Zoda (StarTropics)

Zoda
Species	Unknown
Debut	StarTropics

• For the F-Zero pilot, see Zoda.

Zoda is the antagonist of both StarTropics and Zoda's Revenge: StarTropics II. An intergalactic conquerer, he came to Earth to hunt down the last of the Argonians.

Background

Star Tropics

At some unknown point and for reasons unknown, Zoda invaded the planet of Argonia and wiped out the entire population. Only eight were known to survive: King Hirocon, his daughter Mica and six other children. Hirocon arranged to be hidden away at various point in Earth's history with the help of the wizard Merlin, while Mica and the children fled directly to Earth. They ended up crashing in a group of islands in the South Pacific. A archaeologist studying in the area found the crashed spaceship, but curiously all that was on board were three cubes.

Zoda arrived soon after and upon finding Dr. Jones, took the three Cubes from him and held him captive on their spaceship. In the meantime, his nephew Mike Jones arrived on C-Island planning to vacation, but instead ended up questing the various islands for his uncle. By the time Mike caught up with him, Dr. Jones had escaped Zoda's clutches. Mike managed to board the spaceship and find two of the cubes.

Perhaps realizing what was being planned, Zoda had the spaceship begin to leave the planet. His business with Earth complete, he no longer had any reason to linger. Before the spaceship could even enter orbit, Mike confronted Zoda. At first Zoda appeared as a gigantic helmeted head with dismembered hands (similar to the character Andross). After this form was defeated, he transformed into an unusual reptilian alien and continued his attack. Ultimately he was defeated, allowing Mike to take the cubes and discover the seven Argonian children inside.

Zoda's Revenge

However Zoda was not so easily defeated. Three clones of him remained, Zoda-X, Zoda-Y, and Zoda-Z. When Mike Jones began to use the Oxford Wonder World book to traverse through time to find the Tetrads, Zoda soon began his own efforts to retrieve them. His first clone Zoda-X was sent to 19th century England where a Tetrad was being kept in a museum. His arrival was noted by Sherlock Holmes, who teamed up with Mike Jones to prevent him from getting away with the piece. After his defeat, Mike and Holmes determined there had to be a Zoda-Y and Zoda-Z.

Mike encountered Zoda-Y in Italy while in the 16th century. Zoda froze Leonardo da Vinci in plaster after finding about a Tetrad he had seen in an old castle. Mike had managed to get to the Tetrad before Zoda, but just as he did, the conquerer appeared and sent Mike to Dracula's Castle, where he expected the boy would be ill-equipped to survive. However Mike made it through the castle and confronted Zoda-Y. After defeating his standard form, Zoda-Y transformed into a moth-like creature, yet was still defeated.

Meanwhile the last Zoda (the prime copy) had conquered C-Island in the present and stolen the Argonian children and turned the villagers into boars. He then waited for Mike to confront him in the underground passage beneath the mountain. In his first form, Zoda-Z appeared as small creatures in which only one was vulnerable to defeat. The remaining bits reformed into his normal form, until he was again defeated. At last he transformed into his ultimate minotaur-like form. Despite his increased power and strength, he was at last defeated once and for all.

Trivia

• Zoda is featured on the boxart of Zoda's Revenge. He is shown holding the Oxford Wonder World book as well as being depicted as having scaly reptilian hands.