Starring:
Colonel White, Captain Scarlet, Captain Black, Captain Blue, Lieutenant Green, Doctor Gold and Destiny Angel.
With appearances from:
Captain Magenta, Captain Grey, Captain Orange and an unspecified, male colour-coded captain.
Signals coming from Mars have scientists puzzled, and Spectrum Captains Black and Scarlet are sent to investigate. The two captains are sceptical about the source of the radio emissions, but whilst exploring the surface of the red planet, they discover a city that appears from nowhere before their eyes. The instruments in their vehicle detect a power surge, and Black opens fire on the city, believing that they are under attack.
Just one rocket sets off a chain reaction that destroys the whole city. Scarlet realises that the surge could very well have been a scan of some sort, but Black defends his actions. As Scarlet muses over his partner's actions, the Martian city reappears once more, intact. Black flees the scene, but the aliens pursue, manifesting their presence as two luminous green rings, crossing the Martian landscape. Black crashes the vehicle, and the aliens catch up.
As Scarlet and Black regain their senses, an eerie voice fills the vehicle."Earthmen, this is the Voice of the Mysterons. We have watched you for centuries. Your violence disgusts us, and now you visit it upon us. You cannot destroy us, Earthmen, but now we will crush your world."
The cockpit fills with green light.
On Earth, Captain Black's girlfriend, Destiny Angel, returns to Skybase with the Angel pack. She is greeted by a solemn Captain Blue, who breaks the news that Spectrum have lost contact with the Mars Expedition.
Captain Scarlet regains consciousness some time after the Mysteron attack, but Captain Black is dead. He is buried upon return to Earth, in the graveyard of St. Saviour's Church.
After the funeral, Colonel White reports that the signals from Mars have stopped and the Mysteron city has disappeared again.
That night, the Mysterons appear whilst Captain Scarlet is sleeping. The green rings seen on Mars sweep across him. The Voice of the Mysterons speaks:We will crush your world, Earthmen. We wil destroy you as you destroy your own kind. You will be our instrument of destruction, Captain Scarlet.
Scarlet sits up. His eyes glow bright green as he opens them.
Scarlet makes his way to Engineering on Skybase and disables the door controls before advancing towards the control console. The engineer on duty manages to raise the alarm before Scarlet knocks him out and shuts down the engines. Lieutenant Green tries in vain to contact Engineering whilst Blue calls up the security
footage and discovers that Scarlet is behind the failures. Blue breaks into Engineering through an emergency hatch and shoots Scarlet. Scarlet falls into bowels of the engine room, through a matter stream. Quickly, Blue restarts the engines before turning sadly to the broken body of his friend.
Scarlet is rushed to Sickbay, where the doctors do all they can, but he dies on the table. Destiny Angel asks for a few minutes alone, and she watches in amazement as Scarlet's injuries miraculously heal and he revives!
Blue catches up with Scarlet in the graveyard of St. Saviour's Church, and they examine Captain Black's empty grave.
Captain Black kidnaps a wealthy businessman Hank McGill and kills the man by locking him inside his limo and crushing it. The Mysterons recreate McGill using their mysterious powers.
TO BE CONTINUED
Quotable Scarlet
Scarlet: "You know, Conrad, just because Spectrum designated you 'Black', it doesn't mean you have to be negative all the time."
Black: "I know, but are the odds the coffee's cold? You want some anyway?"
McGill: "Hey, what is this? This isn't my way home, you idiot."
Black: "This is a short cut. I'm cutting short your life."
Did you spot...?
- During the Cheetah/Raid bike chase, the sign that Blue blows up is for "Anderson Orchard".
- When Blue loses Scarlet, he stops next to a signpost. The road Blue and Scarlet drove down is the way to "Pinewood", which is the name of the studios where the series was created.
- The Daily News, the paper being read by McGill, is dated Saturday 17th August, 2068. I assume this is a misprint - either Friday 17th or Saturday 18th.
- When Scarlet and Blue are fighting in the Brig, there's a quick shot of Blue and his hair is black (spotted by Serena Lewis)
- When the Colonel asks Green if there's any word from Mars, and she answers, his shoulder pips disappear. (spotted by Serena Lewis)
Episode Rating: 
Cast your vote on the Datalink forum
Reviewer's Rating: 1/5
Perhaps I am a little overly critical of these two episodes, but having grown up as a huge fan of the original series, I couldn't help but compare this episode to 'The Mysterons' and feel a little cheated. They had twice the time to play with, yet Scarlet's plotline was over and done with far, far too quickly before they rushed on with Black. There was so much to work with, and so little done with it. But, hey, everyone else likes it.
Written by Phil Ford
Directed by David Lane
Transmission date: 12 February 2005
Appears on DVD 1
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