"The third planet of the sol system, Earth. Records suggests of its existence, but until now, there has been no proof. This is the planet of humanity's origin."
— Chamber
Set in the distant future, we are introduced to Ledo, a sixteen-year-old ensign of the Galactic Alliance. Along with his robotic partner Chamber, he joins the latest attack on the Hideauze, an alien species. By the time he has completed his mission, he will be granted four weeks leave of the utopia Avalon. The mission, however, ends in failure and the alliance is forced to retreat and launch the Lamorak telemathy swing. Kugel sacrifices himself to cover for their escape but a Hideauze lands on Chamber and he and Ledo are sucked into a vortex. Six months later, Ledo and Chamber awaken to discover that they have crash-landed on Earth and they encounter the crew of the ship Gargantia.
Tropes in this episode include:
- Action Prologue: The first half of the episode depicts a battle between the Galactic Alliance and the Hideauze.
- Attack! Attack... Retreat! Retreat!: The Galactic Alliance desperately attacks the Hideauze's homeworld. Unfortunately for them, they are forced to retreat and resort to the Lamorak telemathy swing. Ledo doesn't make it out in time and gets sucked into the vortex.
- Big Badass Battle Sequence: The anime opens with the Galactic Alliance launching a desperate attack at the Hideauze's homeworld.
- Cluster F-Bomb: Amy yells one when Ledo grabs her and runs around Gargantia. Translated as "reproduction with one's mother, as well as sanctified excrement."
- Earth All Along: Chamber tells Ledo that the planet they are on was Earth, now composed entirely of water.
- Earth That Was: Earth is now nothing but water when the Ice Age flooded the lands.
- First-Episode Twist: By the end of the episode, Ledo realizes that he and Chamber have ended up on Earth.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Kugel sacrifices himself to stop the Hideauze and cover Ledo's retreat.
- Human Popsicle: After going through the vortex, Ledo is in cold sleep for six months.
- Know When to Fold 'Em: The Galactic Alliance decides to retreat when their mission ends in failure.
- Oh, Crap!:
- Ledo when he realizes that he is about to be sucked into the vortex.
- Amy when Ledo grabs her against her will.
- Ledo when he is cornered by Gargantia's crew in the finale.
- Teleporter Accident: Ledo ends up being sucked into the vortex to Earth after the Hideauze attacks Chamber by the end of the episode's first half.
- Wave-Motion Gun: The Galactic Alliance's ships onboard cannons fire off lasers to destroy the Hideauze's cannon emitters.
- Wham Line: At the end of the episode, Chamber provides the page quote about what planet he and Ledo actually landed on.
