UFO Robo Grendizer 3.06

The Appearance of a Fake Grendizer

or Grendizer, The Demon!

or Le sosie (The Double)

The Vegans bring another saucer beast to Earth. They disguise it by making it look exactly like Grendizer. They also make the pilot look just like Duke Fleed. The real Grendizer attacks a group of midifos. The Vegan ships flee into space. Greendizer follows them. The Vegans have a trap ready for Grendizer out in space. They surround the giant robot with magnetic asteroids that immobilize Grendizer.

The fake Grendizer, back on Earth, goes on a rampage. Kouji, Maria, and Hikaru can't believe their eyes. The fake Grendizer swats Hikaru in Double Spazer. She is injured and taken back to the Space Science Center for treatment. Just before she was knocked out she got a glimpse of the pilot in the fake Grendizer. Something about the look in his eyes told her that it was not Duke Fleed. 

Maria and Kouji explain to Professor Umon what happened. They come to the conclusion that Duke Fleed has gone mad. Kouji takes it upon himself to find and kill his friend. The real Grendizer breaks free of the magnetic asteroids and returns to Earth. Kouji, in Double Spazer, attacks Grendizer. He catches Duke Fleed by surprise with a volley of missiles at close range. Kouji lands Double Spazer and prepares to finish off Duke Fleed with a laser pistol. Kouji has tears in his eyes but at the last minute he realizes that he is making a mistake and that his friend has recovered his sanity.

Duke Fleed and Kouji head back toward the Space Science Center when they encounter the fake Grendizer. A fight ensues and the fake is revealed for what it truly is and destroyed by Grendizer.

Thoughts

Danbei and Goro are not in this episode.

I don't understand why Grendizer followed the midifos out into space. I don't recall the last time that happened. Usually if the little spaceships run then Grendizer does not pursue them.

My guess is that this incident will never get mentioned again, despite the level of destruction caused by the fake Grendizer and despite all the eyewitnesses.