F-Zero: Falcon Densetsu

Synopsis

It's the final lap of a dangerous Mute City race and Bio Rex is leading the way, followed closely by Octoman and Rick Wheeler. Jody urges her subordinate it's crucial to win this race, he won't have a chance unless he makes his move. Rick begins speeding up after he abruptly ended the transmission, but gets boxed in by the Deep Claw, keeping him off the Big Fang's tail. The two villains thank each other while Octoman moves in for the kill, pressing the Dragon Bird against the wall and preparing to ram him. Rick brakes at the last second, leaving the Deep Claw to fall right off the side of the track. Bio Rex is in it alone now, and tries to block the Dragon Bird from passing. They approach the final corner, and that gives Rick the chance to boost while on the inside, leaving the Big Fang in the dust. He makes first place, Jack Levin sneaks in second place while Bio Rex manages only third. Before he crossed the finish, Rick remembers back to his Formula One days and the similar thrill of victory, but more importantly, he reminisces on his old love, Haruka.

Back at HQ, Jack is jealous of Rick's victory - he wins twice in a row and now his image adorns the cover of magazines! He tries to vent to the man himself, telling him he shouldn't take time for photo shoots over his day job, but Rick says even he isn't happy with the publicity - it certainly wasn't his idea as he had nothing to do with the cover, and they used his pic w/o his permission. Jack asked why he can't love being an F-Zero superstar, he simply replies he's just doing his job, and he walks out, other things on his mind. Jack gets sour since Rick doesn't know how to be happy when he's a winner, to which Lucy responds she'd rather be a sore winner than a sore loser, like him.

Jody is in Tanaka's office, and he's most pleased with Rick's winning streak; the prize money's what's keeping them in their jobs, after all! Though Tanaka seems less down-to-earth as he admires Rick's victories, and may want a bigger office. Jody expresses a concern to the director: since Wheeler's winning the prize money, he's become Dark Million's #1 target. Black Shadow has racers working for him, and if Rick keeps winning, they're going to retaliate. Tanaka deems it wise to keep a sharp eye out...but in the meantime, he's got all these trophies to admire!

Meanwhile, Zoda boards the flying battle station that serves as his base of operations, and leaves his Death Anchor in the hangar for the robots to attend to. Miffed that their focus lies on two brand new machines, he gives them a thump on the backside. He rants there's nothing but losers in the place and is interrupted by Black Shadow tuning in that he's also a failure - he's most displeased with their race results, and doesn't want to hear any of Zoda's excuses. It should be easy: if they can't beat Rick on the race track, then they should eliminate him off the race track. And he has just the man for it...

The Skull! This undead racer will plant a curse that'll sap Rick of all his racing skills, as well as conjuring someone from his past. Black Shadow signs out, ordering Zoda to fix up their machines in the meantime. A hooded figure smiles ominously from behind him.

While driving home, Rick reminisces once more on his old racing days. In one race he narrowly passed his competitors just in time to reach the finish line, but he didn't care about the crowd of supporters... He cared about Haruka, and hopped out of his car in an instant to embrace her. Sharing a drink by the lakeside, Rick was excited to hear he was one victory away from becoming champion - his lifelong dream. He thanked Haruka for being there for him: she gave him the strength and support he needed to have gotten this far. As it wasn't luck that kept him winning, just that he's the hardworking racer in the circuit, thanks to her. Rick would want to win the Championship, but he's got his sights on a more important prize... Back in the present, Rick finds himself sitting by that very lakeside...feeling a little lost without his love. He drives down to the Falcon House (failing to notice the hooded figure watching him enter) and orders a coffee from Burt, who feels he's got something preying on his mind. Burt closes shop early so he can listen personally to Rick's troubles.

He asked if there was someone Burt cared about that he lost, to which he replied. They had their whole lives ahead of them, till he got the call when Zoda escaped. He reveals he planned to propose to Haruka the day he won the championship...but that was also the night Zoda escaped from prison, and Rick was killed in the pursuit. His unfulfilled promise has haunted him for the past 150 years - he still wonders what their life could have been like had the accident never happened. Haruka is gone, and all he has left is the ring he never got to give her. When he got to the bridge, actually, he can't get her off his mind, and he's not sure if he wants to if hew knew how. He also reflected going to the jewelry store where Haruka wanted the ring... While returning to his car, Rick is approached by the mysterious figure: The Skull. He tells him he is haunted by a girl, a ghost, of memories he can't forget, of promises forever broken. He clutches his head to ease his mind, but Rick shakes him off and drives away, thinking he's just a weirdo. The Skull has gotten what he came for: a strand of Rick's hair!

At his apartment, he is awoken in the middle of the night by a call from Jody: a woman has defected from Dark Million and is seeking asylum. He drives out to the contact point at Fulmington, Broadway, and is shocked when he sees her: she's the spitting image of Haruka...but with more bangs and a deeper tone. He gains his composure and introduces himself as part of the Galaxy Mobile Platoon after he was asked how he found her...only for a shot to ring out! He grabs her hand and they pile into the Dragon Bird and peel out. Unbeknownst to them, the gunfire was The Skull's handiwork!

Taking her to his apartment, he sets her up with a hot coffee and admits he's not much of a cook. She introduces herself. She claims her name is Sophia, and her family travelled the universe in their trade ship...until Black Shadow attacked and captured them, working her family to death, leaving her the only survivor. She knew what she was doing was wrong so when she lost her parents a year ago, she was looking for a chance to get away. Rick can't shake the stunning resemblance to his long-gone girlfriend and admits she reminds of someone he used to know, before darting away to get in touch with the rest of the Platoon. Sophia follows after, smiling a curious smile, and asks what his girlfriend's name was.

This is all going as The Skull has planned: tying Rick's hair around a card and setting it alight, the curse has been set: all Rick needs to do is say his true love's name, and the curse will be activated!

He answers her question, and suddenly feels tremendously weak: he can barely breathe and stand up! Holding onto his dead love has left him weak, Sophia laughs, before revealing her true guise: it was a spell bound to him the moment he said her name, and she's an assassin from Dark Million! She draws and knife and lunges for him, but he has just enough strength to scramble away a couple times. In the midst of fleeing he knocks his bedside dresser over, and Haruka's proposal ring spills out of it. The assassin grabs him by the collar and raises her dagger, ready to plunge it into his heart...only for the light of the moon to fall on Haruka's ring, illuminating it. This distracts her just long enough for Rick to shove her aside. The assassin makes her getaway by leaping through the window, riding away on an F-Zero machine, the Sonic Phantom. Rick lifts Haruka's ring: was this what saved him?

Black Shadow is very upset with this affair: how could Miss Killer and The Skull fail? They clearly weren't trying hard enough, and he will tolerate no failure from them in future, regardless on how it gets done, even if the Skull would send a legion of zombies after him, or turn him to a toad, or whip up a poisonous potion or apple. Zoda cackles to himself that they should be a part of his pit crew and best to stay out of his way since Rick is his. The Galaxy Mobile Platoon and the police visit Rick's apartment to investigate and patch up his injuries. Obviously the woman is still among Dark Million's ranks, and Jody reminds her crew that they may face further attacks in the future: they had best be on their guard. Rick, meanwhile, ponders over the ring; he thanks for Haruka looking out for him, and for the ring that saved him, knowing she's still within his heart after she was gone...

(Source: F-Zero Wiki)