #01 / SHAIDER #41.

The Air Castle floats toward a cloud as seen on a viewscreen.

Recycled; altered to fit recycled Shaider backplate.

SHAIDER #03.

Extreme close-up of VR Ryan nod-talking in his cockpit.

Recycled; shortened.

SHAIDER #01.

Blue Hawk flies downward and rolls away from us.

Recycled.

SPIELBAN #44.

Sharp zoom in on VR JB, close as he talks.

Prior footage of our three heroes being freed from their binds is mostly unusable due to Colonel Icebot's human form's involvement.

SPIELBAN #44.

Desponda whips loosened tendrils about.

Slowed; shortened; pushed back from source position.

SPIELBAN #44.

VR JB whips saber around, extends the hilt into a second blade that fades from laser to solid, then both blades become laser charged, as he poses with it.

Recycled, per source (Sparkily colors from transformation sequence is overlayed into footage).

SPIELBAN #44.

Desponda spins around wildly.

Slowed.

SPIELBAN #44.

VR JB stabs one Laser Lance glowing saber end forth.

Recycled, per source.

SPIELBAN #44.

VR JB stabs Desponda sparkily with the Laser Lance, then begins to twirl it about.


SPIELBAN #44.

VR JB twirls his Laser Lance about, slicing upward diagonal, then downward diagonal.

Recycled, per source; trimmed.

SPIELBAN #44.

Energy slashed, Desponda crackles.


SPIELBAN #44.

VR JB slicies his Laser Lance upward diagonal, then downward diagonal.

Recycled again, trimmed to end, both per source.

SPIELBAN #44.

Desponda crackles some more, writhing about before footage of a green planet exploding then a massive fireball expanding appears.

Shot 2 is recycled, per source; cuts follow-ups of VR JB looking at smoking petal on ground.

SPIELBAN #44.

VR JB and the VR Kaitlins approach the smoking, single petal remaining on the floor of the bridge, before looking up at the yellow orb before them.

US Desponda added to shot 3, looping the background footage to extend it.

SPIELBAN #44.

VR JB and the VR Kaitlins stand there before the smoking petal, staring upward.

Cuts before they look down at the petal; cuts follow-up close-ups of the petal.

SPIELBAN #44.

Close-up of VR Kaitlin, nod-talking.


SHAIDER #10.

Blue Hawk flies out of the clouds to our left.

Recycled again.

SHAIDER #39.

VR Ryan nod-talks to our slight right.

Recycled; cuts before he gestures.

SPIELBAN #44 / SHAIDER #41.

Close-up of VR JB, nod-talking.

Altered to fit recycled Shaider backplate; cuts follow-ups of VR Kaitlin talking, then finding a pen under the petal, which they all look at.

SHAIDER #03.

Extreme close-up of VR Ryan nod-talking in his cockpit.

Recycled.

SPIELBAN #44.

The Air Castle bridge begins to quake, shaking VR JB and the VR Kaitlins about, as the communications console explodes behind them, then the yellow orb on the bridge sets on fire, the whole place coming down as the three VR Troopers flee.

Cuts follow-ups of tanks exploding in the armory.

SPIELBAN #44.

VR Kaitlin 2 leaps down from the sky.


SPIELBAN #44.

VR Kaitlin dives downward to our rightish.

Recycled, but first time in original context.

SPIELBAN #44.

VR JB dives down from the sky, Saber at the ready.

Recycled, but first time in original context.

SPIELBAN #44.

VR JB rolls to a stop on the top of the dam, the VR Kaitlins regrouping around him as he stands and looks upward.

Cuts follow-up quick close-up of Air Castle.

SPIELBAN #44.

A spectrum ring amid explosions, before the Air Castle suddenly erupts with sparks, a shockwave knocking the three VR Troopers back as a result.


SPIELBAN #44.

The Air Castle falls, lopsided and aflame, behind the horizon, before unleashing golden energy swirls.

Recycled, but first time in original context and runs fully.

SPIELBAN #44.

Another shockwave knocks VR JB & the VR Kaitlins off their feet.


SPIELBAN #44.

Quick POV shots of the water, then the dam, as reality, aka the camera angle, goes askew and turns to white. VR JB stands up, shields his face, then is ultimately consumed by the void of brightness.


SPIELBAN #44.

Golden energy swirls about on the horizon.

Pushed back from source poisition; cuts follow-ups of VR JB & the VR Kaitlins being knocked over.

SHAIDER #01.

The Dark Fortress floats through the virtual dimension.

Recycled; trimmed; transitions in.

Ending Credits