Ariel (Robotech)

Ariel is a female alien anime character that features in Robotech.

Biography

Ariel is the first of the Invid that had transmutated into humanoid form in April 2043. She was a simulagent sent to spy on Scott Bernard's group of freedom fighters, but she appeared to suffer amnesia when she was recovered by Scott's resistance group. In fact, Ariel was akin to a newly born human being due to the transmutation into human form and so her past life as an invid has been irrelevant, but now she has free will to live independently from the hive in this form, and this initially frightens her. The group took her in their company and Scott named her Marlene, after his fiance who was killed by the Invid. During their quest to the Reflex Point, Marlene becomes an integral part of the group as they fight the Invid. Initially, Marlene believes herself to be a human suffering from amnesia that can sense when the Invid are near.[1] During the journey to Reflex Point she develops feelings towards Scott. They both fall in love with each other until an encounter with the Invid on the outskirts of Reflex Point when the two young lovers discover that she is in fact an Invid. Scott questions his feelings for her throughout the final two episodes of the series until he realizes (thanks to Rand and Rook), in the end, that he is in love with Marlene/Ariel.

In 2044, when the Robotech Expeditionary Force (REF) launches a full scale offensive against the Invid on Earth, the battle slowly turns against the REF, who decide they have no option but to use the Neutron-S missiles, which will destroy the Invid but also wipe out most if not all of life on Earth (although their true power is not yet known). As the missiles are launched and travel towards Earth, Marlene confronts the Invid Regis, who is her queen and mother, and tried to convince her that what the Invid were doing was as wrong as what the Robotech Masters did to them. Together with Sera, she convinced the Regis to leave Earth. The Regis converts her entire race into energy and flies off into space to find a new planet on which to continue their evolution. The Regis grants Ariel's request to stay behind and, as a parting gift, she destroys the Neutron-S missiles.[5] Marlene stayed on Earth, along with another Invid named Sera because she felt more human than Invid. Although she professed her love to Scott, he left her behind and as he went in search of the SDF-3 under the command of Admiral Rick Hunter. Ariel stayed with Jim "Lunk" Austin and Annie "Mint" LaBelle.

Ariel accepts her Invid heritage, attempts to convince the Regis that humans and Invid can coexist. Some time after the Invid depart she receives a premonition of the impending arrival of the "children of the shadow", an ancient enemy of the Invid that are responsible for the destruction of Optera (the Invid homeworld). She has a premonition and immediately teleports herself onto the Icarus to seek out Scott to warn him that his fleet, and the earth face a new alien threat. The Children of the Shadows, who the REF known as the Haydonites, have been plotting the destruction of anyone using Protoculture, specifically the Invid and now the Humans. After the discovery that Ariel is an Invid, Scott is interrogated and is accused of conspiring with the enemy. Scott insists that Ariel is not the enemy but rather is trying to warn the REF that the Haydonites, who are supposedly their allies as they have given the REF shadow technology, are in fact already plotting their destruction. However, Captain Vince Grant refuses to believe him, as does Marcus Rush, who physically assaults Scott over his relationship with Ariel. Marcus, whose sister (and Scott's fiance) Marlene was killed by the Invid in the 21st Mars division assault on Earth in 2042, can't believe Scott is in love with Ariel. Marcus maintains that all Invid are evil and must be exterminated. It is only when the Haydonite fleet attacks the REF at Space Station Liberty that everyone realizes that Ariel is telling the truth. Unfortunately, the delay results in the destruction of a large number of REF ships by the Haydonites. The shadow technology given to the REF by the Haydonites contains concealed weaknesses which they use to easily incapacitate the REF fleet.

During the mission to evacuate Space Station Liberty, Scott finally admits (as Ariel prepares to teleport to rescue pilot Marcus Rush) that he loves Ariel. As Marcus, who decides he has nothing left to live for, launches a suicide run against the Haydonites to hold them off to protect Maia Sterling and the Ark Angel, Ariel uses her teleportation ability to save Marcus' life just before the detonation of the Neutron-S missiles. Marcus later awakens on board the Ark Angel and, shocked that he is still alive, asks Ariel why she saved his life since he has only hatred for the Invid. Ariel responds that "hatred can only breed more hatred. It is not what we seek... any of us." Later, Scott says to Ariel that Marcus owes her his life. Ariel responds "Perhaps now it will make him value the lives of others." Ariel decides to join the crew of the Ark Angel as it begins its search for the SDF-3. As the Ark Angel enters Earth's atmosphere, Ariel and Scott share their first kiss.

Overview

Powers and abilities

As an evolved Invid, Ariel has certain abilities that are unavailable to the humans that she resembles. She is able to transform herself into a beam of energy and travel near-instantaneously to another location - even places she hasn't been to yet. She is also able to bring others with her when she travels in this fashion. She can also see visions of things of future events, and can share these visions with others by touching them. As of this time, Ariel is the only human-form Invid who has displayed these abilities. Other human-form Invid, such as Sera and Corg, have not yet displayed any abilities that would set them apart from the humans that they physically resemble; however, in the New Generation finale, "Symphony of Light", Sera apparently displayed teleportation abilities.

Notes

• Ariel voiced by Melanie MacQueen in the original series and by Kari Wahlgren in The Shadow Chronicles.
• In the now decanonized Robotech novels by Jack McKinney, it was surmised that the Regis used DNA from Marlene Rush (recovered from the wreckage of the Mars Attack Group) and that was the basis for Ariel's human form. That is why Scott originally viewed her as Marlene. In book 18, "The End of the Ciricle", after she is brought in for questioning the original Marlene Rush's parents (despite the fact her hair is red, and her blood is green) are positive that Ariel/Marlene is in fact their daughter. The incident causes a rift between Scott and the Rushs. At the conclusion of the book Scott, his love declared for Marlene/Ariel, reconciles with Mr. and Mrs. Rush and proposes to Marlene/Ariel.
• As with the other characters in Robotech, Ariel was based on Aisha from Genesis Climber Mospeada.

Appearances

• Robotech: The Next Generation:

External Links

• Robotech Wiki Entry

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