A CERTAIN QUASI-CANINE CREATURE NATIVE TO OPTERA...
One huge thing I give credit to they guys is the way they"connect the dots" in the Robotech story. Taking what in the series is a minor or insignificant moment and make an integral part of the Robotech Novels Universe.
Did it always work? Hmmmm......no. (i.e. Zand and Edwards)
But it really worked with the concept of "Polly";
"There was a sudden whimper and the hollow bounce of an empty can nearby. She was on her feet, reflexively ready for a fight. But there was no enemy there. It was, instead, a quite special acquaintance.
"Polly!"
She stopped to gather the little creature up, a thing that looked like a mophead, its tongue hanging out. It might have passed for a terrestrial dog until one took a closer look. It had small knob-ended horns, eyes that were hidden beneath its sheepdoglike forelock-but that were definitely not the eyes of an Earth lifeform-and feet resembling soft muffins.
From a brief scene with with Polly on screen; In the RNU we learn how Dana Sterling becomes associated t the to the main conflict in Robotech by way of her late Zentraedi "godfathers";
It's a pollinator, Bron had told her gently the first time she was introduced to it. That's how she had given the thing its name, even though she had no idea whether Polly was male or female.
She never found out just. how the ex-spies had come across the affectionate little beast; they had promised to tell her in the "someday" that had never come.
Jack continues on Polly's powers;
"But she had learned that Polly was a magical creature indeed.
"For instance, Polly came and went as it pleased, no matter if you locked it in or tied it up. You would look around, and Polly would just be gone, maybe for a little while or maybe for a long time. It reminded her a little of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and later, another old-time book title she came across, The Cat Who Walks Through Walls.
The pollinator was her first adult-style secret, since her godfathers told her she must never mention it to anybody, and she had kept that secret all her life. Apparently, Polly was part of some miraculous thing, but she never found out what. Polly had managed to find her for brief visits four or five times since the death of Konda, Bron, and Rico."
"Polly" and others like it would have several appearances/references throughout the rest of the RNU, including the Sentinels and End of the Circle. (and what an end for Polly!)
Although this did not come up in my conversations with Jim, I'm going to say that the concept of the Pollinators was not a McKinney original as they do show up in Carl Macek's canceled animated series, Robotech II: The Sentinels.
Despite that, Brian and Jim made the most of Polly...including one of the biggest plot twists in the RNU...if not the biggest;
Despite that, Brian and Jim made the most of Polly...including one of the biggest plot twists in the RNU...if not the biggest;
"The organisms on the plant's planet of origin did not seem to be exploiting the plant's
potential, and so Haydon transplanted the entire species to Optera leaving none behind.
Why are Terrestrials so surprised there was no fossil evidence or other indication of the Flower's origin left behind on Earth or the Pollinators' either? Hasn't it penetrated yet that
we are talking about Haydon?
Cabell, Zor and the Great Transition
Now THAT's a backstory worthy of McKinney! The possibilities...all that could be discovered!
Ok...I'm dizzy now.
- John
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EXCERPTS:
Robotech Novels: Southern Cross, End of The Circle
IMAGES:
Comico Comics
Robotech: TAS, False Start
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