A to Z Challenge: Protoculture

Protoculture is the McGuffin of the Robotech series.  It's what the American writers used to help piece together the three Japanese shows into one epic saga.  So, what is it?

Flowers of Life

Basically Protoculture is a power derived from the seeds of the Invid Flower of Life.  The alien scientist Zor discovers the power it generates and there's something else:  that power has a transformative nature.  Which is used by Dr. Emil Lang to create the Veritech fighters that change from planes to robots and later the Hovertanks and Cyclone cycles.

In the first series, the Zentraedi are looking for the ultimate source of power:  a special Protoculture matrix Zor created.  It is the only one in existence and thus the Robotech Masters desperately want it back.  Which is why they direct Breetai and later Azonia to capture the SDF-1 intact so they can find the matrix.

Flowers blossoming

Sort of a convenient plot device is that Dr. Lang never looks in the engines of the SDF-1.  That turns out to be where the matrix is hiding.  The matrix even supposedly has a way to avoid detection so no one can find it.

The Zentraedi haven't been exposed to emotions and have no understanding of Protoculture, so they think kissing, music, and movie special effects are Protoculture weapons.  Part of what brings humans and Zentraedi together is the aliens think humans have a much better understanding of Protoculture than we do.  The only two humans who really understood anything about it were Dr. Emil Lang and his assistant Lazlo Zand, both of whom I've mentioned before.

In the second series then, as the Robotech Masters attack Earth, the matrix finally sends out spores that are pollinated and turn into the Flower of Life.  That then brings the Invid to Earth to enslave the planet.

The Zor clone Rem creates a new Protoculture matrix from the reseeded Optera to fuel the REF fleets.  But when the Invid Regess is convinced to leave Earth, she collects all the Invid and neutralizes almost all the Protoculture on Earth.  Only the SDF-7, which shows up afterwards, is still operational.

Free of the Protoculture at last, Earth eventually has to develop alternative fuels.  Like:

I'm pretty sure though in the Japanese shows there's no mention of Protoculture.  Nor is it ever really seen except as the canisters they use in Mospeada as fuel.  It's just something made up to provide some motivation for the bad guys in all three series.  Pretty clever.