Resistant Like Rush

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“Resistant Like Rush”
Ōban Star-Racers episode

Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 10
Guest stars	None
Written by	Savin Yeatman-Eiffel
Directed by	Thomas Romain Savin Yeatman-Eiffel
Production no.	110
Original airdate	August 7, 2006
Episode chronology
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"Surprising like Super-Racer"	"Silent Like Spirit"
Episode chronology

"Resistant Like Rush" is an episode of the series Ōban Star-Racers.

Molly races Rush in a contest of marksmanship. Meanwhile, Don Wei reveals his past to Rick, finally shedding light on how he became what his is today and why he 'abandoned' Molly(Eva)...

[edit] Plot

“

The Earth Team made it to the playoffs, but lost their first two races. Basically they were headed out the door. So Don Wei called in the cavalry...me, Rick Thunderbolt, former champion star-racer pilot, and now the new coach for the Earth Team. Everything went smoothly after that. We won the next race, but Molly's holding something back...I can feel it. I hope she'll open up.

~Rick Thunderbolt

”

The episode begins with Molly undergoing Rick's training again, this time alongside Jordan and their Star Racer. They make some progress and are really excited about the next race, but Don Wei kills some of their buzz by continually lecturing them about how important it is for them to win. It makes Molly angry, hoping for at least a single "good luck", but Rick talks with her some more about her father and how on Earth he must be cheering for her. Molly just grumbles that her father is a complete jerk.

They make it to their next race, which is against Rush and his giant of a Star Racer. The race has been dubbed a 'Target Race' and it soon becomes quite apparent early in the race. While Molly drives very fast, Rush is taking his time...and knocking down all the targets Molly missed with huge metallic arms from his Racer. Molly goes back to try to reclaim some targets, only to be foiled by Rush. Don Wei promptly yells at her, but Rick stops him. Now with their heads in the game, Molly and Jordan focus on snagging all the targets. But Rush takes the lead and his massive Racer makes it almost impossible to fly around him. But it's a surprise rush of color blindness from the sudden departure of the cave on Jordan's part that ends up benefitting them the most, as he sees hidden targets Rush doesn't see. They quickly catch up to tie with him and soon they're down to the last target just outside the finish line. Molly knocks it over and Rush knocks off its stand, but Molly is the one to destroy it, securing another victory for the Earth team, despite Don Wei's 'best efforts' as Rick put it.

When Molly and Jordan get back, Don Wei showers praises on Jordan while ignoring Molly. It's only a look from Rick that makes Don Wei turn to her, but his compliments are extremely half-hearted. Disappointed, Molly hops on her scooter and tells Jordan they're going for a ride. As they leave, Rick mentions that Don Wei's too hard on Molly, to which Don Wei responds that he's hard on all his pilots. Rick, not knowing that Molly is Don Wei's daughter, makes an off-hand comment about he'd hate to be his son or daughter, to which Don Wei visibly reacts. To this Don Wei reveals his past; that once he had a wife and daughter, and how losing his wife during a Star Race nearly destroyed him. The only way he could escape his pain was to cut off everything from his past life and start fresh. It was after this that he met Rick and recognizing a kindred spirit in racing, and built Rick up to become one of Earth's best Star Racers.

Meanwhile, Molly drives away as fast as she can with Jordan barely holding on, still upset about Don Wei's lack of appreciation towards her. All throughout their drive Rush is seen from the shadows, watching them. They reach a band of ruins that Molly believes weren't built by the Alwans, calling them "Skrugs." One of the ruins interests her and she goes to investigate, with a very reluctant Jordan in tow. When she looks too far into a passage she falls into the ruin and when Jordan tries to pull her back up he ends up pulling off her shoe. Inside the ruin, Molly sees lots of ancient carvings in the wall, depicting what look like Star Racers. She thinks this can't be possible, since the carvings look thousands of years old. Suddenly, the ruin starts to crumble and fill with water...with Molly still inside it. Jordan starts freaking out outside by the sudden appearance of water and even more so by the sudden appearance of Rush's Star Racer! With a rope tied around him, Rush tells Jordan to head for dry land and dives into the ruin after Molly. Jordan makes it to dry land and a few moments later Rush reemerges with an unconscious Molly. A few slaps on the back from Rush cures that and she wakes up. Both Jordan and Molly ask Rush why he helped them and he proudly proclaims he'd wanted to congratulate them on what he considered to be a fine race, claiming his people believed in looking on the bright side of life -- "my ram's horn is always half full!" He offers to give them both a ride home on his Racer and they agree. En route, Jordan falls asleep and mumbles about his mother in his sleep. Molly stays awake though, and the sudden flyby of a bird triggers the memory of her mother dying in the race against Spirit.

Don Wei is still in his office after talking to Rick, holding a small box. He opens it and inside is a picture of his wife, along with Molly (Eva), and himself. Nonetheless, Don Wei still doesn't know that "Molly" is actually his daughter Eva.