Episode 6

Title card

"Etrange's Grief" is the sixth episode of the ''Patalliro'' anime, originally airing on May 20, 1982.

## Story Recap

At the Heathrow Airport, Bancoran arrives to greet Patalliro but there are spies planted by Count Larken tracking their movement. Apparently, Patalliro is on the way to Switzerland to visit his mother who is chronically ill. Bancoran imagines what Patalliro’s mother would look like only to be assaulted by hideous images. Bancoran question the timing of his visit and Patalliro explains that his mother, being chronically unwell, can only take visitations when she is feeling better. Bancoran tells Patalliro that the timing is bad as investigations has revealed that Count Larken is desperate to atone for his failure and is currently on the move to plot something against Patalliro. Patalliro mentions that it is for the same reason that he will wants Bancoran to be his bodyguard in his trip to Switzerland.

Back at the IDS HQ, at the veiled meeting, the boss asks No. 2 if they can get Malynera to re-join the IDS since his epic failure the first time. The boss also chides No.2 for losing Maraich, one whom No.2 has invested so dearly on, being captured by the MI6. No.2 declares that he will capture Patalliro’s mother as part of his plan this time. The boss allows No.2 to go ahead but reminds him that should he fail the second time, he will be gotten rid of. No.2 acknowledges that should he fail, he will die.

On their way to the sanatorium, Bancoran notices that Patalliro is nervous and Patalliro explains that it has been over a year he has seen his mother and that his mother is not a Malyneran but a noble lady from Northern Europe. During his younger days, the Kin Higgins the Third studies in Paris and fell in love at first sight with Patalliro’s mother. They were very close and the passing of Patalliro’s father dealt a great shock to her and she has only seemed to recover recently.

Just as Bancoran and Patalliro were bickering in the waiting room, Madam Etrange was ushered into the room and her beauty astounded Bancoran. Madam Etrange has heard of Bancoran from the numerous letters exchange between the mother and son pair and Etrange expresses her gratitude towards Bancoran for having saved her son numerous times. All 3 of them spend a leisurely afternoon admiring the scenery.

At this moment, the spies tailing Patalliro and gang have reached the sanatorium and tracked down the room that Patalliro will be staying in. They assume that Bancoran is with Patalliro guarding him.

Back in the reception room, Patalliro requests to be excused to bring tea for his mother and excuses himself. Once he leaves the room, Etrange smiles and comments that Patalliro likes to act all proper in front of her and it is just about time for him to gain some reprieve by sneaking out. Bancoran laughs at Etrange being aware of her son’s behaviour and they start to bond emotionally. Etrange tells Bancoran that Patalliro takes after his father and even though Etrange and her dead husband were 30 years apart, he was an honourable man.

That night, the spies continue to stack out at the sanatorium and Bancoran requests to leave for the hotel as it is getting late. Patalliro volunteers to accompany Bancoran to his car and Etrange bids him farewell with a melancholic look. Patalliro senses something between them and he asks Bancoran if he was interested in Etrange to which Bancoran replies that he finds Etrange a fine lady but he is not interested in women (aka Bancoran is gay).

Etrange returns to her room and the 2 spies kidnaps her. She lets out a scream and alerts Patalliro and Bancoran in the driveway. Both rush to the scene to find her missing with the window wide open.

Back at Count Larken’s castle, Etrange is pushed on the bed while she exclaims to the two assailants if they are aware that she is the Queen of Malynera. Count Larken appears and orders her to be quiet and tells her that she will not be harmed if she remains quiet. He soon realises that he has abducted Etrange. Etrange asks who he is and Count Larken expresses that he is not surprise at her failing to recognise him as his original name is Duran Continental. Larken is his mother’s family name. Etrange finally recognises that he is Cousin Duran and that his parents were worried about him. Duran replies that he is not keen to be like them, living as poor nobles but he is now an officer of the IDS. Etrange, on hearing that he is from IDS, exclaims that Duran tried to kill Patalliro, his own nephew. Duran tells Etrange not to be angry and reminds her she used to admire him and they held hands for walks in the garden. Duran tries to pull Etrange closer but Etrange slaps his hand away. Duran laments that the childhood friends they used to be and laughs menacingly.

Back at the sanatorium, a letter has arrived requesting for Malynera to return to the IDS in exchange for Etrange’s safety. Bancoran takes responsibility for Etrange’s abduction and rings Maraich back in London. Bancoran tells Maraich of what has happened and that the culprit is Larken. Bancoran wants Maraich to tell him where his hideout is but on hearing Larken’s name, Maraich turns melancholic. He takes out a diary with a photo of him and Larken taken when he was young. Bancoran tells Maraich that he understand that it will be painful for Maraich to betray Larken who was basically his adoptive father, but Maraich tells Bancoran that to take notes as there are four hideouts. After the phone call, Maraich is seen crouching in front of the fireplace and finally tossing the photo into the fire, whispering “Farewell, Count”.

Back in the sanatorium, Patalliro paces up and down and chides Bancoran for his nonchalance. Bancoran replies that the MI6 are now searching all 4 hideouts as revealed by Maraich and they should wait for more updates from MI6. With Patalliro dancing the Cock Robin to ease his nerves through the night, the sun finally rises and a phone call reaches them.

In the morning, the Count wonders if Patalliro hasn’t responded to re-join the IDS since the IDS did not give any updates. At this time, the assailants alerts the Count to cars arriving at the grounds and the Count realises that his whereabouts has been discovered. Duran proceeds to unlock the room n which he is hiding Etrange in and flees with her. Armed with machine guns, the MI6 stomp the grounds with Patalliro and Bancoran following behind. Heavy cross fire ensures and Etrange asks Duran what is happening and Duran mentions that they can hide in the nearby forest. However, on the way to the forest, they meet with Bancoran with pistol in hand and Patalliro. Bancoran asks for Duran to free Etrange which he does and Etrange files towards Bancoran, much to the anger and disappointment of Patalliro. Duran asks how his hideout was compromised and Bancoran tells him that Maraich was the snitch. On hearing that Maraich was the snitch, he tosses his gun away after kissing it and challenges Bancoran to a sword fight, telling Bancoran that even though he can no longer escape, he will not throw his pride as a noble away.

Bancoran agrees and they both take their stance. A fierce exchange ensues and both acknowledge the skills of their opponent. As the fighting intensifies, Bancoran disarms Duran with his sword point at Duran’s neck. Bancoran tells Duran that he has lost and just as Bancoran withdraws his word, Duran dishonourably pulls out a small pistol from his blazer pocket aiming at Bancoran. Bancoran claims that he is cheating but Duran tells Bancoran that he will be erased by the IDS anyway as he has failed twice. As Bancoran backs aways and Duran is prepared to shoot, Patalliro swifty dives for the gun tossed to the ground, Bancoran readies his sword to throw at Duran and a shot is heard. The shot by Duran misses Bancoran by a mile as Duran seems to have been injured. He falls to the ground but Bancoran is still holding his sword. When Duran finally collapses, behind him is revealed that it was Etrange who has shot at Duran with a crossbow and arrow taken from the castle exhibit. Etrange is shaken by the ordeal and collapses to the ground.

Several days later, Patalliro asks Etrange if she would return to Malynera but she declines and says that it is not the time. She reminisces her childhood days with Duran and mourns for her pitiable cousin whom she had so much affection for. Bancoran leaves with Patalliro without bidding farewell to Etrange.

## Trivia

* A second eyecatch animation is introduced in this episode.