Episode
Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Before the Storm
Overview
Julian Minci asks Frederica Greenhill how Yang became the "Hero of El Facil": 9 years ago. The Free Planets Alliance fleet, led by Arthur Lynch, fled the approaching Imperial Fleet, leaving 3 million people behind; Yang, one of the few officers left, organized the evacuation while the Alliance Fleet was defeated. Meanwhile, in the Empire, Reinhard thinks a civil war is about to break out; in order to avoid an intervention form the Alliance, he decides to infiltrate Lynch in the Alliance to stage a military coup. The move is hidden behind an exchange of 2 million prisoners of war. End of 796 S.C. / 487 I.C.
Details
- Series
- Legend of the Galactic Heroes
- Season
- Season 1
- Episode
- Episode 17
- Air date
- 1989-04-18
- Runtime
- 24 min
Episode context
Before the Storm is Episode 17 in Season 1 of Legend of the Galactic Heroes. It aired on 1989-04-18. The runtime is 24 min.
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Episode 16: A New Tide
End of the battle of Amlitzer: Yang's 13th Fleet keeps the Imperial Fleet at bay, allowing admiral Bucock to withdraw the remaining fleets. After that, Yang manages to escape destruction (once again). Meanwhile, the Emperor dies without appointing an heir. Reinhard teams up with premier Lichtenlade in order to crown Erwin Josef II, one of the late emperor's three grandchildren. Prince Braunschweig and marquis Littenheim, fathers of the two others, prepare to seek revenge. Back in the Free Planets Alliance, Trüniht is appointed temporary chairman of the High Council, Bucock commander-in-chief of the Fleet, and Yang commander of Iserlohn. he takes all his staff with him, plus Attenborough and a new officer, Julian Minci, and hopes to have Alex Cazellnu appointed as commissioner of the fortress. Meanwhile, in Phezzan, Rubinsky takes his orders from the Grand Bishop of the Earth Cult.
Episode 18: The Lippstadt Agreement
Prince Brauschweig and marquis Littenheim team up to overthrow the young Emperor and get rid of Reinhard. Count Franz von Mariendorf wants to join the conspiracy, but his daughter, Hildegard persuade him not to do so because a new order is rising under Reinhard. She goes to Reinhard and offer her family's allegiance. The high nobles create the Lippstadt League, led by Braunschweig and Littenheim; admiral von Merkatz agrees (although reluctantly) to command their military forces. April, 6, 797 S.C. / 488 I.C.: Reinhard strikes first and manages to arrest many conspirators, but Brauschweig and Littenheim flee and regroup most of their forces in the Geiesburg Fortress.
More episodes from this season
Episode 15: The Battle of Amritsar
The Free Planets Alliance fleet are attacked: the 3rd, 7th and 12th fleets are destroyed and the 5th, 8th, 9th and 10th fleets are heavily damaged; only the 13th Fleet has managed to escape without taking too much damage. Admiral Lobos orders the fleets to regroup in the Amlitzer Starzone. Reinhard orders his admirals to regroup in the same area in order to destroy the remaining fleets. The Free Planets Alliance Fleet suffer further losses during the battle of Amlitzer Starzone (October, 15, 796 S.C. / 487 I.C.).
Episode 19: The Yang Fleet Sallies Forth
Andrew Fork is released from the Hospital. Fork attempts to assassinate HQ chief Kubersly. Reinhard decides to lead the main fleet against Geiesburg while Kircheis, helped by vice-admirals Lutz and Wahlen, will take control of the other areas. Meanwhile, in the Free Planets Alliance, a military uprising begins (April 3, 797 S.C. / 488 I.C.). In Heinessen, a military coup overthrows the High Council (April, 13): the National Salvation Military Council, led by admiral Greenhill, suspends the democratic institutions. Trüniht goes into hiding. Yang decide to fight for democracy : the 13th Fleets leaves Iserlohn (April, 20) while the 11th Fleet goes out to stop it.
Episode 14: The Liberation of the Frontier
The Free Planets Alliance fleet has conquered more than 200 star systems (50 million inhabitants) without fighting. In Iserlohn, vice-admiral Alex Cazellnu drafts a supply plan, but he is worried about such a heavy burden: for him, Reinhard clearly wants the Free Planets Alliance to exhaust its resources on behalf of the liberated planets. The supply fleet is destroyed by Kircheis because Fork didn't think such an attack was possible. Yang, fearing a scorched earth policy, convinces his fellow fleet commanders to ask for a withdrawal. Riots break out on many planets because of the food shortage and the looting of the soldiers. Fork experiences a case of hysterical blindness in the face of his plan's failure. In Phezzan, Rubinsky grants a new loan to the Free Planets Alliance to maintain the balance: he hopes to economically control both the Empire and the Alliance. October, 10, 796 S.C. / 487 I.C.: Reinhard orders to launch the counterattack.
Episode 20: Heavens of Bloodshed
The Lippstadt League plans to draw Reinhard to Geiesburg in order to defeat him in a decisive battle. As a part of this plan, admiral Staaden has to lead a fleet to Odin in order to cut Reinhard's fleet from its base. Mittermeyer is sent to intercept Staaden, whose fleet is crushed during the battle of Altener and withdraws to the Rentenberg fortress. Reinhard decides to take the fortress, but the boarding parties are repelled by the garrison, led by admiral Ovlesser. An assault led by Mittermeyer and Reuenthal succeeds, and Ovlesser is taken prisoner. Reinhard wants to execute him, but Oberstein advises to send him back to Geiesburg. Ovlesser is released, but is executed by Braunschweig who thinks he was freed because he turned against him. Fear of treason spreads among the Lippstadt League.
Episode 13: When the Sad Rains Come...
August, 22, 796 S.C. /487 I.C.: the invasion of the Empire has begun. Reinhard implements a scorched earth strategy: all food is taken from the frontier zone, so the "Liberation force" of the Free Planets Alliance will be forced to feed the inhabitants. Reinhard plans to attack the invading fleets when their supply lines will be overstretched. Commodore Ulrich Kesler carries out the orders but, in the process, has to face someone from his past.
Episode 21: The Battle of Doria, and Then...
Schenkopp takes control of the rebel planets on behalf of the Yang fleet. The National Salvation Military Council sends commodore Bagdashu to Yang to pose as a traitor to the coup in order to kill him, but Schenkopp manages to take him away. Yang's 13th Fleet meets the 11th Fleet in the Doria star system; the 11th Fleet is destroyed because its commanders turn down Yang's proposal of surrender. After the battle, Bagdashu decides to join Yang because his victory is certain. Meanwhile, in Heinessen, a peaceful gathering against the coup is held in a stadium. When the army tries to scatter it, it turns into a riot, and thousands are killed, including Jessica Edwards.
Episode 12: The Invasion of the Empire
In the Free Planets Alliance, the capture of Iserlohn has intoxicated the public, the military and the politicians. It is possible to invade the Empire from Iserlohn, and many people think it's time to conclude the crusade against tyranny. In the High Council, Joan Lebello (Secretary of Treasure) and Hwan Lewi (Secretary of Human Resources) think it's better to sign a peace treaty because the economy in on the verge of collapsing, but the Chairman explains that they will lose the next election unless they achieve a substantial military victory, so the High Council decides to invade the Empire.
Episode 22: Courage & Loyalty
Littenheim leaves Geiesburg with his fleet to recover the territories conquered by Kircheis. Because of its lack of discipline and overconfidence of its commanders, the Littenheim Fleet is defeated; while running away, Littenheim's spaceship opens fire on allies who are in the way. In the Garmisch fortress, Littenheim is killed by his men, enraged by such an attitude. Meanwhile, Reinhard's fleet arrives in the area of Geiesburg. The Lippstadt Fleet attacks him but is utterly beaten and barely avoids complete destruction thanks to admiral Merkatz.
Episode 11: The Actress Exits
Susanna von Benemünde, a former favorite of the Emperor, wants to get rid of Annerose and win back the Emperor's love. She teams up with Flegel, who hopes that a scandal involving Annerose will lead to Reinhard's downfall. Annerose is abducted: she is to be killed and found with a supposed lover from the lower class. She is rescued by Kircheis, Reuenthal, Mittermeyer and Oberstein. Benemünde is forced to commit suicide. Flegel has been smart enough to leave no proof of his involvement, but Oberstein and Reinhard suspect him anyway.
Episode 23: The Fall of the Goldenbaum
And uprising takes place in Westerland, one of Braunschweig's territories. He decides to kill all the inhabitants by a nuclear strike. Reinhard hears about the plan and wants to send a fleet to stop it, but Oberstein thinks it's better to let it happen, record it and use this monstruous act as a propaganda tool against the high nobles. Reinhard is against it, but Oberstein's plan succeeds because he lied about the time of the strike. The images are nevertheless broadcasted in all the Empire: Reinhard becomes the hero of the commoners and, even in Geiesburg, many think its time to get rid of the high nobles. The Lippstadt Fleet makes a last sortie, but is defeated; baron Flegel is killed by his men when he wants to make a suicide attack, and his crew flees to Phezzan. Merkatz, too proud to surrender, decides to kill himself, but Bernhard von Schneider advises him to take refuge in Iserlohn.