Achilles' Heel: The Sea-Net Beam Gun and Atomic Vibration Device have one key flaw. They were configured and attuned for the specific metallurgical signature and atomic vibrational frequency of the Nautilus's Space Titanium hull. However, that means it won't affect the Gratan and its own hull (which is composed of conventional alloys and metals). Hanson and Sanson quickly deduce this and it gives the Gang their opening for an aerial counter-attack.
All Myths Are True: The Walls of Jericho are revealed to have been destroyed by an Atlantean atomic vibration device. This same technology is used to cripple the Nautilus in this episode.
Animation Bump: The underwater skirmish and the aerial battle are easily among the show's best animated action sequences.
Cliffhanger: The Nautilus escapes the trap, but is severely crippled and sinking (and with Gargoyle's fleet in pursuit). The Gratan is also seperated from the ship and the Gang's fates are left up in the air.
Call-Back: Jean once again tries to sneak aboard the Gratan for a dangerous mission. This time, however, Sanson's expecting it.
Crazy Enough to Work: The Gratan's aerial counterattack and Sanson's one-in-a-million shot.
Darkest Hour: The Nautilus gets its ass kicked but good and Gargoyle is on the cusp of victory.
Didn't Think This Through: The Grandis Gang’s counterattack against Gargoyle's flying battleship. The Gang’s so focused on deploying the Gratan and saving the day that it doesn’t occur to them that with the ship’s power disabled, the Nautilus landing bay doors won’t open. Grandis quickly realizes the only pragmatic choice is to just blow the damm hatch.
Dramatic Irony: Jean's rocket, which doomed the Nautilus in the preceding episode, ends up being what saves Nadia from being captured by Gargoyle.
Explosive Instrumentation: The Nautilus bridge consoles as the damage from the Atomic Vibration Device and Neo-Atlantean bombardment wreck the ship to hell.
Foreshadowing: Grandis speculates (albeit through a narcissistic interpretation) that Elektra wants to kill herself and Nemo because the latter will never love her. The next episode will reveal that Grandis ironically isn't that far off from the truth.
Heroic BSoD: The entire Nautilus crew gets hit with this before rallying. But Electra gets hit with it the worst (though it won't really kick into high gear until the next episode).
He's Back!: A variation of sorts with the Grandis Gang. While they've still played a role throughout the Nautilus arc, they also haven't really been in the thick of any major action since Episode 14. Hell, even the Gratan hasn't been deployed in the field since Episode 10 (though that could be justified by the amount of damage and flooding from the Minefield mission). The Gang's counter-attack on Gargoyle's flagship really underscores that the Grandis Gang of the early episodes are back in action.
Inelegant Blubbering: Maries does this again in response to the attack — and unlike the last episode, it's not played for laughs.
The Last Dance: It may be the final voyage of the Nautilus, but the all-purpose submarine makes the most of its final battle, killing off more Garfish than at any previous point in the series.
Let's Get Dangerous!: Again, the Grandis Gang are back to their full potential for their counterattack on Gargoyle's flying battleship.
Little Stowaway: Again, Jean tries to do this again with the Gratan, but it doesn't work this time.
Macross Missile Massacre: While it's been the primary form of Sub-to-Sub combat in the series, the Animation Bump really makes it shine in this particular episode.
Mid-Season Upgrade: Building on from the events of Episode 10, Hanson has utilized the Nautilus technology to make some upgrades to the Gratan (such as a reinforced balloon).
Properly Paranoid: After taking out the Garfish, Nemo correctly anticipates Gargoyle's next attack will be coming above from the surface. Unfortunately, he misunderstands how Gargoyle is going to attack them.
"The Reason You Suck" Speech: Grandis has finally had enough of Electra and cuts loose before storming off the bridge.
Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Initially, it seems like the Grandis Gang is prepared to cut and run to save themselves, but it's quickly subverted. Their walkout was really Grandis just being fed up with Electra and giving the XO a piece of her mind. The Grandis Gang has no actual intention of abandoning the fight just yet.
Shoo Out the Clowns: Grandis, Sanson, and Hanson are separated from the Nautilus just in time for the incredibly dramatic revelations of the next episode.
Stupid Sacrifice: Nadia trying to surrender herself to Gargoyle to stop the attack. He's not gonna pass up the chance to kill Nemo, even if he does get Nadia.
Even with all their technological advances, the Nautilus is still only one single vessel waging a secret war against a global secret society with significant resources. It was inevitable that sooner or later, Gargoyle would be able to corner them and deploy enough resources to take out the submarine.
Given the sheer size of the attacking fleet, the Nautilus has to expend nearly their entire complement of depth charges and missiles (which they had just resupplied at their Antarctic base) just to take out the first wave.
Jean trying to sneak aboard the Gratan again. It worked in Episode 10 because Hanson and Sanson didn't know Jean that well. Now, however, they see it coming and give him the boot (though not out of malice, but for his own safety).
Taking You with Me: Electra wants to do this to Gargoyle once it all chances of winning the battle vanish and is enraged Nemo won't give the self-destruct order.
Taught by Experience: Again, Sanson correctly anticipates Jean will try to board the Gratan again and join a dangerous mission.
Tranquil Fury: Gargoyle's reaction after the Nautilus blows up the Sea-Net Beam Gun and escapes the trap. David Jones certainly plays it this way in the English Dub; it sounds like Gargoyle's issuing orders through clenched teeth.
Trash the Set: The Nautilus and its interiors get wrecked to hell by the Atomic Vibration Device and subsequent Neo-Atlantean bombardment.
A Twinkle in the Sky: More or less how the Gratan exits the battle after the balloon gets punctured and they're flung out to sea.
Wham Episode: Gargoyle finally corners our heroes and the Nautilus is all but destroyed.
Wham Line: Gargoyle mentions Emperor Neo, indicating for the first time in the series that he's not in charge of Neo-Atlantis as we'd thought, but is actually The Dragon (or at least it seems so in the context of this episode and the truth will become clearer by the series climax).
