UFO Robo Grendizer 2.26

The Exodus of the Army of Vega Daio

or La génération des monstres (The generation of monsters)

or The Massive Shift of The Vegan Army!

Vega is threatened when explosions occur in the Vegatron mines on Zeta 4. The people of Vega are forced to move underground because the atmosphere on the surface becomes radioactive and unbreathable. Vega Daio and Dantus, his defense minister, set a plan in motion to move to conquer Earth and move there.

Gandal and Zuril find out about what Vega Daio and Dantus have planned. They decide that they must defeat Grendizer before Vega Daio and his forces get to Earth or else they will risk losing face, in the eyes of their leader. They send saucer beast Domo Domo to Earth to destroy Grendizer.

Duke Fleed and the others at the Space Science Center see the Vegans coming. They launch in their spaceships and engage the Vegans. They are beset by a swarms of minifos and saucer beast Domo Domo. Grendizer is no match for the saucer beast in the early going but Grendizer recovers and, with some help from his friends, Duke Fleed is able to defeat Domo Domo.

Vega Daio and his troops arrive in Earth's orbit. They send Beast King Gori, an even more powerful gorilla-like creature, to Earth to deal with Grendizer. Gandal asks for one more chance. Vega Daio agrees and Gandal launches another saucer beast. This one attacks Beast King Gori but it proves to be no match for Dantus' creation and is quickly destroyed.

Duke Fleed and the others attack Beast King Gori. Hikaru crashes and falls out of Marine Spazer. Beast King Gori grabs her. Duke Fleed tries to rescue Hikaru but Beast King Gori rips off one of Grendizer's arms.

Thoughts

I don't know how far it is from Vega to Earth but the Vegans made the trip in no time at all. 

This episode was heavily focused on the Vegans. This isn't the first time that has happened but it is unusual.

I noticed when Kouji, Maria, and Hikaru were heading to their spaceships that there were letters above them: Kouji (D), Maria (M), Hikaru (W). I have no idea what the significance is of these letters.

Once again I find myself questioning whether this is really the end of the season or if season ended with Episode 2.22, the last one before Maria showed up. In Japan there doesn't seem to be any distinction as to seasons. According to my research, when this show first aired in Japan it ran weekly for 74 weeks from Oct 1975 to Feb 1977. I think the division into seasons is something that got added after or when the show was distributed to other countries.

Beast King Gori looks a bit like a big ape, think King Kong. Based on the preview of the next episode it looks like it is going to climb a building with Hikaru in its grasp, very King Kong.

Honestly this isn't a great episode but it is easy to see why Wikirak considers it to be a key episode.