ave ▁Mot ion ▁Engine ▁to ▁the ▁enorm ous ▁firing ▁gate ▁at ▁the ▁ship ' s ▁bow , ▁en abling ▁the ▁t ach y on ▁energy ▁power ▁of ▁the ▁engine ▁to ▁be ▁fired ▁in ▁a ▁stream ▁directly ▁for wards . ▁En orm ously ▁powerful , ▁it ▁can ▁v apor ize ▁a ▁fleet ▁of ▁enemy ▁ships — or ▁a ▁small ▁continent ▁( as ▁seen ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁season , ▁fifth ▁episode ) — with ▁one ▁shot ; ▁however , ▁it ▁takes ▁a ▁brief ▁but ▁critical ▁period ▁to ▁charge ▁before ▁firing . ▁ ▁A ▁crew ▁of ▁ 1 1 4 ▁dep arts ▁for ▁Is c and ar ▁in ▁the ▁Yam ato ▁to ▁retrieve ▁the ▁radiation - rem oving ▁device ▁and ▁return ▁to ▁Earth ▁within ▁the ▁one - year ▁dead line . ▁Al ong ▁the ▁way , ▁they ▁discover ▁the ▁mot ives ▁of ▁their ▁blue - sk inned ▁advers aries : ▁the ▁planet ▁G amil as , ▁sister ▁planet ▁to ▁Is c and ar , ▁is ▁dying ; ▁and ▁its ▁leader , ▁Lord ▁D ess lar ▁( D ess lo k ▁in ▁the ▁Star ▁Bla z ers ▁dub ), ▁is ▁trying ▁to ▁ir rad iate ▁Earth ▁enough ▁for ▁his ▁people ▁to ▁move ▁there , ▁at ▁the ▁exp ense ▁of ▁the ▁" bar b ari ans " ▁he ▁cons iders ▁human ity ▁to ▁be . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁season ▁contained ▁ 2 6 ▁episodes , ▁following ▁the ▁Yam atos ▁voyage ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁Mil ky ▁Way ▁Gal axy ▁and ▁back ▁again . ▁A ▁continu ing ▁story , ▁it