ROBOpedia: Robotech II: The Sentinels Week One

Week One: Robotech Art 3 by Carl Macek

It has been around 10 years since the destruction of the SDF-1, and since then humanity and it's Robotech Defense Forces have been planning for two great events: the launch of the SDF-3 and it's mission to Fantoma; and the wedding of Admiral Lisa Hayes to Major General Rick Hunter.
Unbeknownst to the REF however is that the Invid have just conquered Fantoma. And as the preparations for both the wedding and the mission of the SDF-3 continue, the Invid Regent interrogates the surviving civilians of the Robotech Masters home world, murders them after he doesn't get the information he desires, and leaves a detachment of Invid Inorganics on the planet's surface under the direct control of the Invid Brain.
During this time of occupation on Fantoma, an aged Robotech Master scientist named Cabell and his assistant, Rem, capture an Invid Cougar Inorganic for analysis, and back in Earth-space, Rick Hunter and Lisa Hayes are finally wed.
The day after the ceremony, while the civilian guests are returning to the planet below, things aren't going that well on the former home of the Robotech Masters.
The Cougar Rem and Cabell have captured disintegrates during it's examination, and the Invid discover that the Robotech Masters have left their empire on a quest to find the last Protoculture Matrix.
As the SDF-3 begins it's journey to Fantoma, Minmei, still in love with Rick, flies her fan jet towards the SDF-3, and it's captured in the SDF-3's fold sphere, and both Minmei and Janice are knocked out as the SDF-3 arrives in orbit of Fantoma, and is promptly attacked by a fleet of Invid.
While the Veritechs of the REF battle the Invid in space, Col. Wolffe leads the rescue of Minmei and Janice, and shortly afterwards, the REF is victorious in that first battle.
And as the REF plan the ground mission to the planet's surface, the Invid prepare their defenses, while Cabell and Rem wonder what to do.

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Robotech The Sentinels Book One "The Devil's Hand" by Jack McKinney Chapters One through Eight

The general plot of the first eight chapters of The Devil's Hand is similar to the episode outlines provided in Robotech Art 3, but there are some differences in the details, as the novel has the advantage of being more descriptive with character's motivations.

Differences from Robotech Art Three:

• Events are in a different order
• Rick Hunter now Vice Admiral instead of Major General
• SDF-3 is built from the Hull and Engines of Breetai's Flagship and salvaged remains of the SDF-1 and SDF-2
• Exedore's new look explained as cosmetic surgery
• Dr. Lang's eyes are a side effect from a Protoculture Mind Boost taken accidently during the initial examination of the SDF-1
• Col. B.D. Edwards now Major General T.R. Edwards
• Bowie Grant is being left on Earth due to his fragile health and Dana is being left behind on advice from Dr. Lazlo Zand, while Scott Bernard is allowed to go.
• The Robotech Masters are now from Tirol, the third moon of Fantoma, but it is not their original home world.
• Major General Edwards hates Rick Hunter because he was Roy Fokker's protogé and because while Rick was rescuing Lisa from the ruins of the
• Grand Cannon, Edwards was ignored as he was climbing from the wreckage.
• Not a difference, but this is a direct quote from the novel: "... Breetai was an impressive sight: almost eight feet of power dressed in a uniform more befitting a comic book hero than a Zentraedi commander ...".
• It also describes his uniform as Iron Man.
• The Cougar Inorganic is now known as the Hellcat
• The Regent keeps a private zoo made up of sentient specimens of the Invid conquered worlds, and two giant Hellcats as pets
• The Regent wants the Regis to love him again.
• Instead of leaving Tesla in command of Tirol, the Regent leaves the Invid scientist, Obsim, in charge.
• Minmei and Janice appropriate a shuttle so she can say goodbye to Rick instead of using her Fan Jet
• Cabell and Rem successfully examine the Hellcat, in Zor's private study underneath Tiresia's Royal Hall.
• Col. Wolff pilots a Logan to rescue Minmei and Janice's EVA, and has fallen in love with Minmei, despite having a wife and son at home.
• During the SDF-3's initial battle with the Invid, the Invid brain on Tirol deciphers the REF's codes, and sends false orders to Edwards' Ghost Squadron
• The SDF-3 uses it's main gun to beat the Invid forces in space, but it sustains massive damage to it's fold system from the Invid attack, stranding it in Fantoma Orbit.
• Also, "Thinking Caps" are necessary for the control of a Veritech, "The Shapings" are mentioned, and the three Protoculture wraiths appear briefly during the destruction of the SDF-3's fold engines.

 

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Robotech II The Sentinels Book One Issues Two through Nine plus the Wedding Special by Chris Ulm and Tom Mason

Like The Devil's Hand, the comics plot does not differ all that much from Robotech Art Three's episode guide and the first eight chapters of The Devil's Hand, but there are some small differences, as the comic's writers were trying to differentiate the comics from the novels.

Differences from Robotech Art Three and the Novels

• Events are in a different order
• Some of the Dialogue has been changed
• This is in order I noticed the differences
• While the Bioroids defend Tiresia we see that Bioroid pilots seem capable of independent thought and are individuals.
• During the Examination of the SDF-3:
  • Gen. Reinhardt has been replaced by Dr. Bronshon
  • Dr. Lang can make jokes. Breetai's size means a small talk reference
  • Breetai hits his head on the bulkhead, just like Captain Gloval on the SDF-1
• During the Lisa's dress fitting, Dana and Bowie don't horse around, and the dress looks a little sexier. It shows a little cleavage
• Not a difference, but I want stock in Petite Cola. They have their machines on the Factory Satellite.
• During the Press Conference:
  • Gen. Reinhardt steps into Gen. Leonard's argument with Exedore instead of Dr. Lang
  • Instead of saying "We won't be able to defend the Earth from a flock of pigeons", Gen. Leonard says "We won't be able to defend the Earth from an invasion of ducks and bunnies".
• Gen. Leonard and Rolf Emerson meet on the Factory Satellite and not Earth.
• By now, it's obvious, Civilians are allowed on the Factory Satellite
• Minmei doesn't just offer her song to Lisa. She also offers it to Rick, and they hug.
• Part of Gen. Edwards plan is to divide Rick and Lisa. Benson has taken photos of Rick and Minmei's hug, and Edwards plans to leak the photos to the press, while a shadowy figure watches.
• Wedding Differences:
  • Rick has a nightmare about the Masters attacking before the mission on the Day of the Wedding
  • While the "Church" is prepared, Breetai and Exedore discuss Marriage
  • Edwards prepares to put his plan in motion, and Vince prepares to stop them
  • Lisa reminisces about Riber, and asks Breetai to give her away
  • (drunk) Exedore, Vince, Max, Dr. Lang, Col. Wolff, and "Bunny" girl in a cake throw Rick a Bachelor Party
  • Lisa gets dressed and kicks serving robot while Breetai prepares to walk her down the aisle.
  • Benson gets drunk while Edwards discusses the photos with him
  • Dr. Zand looks like a Zombie. A Creepy Pedophile (read the novels) Zombie
  • Minmei's old friend is Breetai and Exedore
  • Edwards leaks the photos to the press, only to find out that they have been replaced by photos of a Drunk Benson by Vince.
  • Rick and Lisa head off to the Dignitaries Suite, and Rick leaves Lisa to Max in his will.
  • The Admiral Hunters enjoy their wedding night.
• Before the launch of the SDF-3 we see
  • Dana, Bowie, and Rolf Emerson on the shuttle returning to Earth
  • Minmei and Janice's Manager, Sharky O'Toole, receives a goodbye message from Minmei
• After the SDF-3 arrives in orbit of Fantoma, and Breetai and Exedore identify the Invid Troop Carriers, Breetai reminisces about Zor's death.
• And also, Breetai and Exedore convince Lisa that the Invid can't be negotiated with.
• During the battle with the Invid:
  • Obsim sends a message to the Regiss, and it is intercepted by the Regent
  • And we have proof that a Logan is a decent Mecha, while Wolff is rescuing Minmei and Janice's EVA, his wing-man destroys an Armored Invid Scout