| WARNING
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| “ | Leibniz's home planet was completely taken over by mutants, taking on this form. As it has enveloped a dimensional tunnel, it contains a vast amount of energy within. Leibniz seems to think it is impossible to defeat...” |
| — Planade-G Description • Blaster Master Zero 2 website |
"The Parasitic Death Star" Planade-G (initially revealed as PLANET ???), is the main "planet" of Area G and the nominal final boss of Blaster Master Zero 2.
General[]
Planade-G is first mentioned by Leibniz in Area G, who explains that it was what destroyed his home planet and caused him to lose his support droid. After an intense fight, he leaves behind the location data for "Planet ???", along with a cryptic prediction about how "the worst will come to pass" if Planade-G is fought. It's only when Gaia-SOPHIA flies towards the planet that it reveals its mutant status via suddenly opening its enormous eyes.
Normally, such a mutant would be reason enough to take the long way around, but unfortunately for Jason and co., the dimensional tunnel leading to planet Sophia has been literally swallowed by Planade-G. While this makes Jason a bit more gung-ho about taking it on, Eve warns that she's run some simulations via G-Sophia's systems. If Planade-G were to cease functioning, its literally planet-sized energy stores would become unstable, causing a multi-dimensional explosion that would collapse the universe, including the planet Sophia connected by the tunnel. But if they were to just leave it alone, Planade-G would likely continue to grow in size and power until it threatens the entire universe anyway.
Boss Strategy[]
| “ | Eve: This thing has an entire planet's worth of energy stored up... Even if we defeat it, planet Sophia will get caught up in the blast, along with the rest of the universe... How are we supposed to defeat something like that...? Jason: Stored energy...hmm. ...Hold on... If we could just steal...no, "absorb" that energy... Is there any way we could do that?” |
| — "Planade-G" Eve Chat |
Using its energy stores, Planade-G does not attack directly. Instead, it opens wormholes that bring in a variety of mutants, such as Mother Brains, Hard Shells and Antibody Cells, to drown G-Sophia in a tide of bodies. The mutants will be constantly summoned for some time, which is revealed by Planade-G opening its "mouth". Should all the mutants not be eradicated, and if Planade-G took damage, it will consume any remaining mutants to heal itself.
In terms of weaknesses, Planade-G does not immediately appear to have any weak point, since fighting a literally planet-sized mutant is a bad idea to begin with and anyone would be reluctant to risk potentially exploding the universe. Except for the very subtle detail of just how exactly the Gaia System works. Yes, the only way to safely defeat Planade-G is to, quite literally, smash its face in from up high with G-SOPHIA and let the Gaia System sap its reserves, with damage per impact scaling with SP generated (5%/10%/20% HP removed by falls generating 10%/25%/100% SP). Assisting in this matter are crumbling space debris platforms floating half a screen up, as in the Garuda battles, as well as at the very top of the boss arena (reachable only via Hover).
Use of Repulsion Upper transitions from an option to a necessity as Planade-G rapidly rotates at critical damage levels, shielding its eyes as much as it can from consecutive impacts. Burn Spark should be utilized to dodge debris or stall for time during a fall while Drill Smasher should be used to punch through mutants and impact the boss more quickly. Other sub-weapons have no Gaia System-related utility, but may be used as needed to destroy mutant spawns for Capsules and prevent Planade-G from healing.
When fighting Planade-G as Copen, Giant Lola and its Gaia System are not available for damaging the boss due to the pilot starting every stage, including this one, on foot. Instead, he must use Idol Trigger to "save the galaxy using the power of song." While Lola's Idol Mode wears down Planade-G's health at a rate of ~2% HP per damage tick, Copen should focus on eliminating mutant spawns, not only to stop the boss from healing, but also to extend Idol Trigger's duration via collection of SP Capsules. (Empress must damage Planade-G in the same way as Jason, by using D-Attacker's Gaia System to sap its energy.)
Aftermath[]
Planade-G is safely neutralized by sapping its power with the Gaia System. But the dimensional tunnel suddenly becomes unstable and separates Fred, Eve, Jason, and G-Sophia as it flings them across Area Ω. Here, the results diverge based on one factor; the Emblems.
Bad Ending[]
This ending happens when the player does not have all three Emblems from completing the MA pilots' sidequests. Eve lies alone in Area Ω. Thinking about what just happened, she wonders if this journey was in vain all along. She thinks back to the meetings with the other pilots, and wishes she could do it all over again, to find that "thing" they were lacking. Without G-Sophia's energy to stave off her corruption and her consciousness fading, Eve calls out to Jason one last time as she blacks out.
Out in space, Leibniz intercepts a distress call from Earth, asking for Jason's help against a mutant invasion. Leibniz laughs mockingly, stating that with his partner gone and his home planet doomed, Jason is no different from him now.
Good Ending[]
Should the player have all three Emblems, the cutscene changes. Rather than a mournful soliloquy about how it was all in vain, Eve reminisces on Jason's determination, on how he never gave up on anything, whether it was facing the mutants or finding a cure for her infection. She decides that she must have that same determination to save him, no matter the risk. She finds the strength to stand up, and the player then takes control of Eve as she travels through Area Ω.
Trivia[]
- Planade-G appears to be based heavily on Hellstar Remina, a horror manga by famed manga-ka Junji Ito. [1]
Gallery[]
