This week’s episode of Space Dandy begins with Dandy and his crew aboard the Aloha Oe discussing the validity of an unrecorded species of alien called Code D which resides on Planet Planta.
The group gets near enough to the planet that it’s visible, but they realize they can go no further due to a powerful magnetic field near the North Pole. Just as Dandy is ready to give up, QT reminds them that they have an instant transporter aboard the ship. Initially, Dandy blows off the suggestion as it takes them a long time to get anywhere using the transporter, but QT tells them that it’s been refurbished so it goes 50 times faster than it used too.
QT transports Dandy and Meow, but neglects to tell them that the transporter’s accuracy is a bit off. They arrive suspended in the air and go crashing to the surface, however, one again, Dandy and Meow are separated.
Dandy lands in the planet’s northern hemisphere where he is immediately captured, while Meow in the southern hemisphere suffers the same fate. However, they’ve been captured by two different species.
Dandy is capture by the intelligent Vegims whose society is highly scientific. With his translator, Dandy is able to understand a plant man named Doctor H who explains that he thought Dandy was an unusual plant as they have only encountered plants and microorganisms in the past. He apologizes to Dandy, offers him a bed, and tells him to make himself at home.
While resting, Dandy speaks to QT and tells the robot about the plants he’s found, but QT tells Dandy that there’s no reward for registering vegetation and that he should simply focus on Code D.
After hanging up with Meow, Dr. H’s daughter, 033H, excitedly asks Dandy what he is as she’s never seen anything like him and he explains that he is human.
The narrator explains that Planet Planta is a plant republic with 18 different states. Vegims are a cerebral plant people who live mostly in the northern hemisphere. They possess elevated intelligence and use tiny organisms microbes to perform hard labor and menial tasks, while in the southern hemisphere live the Movies. Movies are explained to be a lower order of plant and live a simpler lifestyle.
Meow is revealed to have been captured by the Movies who bring him food and seem to treat him well.
O33H has taken a shine to Dandy and offers to help him in his search for Code D.
Meow is shown to be enjoying the attention and food he receives from the Movies. He’s grown overweight, stating he doesn’t want to offend the Movies by turning down their food.
Dr. H explains that Code D is located at the energy center of the North Pole and that is not a safe place to go, especially for plants. It emits a strange smell that makes them grow quickly and very large. Dr. H wants to examine Code D more and suggests Dandy go so he can examine for Dr. H.
Dandy sets off on the journey with 033H and Dr. H and views all of the strange and wondrous plant life on Planet Planta.
As they are nearing the North Pole, a giant bug stops them and a creature named CoCamuka tells them that the North Pole energy center is off limits and going there will be a violation of law.
Dandy and Dr. H are promptly arrested.
Meanwhile, Meow has grown incredibly large and seems to be unable to move his arms because of this. The Movies continue to feed him.
Going back to Dr. H and Dandy, the doctor explains that Cocamuka is the leader of the country and not the nicest person. Dr. H explains that he once worked for CoCamuka and told him that he felt Code D was dangerous. CoCamuka fired Dr. H and buried his findings.
Nini, a plant entertainer who is a friend of Dr. H’s family, rescues dandy’s group and they continue onward toward Code D.
We return to Meow, who can now barely move, and the Movies’ plan is revealed. They plan to eat Meow’s liver.
Dandy and his group have finally reached Code D and Dr. H cannot move much farther as he is already growing larger. He tells Dandy how to capture Code D and he and 033H set off.
033H grows too large to continue and Dandy goes on by himself for the last part of his journey.
When he finds Code D, it is revealed to be a large stone. He manages to disrupt it, 033H shrinks back to her normal size, and they are pulled out of the structure housing Code D before it collapses on them.
The planet is shown to quickly devolve and Dr. H explains that Code D is a meteorite that struck Planet Planta, which gave them their intelligence and the ability to speak, caused them to evolve.
As Dr. H speaks, Dandy watches as the doctor and 033H slowly return their original forms as simple plants and Meow ends up sitting in a field, alone.
They return to the ship and report their findings and QT tells them they wouldn’t have gotten a reward for a rock anyway.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
