History Film / BattleBeyondTheStars

On October 31, 2023, it was announced that it would be the first of a group of movies for ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000''[=‘s=] 14th season.

* TheFriendNobodyLikes: Suggested with Gelt. He was a career assassin and very asocial, two red flags against him. But he was polite to those with whom he spoke, when he did speak. Although the other hired mercenaries got to know each other, nobody, including Shad, interacted with Gelt anymore than they needed to, and only on a professional level. Nell rightly predicted to Shad that this was what Gelt would be in their forming group. When the battle is over, Nanelia mentions with regret, the names of all of the other mercenaries who [[spoiler: died for the cause]], but omits Gelt.
--> '''Nell''': He'll fight alright, but he'll fight alone.

[[BigBad Sador of the Malmori]] (Creator/JohnSaxon) and his crew of {{mutants}} roam the galaxy in a [[MileLongShip huge spaceship]] armed with a Stellar Convertor, the most powerful weapon [[SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale in the universe]]. When Sador claims the [[TechnicalPacifist peaceful farming planet]] of Akir as a colony, young Shad (Richard Thomas) volunteers to take SapientShip Nell and seek out mercenaries who are willing to fight him. They find Gelt (Creator/RobertVaughn) a ProfessionalKiller who just wants to live on a planet where [[ContractOnTheHitman no-one's trying to kill him]], SpaceTrucker Cowboy (Creator/GeorgePeppard) of [[HumansAreWarriors Earth]], Nanelia (Darlanne Fluegel) a MadScientistsBeautifulDaughter, Saint-Exmin (Creator/SybilDanning) of the [[ProudWarriorRace Valkyrie]]--a [[ActionGirl warrior woman]] looking to [[BloodKnight prove herself in battle]]), Nestor (Earl Boen) a HiveMind seeking new experiences, and Caymen (Morgan Woodward) of the Lambda Zone--who'd like to [[{{revenge}} settle accounts with Sador]] for [[TheLastOfHisKind destroying his species]]. Counting Shad that makes seven. [[TheMagnificentSevenSamurai Sound familiar?]]

* AffablyEvil: In his EstablishingCharacterMoment, Caymen cheerfully introduces himself and his crew to Nanelia, whom he has strung up over a heating grid prior to being EatenAlive. This makes his MoodWhiplash when Nanelia drops Sador's name all the more effective.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: It's unclear whether [[spoiler: Cayman's crew]] is on his ship when it is destroyed.

''(Sador throws the bag in a rage. A {{squick}}ed Yago quickly brushes the powder off himself)''\\

* KickTheDog: When he first arrives at Akir, Sador destroys an unarmed manned weather satellite orbiting the planet. Then after delivering his ultimatum, he orders his snipers to gun down random citizens simply to show he means business.

-->'''Saint-Exmin:''' I could do wonders for that boy! I would [[IsThatWhatTheyreCallingItNow recharge his capacitators]], stimulate his solenoid; tingle, dingle, dangle, prangle his transistors! You know: Sex!

* {{Expy}}: Creator/GeorgePeppard's portrayal of Space Cowboy is almost exactly the same as the way he'd play John "Hannibal" Smith on ''Series/TheATeam'' a few years later.

** This leading directly to why Nestor decides to have those facets of Nestor join the fight: [[spoiler: Nestor has never fought a hopeless battle before.]]

* AffablyEvil: In his EstablishingCharacterMoment, Caymen cheerfully introduces himself and his crew to Nanelia, whom he has strung up over a heating grid prior to being EatenAlive. This makes his MoodWhiplash when Nanelia drops Sador's name all the more effective.

* ButNotTooForeign: Akir was apparently founded by Hindus, as their Holy Text is the Vardaa. However, all the colonists are caucasian.

* ContrivedCoincidence: Good thing that Shad meets Cowboy, who is carrying a cargo load of several thousand laser rifles that were meant to a planet that was resisting Sador, which gets a nasty case of Stellar Converter while they were talking after Shad saved Cowboy from some space pirates. Cowboy even lampshades it as "well, I have this cargo and it's already been paid for... better give it to you and your folks, seeing that you have need for it and they don't anymore."

-->'''Shad:''' Have somebody prepare a meal.
-->'''Akirite:''' A meal?
-->'''Shad:''' Full course, then bury it with him.
-->'''Akirite:''' Bury it?
-->'''Shad:''' That was our arrangement: [[spoiler:A meal and a place to hide]].

-->'''Sador:''' Of what form are you, Cayman?
-->'''Cayman:''' I am of the Lazuli.
-->'''Sador:''' I thought I had the honor of making that form extinct, long ago. I won't fail this time.

* SerialProstheses: Sador wants to live forever, so replaces ailing body parts with organs removed from his enemies by his torture-surgeon. According to his minions he's not above doing this to disobedient soldiers as well. Sador starts the movie with a damaged hand, so amputates the hand off the captured Nestor to replace it, then finds himself [[BlackComedy pondering his need for a new glove to fit the lesser number of fingers]]. [[spoiler:His problem becomes moot [[EvilHand when he has to suddenly amputate the arm again]].]]

* ThermalDissonance: Nanelia jumps in alarm after touching Shad (mistaking him for one of her androids) and realizing he's a warm-blooded person.