Maetel Legend Miscellaneous Comments

      1. Emeraldas Doesn't Age???

      Maetel became an android when she received from Promethium a cloned body
      of Tetsuro's mother (Hoshino Kanae). Since then, she had been traveling through the universe
      taking young boys and girls to Andromeda.
      Tetsuro was one of them.
      Although this took more time than we could imagine, Maetel's appearance
      remained young and beautiful as she was a clone whose body did not age.
      Maetel was in fact a great, great, great, great grandma!!!

      Emeraldas, on the other hand, opposed to the mechanization of human being,
      became a merciless female pirate fighting against Promethium's Machine Empire.
      She remained as a human and never became an android.

      Maetel Legend is perhaps hundreds or thousands of years ahead of the
      Galaxy Express era. If Maetel and Emeraldas were of the same age (15 years old)
      in Maetel Legend, wouldn't Emeraldas been dead by the time Maetel traveled with
      Tetsuro in Galaxy Express???

      And Maetel's appearance!
      Maetel's appearance as we used to know is that of Tetsuro's mother's
      cloned body.
      In GE 999 Cinema version, Promethium says, "Are you going to betray your mother,
      who gave you the most beautiful body in the universe?"
      Well, young Maetel in "Maetel Legend" looks just like she does now, only younger.
      Then she didn't have to change into Tetsuro's mother's cloned body in the first place.
      Secondly, Promethium, who gave a body that does not differ that much from
      Maetel's natural body, was falsely trying to pose as a benefactor?

      In "Eternal Fantasy", Maetel sheds tears as she passes through one more time
      the ice cemetery in Pluto.
      The body close-up, could that be Maetel's natural body???


      2. Is Queen Millennia (Yukino Yayoi) Really Promethium?

      There were several scenes in "Queen Millennia", where Yukino Yayoi was
      called 'Promethium II'.

      Assumption 1. Yukino Yayoi is a descendant of Maetel's mother Promethium
      In other words, Yukino Yayoi = 'Promethium II' and
      Maetel's mother Promethium = 'Promethium I'???

      The time of "Queen Millennia"
      was 1999, while that of "Galaxy Express" and all the other series
      was the 2900s. For example, the life time of Emeraldas' lover Tochiro,
      who also gave a Warrior's Rifle to Tetsuro was between 2948 and 2970.
      It was explicitly shown when his daughter (Mayu) and Harlock visited
      his grave in "Captain Harlock" TV Anime episode one.

      O.K. So what does this "human" time mean anyway?
      Promethium, being a machine, can live for ever.
      But why would Yukino Yayoi become the ruler of Ra Metal given that
      Promethium is still alive?
      In "Sayonara Galaxy Express 999", it is explained that
      Promethium was exiled from Ra Metal.
      We could guess after Promethium was exiled for some reason,
      Yukino Yayoi succeeded to the thrown.

      Does this mean that Yukino Yayoi is a descendant of Maetel's
      mother Promethium?
      My personal opinion is that Matsumoto Leiji changed the character
      establishments in the process.
      It is explained at the end of this discussion below.

      Assumption 2. Yukino Yayoi is Maetel's mother Promethium's predecessor
      some other person = 'Promethium I'
      Yukino Yayoi = 'Promethium II'
      Maetel's mother Promethium = 'Promethium III, IV, V, or any higher number'?

      Many GE 999 fans have been so far analogizing exactly that, because
      Yukino Yayoi's formal name was Ra Andromeda Promethium (same last name
      'Promethium') in "Queen Millennia".
      But that was until "Maetel Legend" was released.
      Now they say Promethium's real name is Ra Andromeda Promethium.
      Confusing???

      Anyways, if Yukino Yayoi is indeed Promethium's predecessor, are Ra Metal
      genes so strong? 'Cause Queen Millennia in the ova or TV series and
      Ra Andromeda Promethium in "Maetel legend" look almost alike.

      Assumption 3. Yukino Yayoi is Maetel's mother Promethium
      Maetel's mother Promethium = Yukino Yayoi = 'Promethium II'

      Still questions remain.
      In TV Anime of "Queen Millenia", Yukino Yayoi martyred herself by self-blasting
      on board the Thunder Bird in order to save the earthians.
      How was she revived?

      It seems that Matsumoto Leiji himself wasn't quite sure when he started
      this series in the beginning.
      Although I coundn't confirm, according to Mi-Kun's Galaxy Express Q&A (Japanese Site),
      "Queen Millennia" Theater Version pamphlet stated Yukino Yayoi (and Maetel)
      was Promethium's daughter.
      Also according to Mi-Kun, Matsumoto Leiji later apparently said Yukino Yayoi
      and Maetel were the same person.
      It was only recent event that he implied Yukino Yayoi is Promethium.
      In "Harlock Saga - Der Ring Des Nibelungen Das Rhein Gold", there was
      a scene stating that Yukino Yayoi is Maetel's mother.

      I hope Leiji sensei ties up these loose ends soon.

      Contrary to these confusing character establishments about Yukino Yayoi and
      Promethium, those of Emeraldas and Maetel have been fairly clear.
      Both appear as twin sisters in "Harlock Saga - Der Ring Des Nibelungen
      Das Rhein Gold".
      In "Queen Emeraldas" ova volume 2 "Eternal Emblem", Emeraldas says Maetel
      is her younger twin sister.

      Maetel, Emeraldas, Tochiro, and Harlock in "Harlock Saga - Der Ring Des Nibelungen".


      Yet another question, though.
      In a TV Special episode of Galaxy Express 999
      about Queen Emeraldas, there were scenes
      where Maetel reminisces the moment she met
      Emeraldas 'for the first time'.

        * Emeraldas: Who are you? (Omaewa dareda?)
        * Maetel : Maetel. (Me-teru.)
        * Emeraldas: I wanted to meet you. (Aishikata.)
      Then they fight with swords...
      So what is this all about?
      T.T


      3. The Originator of Maetel Is A Russian Folktale?

      Maetel herself says in the last TV episode of "GE 999" that
      her black coat is the symbol of condolences to a number of youngsters
      who died in the machine empire.

      In "Maetel Legend", however, time frame of which is before Maetel begins
      her long journey, she wears a white coat.
      It is said that there is an illustration inserted in a Russian folktale book,
      which looks very similar to Maetel wearing a white coat and a hat.
      The Russian illustration is the Goddess of Snow playing with animals.


      4. Where did the name "Maetel" come from?

      Origin of the name 'Maetel' isn't clear.
      Yet, I guess it may have something to do with Latin word 'mater',
      meaning 'mother'.
      Maetel was sometimes a friend, another times a lover to Tetsuro.
      However, the best word that describes what Maetel means to Tetsuro
      could probably be 'motherhood'.


      5. Changing Appearances of Maetel


      Maetel in each series may look alike, but they are different in fact.
      Take fur of Maetel's coat, for example.
      The ends of fur hair are standing up in "Eternal Fantasy" (left),
      where as those in the rest of the series are lying down (right).


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