Lap 51 - The Legend Of Falcon

The Legend Of Falcon is the 51st and final episode of the F-Zero Farukon Densetsu anime.

## Overview

### **On The Dark Star**

Distress signals are everywhere in the galaxy. With the Reactor Mights, Misaki Haruka, and the universe are all on the line, Ryu Suzaku and Captain Falcon make their way to the Dark Star to have the final showdown with Dark Million and Black Shadow.

Ryu and Falcon split up at a fork in the road, but Ryu realizes he seems to be going the wrong way. He can’t get into contact with Falcon after an explosion went off but Black Shadow’s voice rings out, taunting Ryu about the Dark Matter Reactor. Ryu, with his resolve as strong as ever, boosts forward. Black Shadow notices there are 2 Reactor Mights in the Dragon Bird, but they react with the Dark Matter Reactor. He speeds by as Ryu chases after him.

The Elite Mobile Task Force's Galaxy Runner catches up, with the Dark Star in their sight, but Dark Million's battleships don’t make it easy for the Task Force's ship to recover its shields. Samurai Goroh in his Fire Needle and Lisa Brilliant in her Excellent Queen battleships arrive to lend a hand, helping the Galaxy Runner deal with the enemy ships. This allows the Elite Mobile Task Force to move in.

Black Shadow keeps taunting Ryu about his (Ryu's) two Reactor Mights, but Ryu boosts and angrily rams into the Black Bull, as both the Black Bull and Dragon Bird's Reactor Mights act up. Ryu utilizes Boost Fire, but Black Shadow uses Black Fire as the two machines spin in a head to head battle. Ryu can’t seem to handle the end of it. Black Shadow taunts Ryu, once again, about Haruka. The Dark Matter Reactor opens up as Ryu yells out Haruka’s name.

Meanwhile, outside, the Galaxy Runner lands next to the Falcon Flyer. Shortly afterward, the Task Force’s machines are all lined up on the track along with an army of Dark Million’s machines on the opposite end. Octoman, Bio Rex, Baba, and The Skull all decide to bail out and quit Dark Million, opening the way for Jody's White Cat and the other Task Force machines to pass forth without a scratch.

### **Overloading The Dark Matter Reactor**

The Dark Matter Reactor changes the layout of the track as Ryu faces off with Black Shadow again. Falcon saves Haruka and even frees her before leaving her with Jody, stating his final mission was approaching and that he will fight Black Shadow to the end. Then he proceeds to help out Ryu. The plan, according to Falcon, is to make the giant Reactor overload, but Ryu's machine is the only one capable of doing it due to its dual Reactor Mights. Ryu uses Boost Fire, and Black Shadow uses Black Fire, but Falcon intervenes and says Black Shadow is ***his*** rival. Ryu keeps trying to the point of where Zoda, who was trapped in the Dark Matter Reactor, comes alive to talk sense into Ryu. Zoda then encourages Ryu to use his full power and to think of Haruka. Ryu, now motivated by both Falcon and Zoda's words, ends up using Boost Fire at full power.

### **Falcon Punch**

Successfully overloading the Reactor, Falcon turned to Ryu, declaring the title of "Captain Falcon" would be passed down onto the younger pilot. Not even moments later, a furious Black Shadow would emerge from the Black Bull, angered by his ultimate dream being ruined after all this time. Without hesitation, Captain Falcon also emerged from his own machine, the Blue Falcon. As his helmet flew off, it revealed the face of a determined and fierce Andy Summer, who would reel his elbow back and let his fist collide with Black Shadow, yelling out the words "FALCON PUNCH!" The Falcon Punch, emitting blue lightning-like effects upon making contact with Black Shadow, kills both him and Falcon. However, before fading away, Andy would smile weakly, knowing his final mission had been completed successfully and that his title would be passed on.

### **Aftermath**

The Dark Matter Reactor explodes and the universe is saved at the bittersweet cost of losing Andy Summer. Ryu is retrieved by the Task Force, crying. Clank demands to know where Falcon is but ultimately loses it when Ryu tells him that Captain Falcon is gone, saving the galaxy by sacrifice. His helmet is all that is left of him as Jody and Clank lament. Ryu remembers the words of his predecessor and decides on what he will do after some encouragement from Dr. Stewart and Jody.

Sometime after, Ryu meets Haruka at the place they were intended to meet so many years ago. Putting all their troubles in the past behind them, the couple is just happy to be reunited at last. Ryu pulls out the ring he held onto for so long, finally placing it on Haruka’s finger. They share a heartfelt kiss before the scene transitions to the epilogue.

### **Epilogue**

A whole six years have passed since the start of the anime (2201), as Black Shadow’s reign of terror has finally ended and things are now at peace.

In the year 2207, a new F-Zero race begins in Mute City and a brand new Captain Falcon rises in the form of Ryu Suzaku, who is now the pilot of the Blue Falcon. However, that’s not all.

* Clank Hughes is all grown up, and is the new pilot of the Dragon Bird.
* Roy Hughes, Clank’s father and known as Mighty Gazelle, appears to have his old human body back.
* Clank’s friend, Alias (the sick child who Roger Buster and Draq delivered to, and was also a possible descendant of Rose) is also grown.
* Familiar faces rise again too, such as Samurai Goroh and Lisa Brilliant, Super Arrow, and the Elite Mobile Task Force members themselves.
* Even Dark Million’s main 4 ex-henchmen (Baba, Bio Rex, Octoman, The Skull) make an appearance, although Baba and The Skull make in-person appearances only.
* Misaki Haruka also now runs the Falcon House.

The race is about to begin, but Zoda makes a last minute entry, much to the dismay of the ex-Dark Million members. The race then officially commences with Ryu as the new Captain Falcon passing Clank just as the original Captain Falcon passed Ryu in his first F-Zero race, marking the beginning of a new F-Zero era.

**There is a To Be Continued...? at the end, but it does not seem to allude to anything, as it has been over 16 years since the anime ended and this was always intended as the anime's series finale. Although F-Zero Climax released shortly after the anime ended, within the same year (2004).**

## Trivia

* It is speculated that the Falcon Punch that Andy delivers is actually powered by a Reactor Might. It may be plausible, considering the Reactor Might has given several other characters a set of inhuman abilities.
	+ Zoda's stomach Reactor Might has given him the ability to regain old memories, and even cause other people to see those memories. (Haruka at the East Bank, causing Miss Killer to remember her past as Haruka and thus snap her out of her Dark Million brainwashed state, causing Ryu to see those exact memories). He had even been able to transform himself and his machine into Hyper forms, and had also manipulated his surroundings on Fire Field to create a lava dragon with the Hyper Death Anchor as its head.
	+ Ryu Suzaku breaking out of the pod in Lap 47, due to the power of his Dragon Bird's Reactor Might.
* Although the anime's 4Kids English Dub did not go beyond 15 episodes, with an unaired Lap 16, there have been multiple fandubs of the Falcon Punch scene from Lap 51.
	+ There was also a full episode fandub of Lap 51, titled F-Zero Overdrive, which was released on F-Zero's 30th anniversary (November 21st, 2020). Despite silence from Nintendo, the fandub has been well-received by most fans in the F-Zero community.