SPOILER ALERT! This is a full episode recap, so if you want to avoid spoilers, please watch the episode first.
The now emotionless Aya, wielding the fallen form of the Anti-Monitor invades Zamaron with her Manhunter army. The warrior women of the Star Sapphire Corps — including their Queen Aga’po and her sister Gieta– fight back with their love-powers.
Meanwhile, in space, Kilowog points out that Aya was their navigation system and without her, they may not even be able to locate her. Razer remains optimistic that she can still be saved.
Aya confronts Aga’po and explains that the emotion that powers them, love, is “useless” and “destructive.” She tells that that she was in love but when that love was “retracted” it left her in pain. Aga’po tries to explain the positives, but Aya continues arguing against love and that angers Aga’po who attacks her. Aya is too powerful now. She blasts Aga’po with a powerful anti-matter blast, badly injuring her. Gieta pleads with Aya to allow them to obtain medical help, which Aya allows but states that “it is for nothing because love is for nothing.”
On the Interceptor, Hal plans to use the warp drive to get them to Oa, but Kilowog thinks it’s too risky without a navigation computer. Razer states, however, that if Aya is as dangerous as they think, they have no choice.
Gieta tells Aya that love will eventually bring peace to the universe, but Aya still believes love only causes pain. She asks Gieta who she loves and she reveals that she is in love with Hal, but that he loves another. Aya sees this as further proof for her side of the argument. Gieta is having trouble pleading her case and lets slip that she was taught of love’s true power by someone not from Zamaron. Aya insists that Gieta teleport this teacher to them, using their crystal teleportation device, but Gieta tries to argue that it can only be used to reunite those in love. Aya grabs her and appears to drain the information she needs from Gieta’s brain. She then fires up the teleportation crystals and out steps… Carol Ferris! (Fresh from a buffet line, apparently.)
Carol is tasked with the job of convincing Aya that she should not destroy Zamaron and the Star Sapphires. “So no pressure then,” she mutters. She fumbles her words, mostly reciting song lyrics like this episode’s title. Aya states that love leads to hate, but Carol says that no matter what, she could never hate Hal, no matter what he’s put her through and that she still loves him and always will. Aya asks if she thinks love is stronger than hate and Carol says “of course,” causing Aya to formulate a plan… to make love and hate fight to the death.
Razer has taken three hours to formulate their flight path, a task that Kilowog points out would take Aya a fraction of a second. They take off…
Aya once again uses the teleportation crystals, this time summoning the dethroned Red Lantern leader Atrocitus. Gieta begs Aya to let her be the one to fight Atrocitus, but Aya refuses, pointing out that Gieta herself said Carol had the greatest understanding of love. Carol cries out that she can’t fight an alien warlord, but Gieta gives her back her Star Sapphire ring and she changes into one of them. Aya also gives Atrocitus his Red Lantern ring.
The Interceptor emerges from ultra warp drive… on the surface of a sun! Hal’s piloting skills are pressed as he narrowly avoids the huge flares.
Carol is getting badly beaten by Atrocitus. She looks at her ring and wishes for it to bring her the one she loves. On the Interceptor, Hal sees the violet glow and the image of Carol getting beaten by Atrocitus. He doesn’t hesitate to leap through the portal, leaving behind Kilowog and Razer, and arrives just in time to slug Atrocitus, who is lunging for Carol. Meanwhile, Razer points out that Zamaron is in Frontier Space and in order to get there, they’d have to use ultra warp again.
Hal and Atrocitus battle, but when Atrocitus gets the upper hand, Carol leaps back into the fray to save Hal. The three of them trade blows, but Atrocitus gains the upper hand, knocking both of them out. He then goes to fire a killing blast at Hal. Instead, Gieta leaps in front of him and takes the full brunt of the blast, collapsing into Hal’s arms. Atrocitus then says that Carol is next, infuriating Hal who attacks with renewed vigor. He pummels the villain, but it is Carol who gets in the last shot, dropping a mountain on him!
Hal scoops up Gieta’s body but she is at peace with her death, saying that it was an honor for her last act to be of pure love, before she passes away. Aga’po tells Aya that there is her proof… that only love would make someone make the supreme sacrifice.
Aya is unconvinced. She strips Atrocitus of his ring and sends him back where he came from, then she simply flings his ring aside. She has deduced that all life is pain and that her plan of action now is to eliminate all life and repopulate the universe with robots like her Manhunters. She returns to the Anti-Monitor’s shell and plans to destroy Zamaron. Razer and Kilowog suddenly appear and upon seeing Razer, Aya hesitates and changes her plan. Destroying one planet at a time, she decides, is impractical and she states she will formulate a plan to wipe out all life at once. She and her Manhunters depart.
Aga’po thanks Carol and Hal for saving her planet. Carol laments not being able to save Gieta. Carol opts to keep her Star Sapphire ring… just in case, then she says goodbye and returns to Earth.
I was glad to see Aga’po and Gieta again, but was sad that Gieta died. On the plus side, though she did die as she always hoped to live, acting on pure love. I’m always happy to see Carol. This is a character that has never really connected to me in the comics or in the live-action film, but as handled on this series, she is fantastic– brave, level-headed, intelligent and compassionate. I always love when she pops up on GL:TAS!
Poor Aya’s further spiral into the dark side, though is just heartbreaking to watch. I’m not sure how many more episodes there are of this series, but I truly hope Razer and the others can salvage the good Aya before she does anything too destructive!
One thing… or rather person was missing… Galia! Kilowog fell in love with her in the episode “Fear Itself” but then she was corrupted by the Star Sapphires when they were more fanatical. But she hasn’t appeared since! There really needs to be another appearance (or more) and they need to explain her current status. I just want everyone to be in love and happy! I know that that doesn’t make for exciting TV, but hey! I’m a romantic!
What did you think of “Love Is A Battlefield?” Leave a comment below!
