Lap 48 - The Dark Reactor

The Dark Reactor is the 48th episode of the F-Zero Farukon Densetsu anime.

## Overview

Miss Killer has another nightmare, running away from Black Shadow. After awakening, she scans her card in order to get access to a computer room. In trying to determine Black Shadow’s plan, the password screen stands in her way. She leaves, as Zoda pries into her activity, even trying to look through the door before it immediately closes. Zoda questions who gave her access, to which she claims it was Black Shadow, but Zoda retorts by saying that he’ll ask Black Shadow directly. Their superior arrives, and Zoda tells Black Shadow of Miss Killer’s claim, but Black Shadow assures him that he allowed her to manage the experimental facilities. When Zoda leaves, Black Shadow relinquishes official management to her. Miss Killer returns to the room she was in prior, questioning why Black Shadow defended her, and what his motive is. She tries a set of possible passwords before settling on “REACTORMIGHT,” which unveils a diagram of the locations of all 6 Reactor Mights. She copies the information onto a chip hastily heading to the garage. Bio Rex and Octoman come across her in the hall, concerned for her over Zoda’s treatment. She thanks them before making her way to the Moon Shadow, and activates a warp gate. Zoda once again pries into her activities, but she refuses to tell him anything, and continues on to Mute City.

At the Falcon House, Clank is left in charge, saying that Bart would be busy. Jack notes Ryu’s demeanor before reminding him that Haruka and Miss Killer couldn’t be the same person. Lucy attempts to encourage Ryu’s focus on the upcoming race instead, but Ryu instead recalls when he was told about the Legend of Falcon. Miss Killer waits by Ryu’s apartment in the evening, but The Skull contacts her, requesting for her return to the base on Black Shadow’s orders. She returns, apologizing to Black Shadow for her lateness, as he deduces that she was investigating Ryu. He informs her that Ryu is attending the next race, and asks if she is willing to defeat him and take his Reactor Might, to which she obliges. After she leaves, Zoda begins to retort that she couldn’t beat Ryu, but Black Shadow disregards this and states that he only seeks out the Reactor Might.

Mr. Zero announces Captain Falcon’s return to the Grand Prix, and Miss Killer watches Ryu in the hangar. Lucy notices her, and becomes determined to protect Ryu during the race. During the practice lap, Miss Killer attempts to contact Ryu to no avail, as the Skull offers his assistance to defeat him. She drives on ahead, noting that her previous attempts on Ryu’s life have doomed her in this situation. The race begins, and the Moon Shadow repeatedly bashes into the Dragon Bird as Miss Killer determines a plan to deliver the chip. To her dismay, the Big Fang and the Deep Claw offer their assistance and attack the Dragon Bird. The Dragon Bird fights them off, but the Blue Falcon begins to attack the Moon Shadow. Lucy approaches in the Elegance Liberty, with Jody in the White Cat behind her. The Elegance Liberty attacks the Moon Shadow, and their clashing leads both of them off course. Lucy confronts Miss Killer, warning her to leave Ryu alone, but Miss Killer urgently asks for a favor and hands Lucy the chip. She insists that the chip contains information that could save Ryu’s life, and heads back to the track to avoid suspicion.

On a rainy evening, Jody comes across Lucy about to investigate the contents of the chip, but an alert calls Jody’s attention before Lucy can tell her anything. Ryu returns to his apartment, finding Lucy standing alone in the rain. He invites her inside, handing her a towel, but she apologizes and hands him the chip from Miss Killer. She tells him that she believed it was a trap, but notes that Miss Killer was telling the truth, before asking if she actually is Haruka. Ryu doesn’t respond, but realizes he has something to do, and he calls on Lucy to decode the chip’s contents with him.

In Black Shadow’s throne room, Zoda presents him with evidence of Miss Killer’s activities, stating that she has remembered her true identity for a while. Black Shadow simply laughs, stating that Miss Killer’s final task is near. At the Galaxy Police headquarters, Dr. Stewart analyzes the chip, revealing the Reactor Might location diagram on the screen. As he attempts to determine the connection to the Legend of Falcon, Black Shadow’s visage appears and confirms that Miss Killer is Misaki Haruka, Ryu’s girlfriend. Lucy approaches Ryu outside of the Task Force meeting room, apologizing for placing the burden of the chip on him. Ryu asks if she’s worried, and she tries to assure him that Haruka will be fine.

Miss Killer returns to the garage, slumping in her machine’s seat as she realizes there is nowhere else to run. She navigates the halls until Zoda confronts her, telling her that Black Shadow knows everything. He pries about the contents of the computer room before Black Shadow appears. He tells Miss Killer that his message to Ryu about his “glorious dream” has been delivered, before addressing her as Haruka.

In the preview for the next episode, Ryu and Jack provide Zoda’s general backstory; Zoda Strawberry was put in cold sleep for a long time, and craves sweets after so long. Despite being a notorious criminal wanted by the New York police in the past, he seems “funny” now. Ryu then notes that he is the only one who can stop Zoda.

## Bart’s Classroom

Bart answers a viewer’s question about the meaning behind F-Zero machine numbers. While he doesn’t have definite answers, he suggests that:

* The Blue Falcon is 07 due to it being a lucky number.
* The Dragon Bird is 00 due to Ryu’s unlimited potential.
* The Astro Robin is 14 due to the chart ranking of Jack’s debut album when it was released.
* The Black Bull is 30 due to either the length of Black Shadow’s feet, not going to the bathroom alone until he was 30 years old, having 30 failed romances, or pulling out 30 gray hairs daily.