TV Special
Description
Maetel is the daughter of Queen Promethium, ruler of the mechanized empire from planet La Metal, and Dr. Ban, a scientist opposed to mechanization. Born alongside her twin sister Emeraldas, Maetel witnessed La Metal plunge into eternal darkness after a cosmic collision disrupted its orbit. Her mother embraced full mechanization for survival, an act Maetel and Emeraldas resisted. This early defiance defined her core conflict: loyalty to both parents, with Promethium tasking her to recruit individuals for the empire and Dr. Ban using her to undermine it.
Her appearance follows Leiji Matsumoto's signature design: tall, slender, with long blonde hair, pronounced eyelashes, and expressive brown eyes often conveying melancholy. She is most recognized for her black attire—a long coat, Astrakhan hat, and boots—described as "clothes of mourning" for her mother's lost humanity. This outfit varies in color across timelines: white during her youthful innocence in *Maetel Legend*, blue in *Cosmo Warrior Zero* symbolizing her involvement in major galactic events, and red or fuchsia in *Space Symphony Maetel* reflecting her hardened resolve. Alternative attire includes a black dress for leisure and a black bikini for high-temperature environments.
The nature of Maetel's body remains ambiguous. Scans reveal a human skeleton, yet encounters where she reveals her form provoke profound shock or fear, suggesting possible technological concealment. Her "original" body is buried on Pluto, which she visits tearfully with Tetsuro. She implies she might return to this form in the future, though her appearance remains unchanged in continuations like *Adieu Galaxy Express 999*. Leiji Matsumoto has stated she is "human," though the narrative maintains deliberate uncertainty, including theories of cloning or remote-controlled android bodies.
Her personality balances maternal warmth with strategic ruthlessness. She exhibits profound care for Tetsuro Hoshino, rescuing him after his mother's death and offering passage on the Galaxy Express 999. While her mission involves delivering him to the mechanized empire, she encourages him to question mechanization's value, fostering his moral growth. She avoids unnecessary conflict but demonstrates lethal proficiency with weapons like the Blitz Whip, gravity sabers, and explosive devices when threatened. Her calm demeanor serves as a moral compass, though she harbors deep sorrow over her fractured family and mission.
As a La Metalian, Maetel possesses an extended lifespan, immunity to illness, and enhanced physical capabilities, including rapid healing aided by a pendant containing Dr. Ban's consciousness. This pendant also allows communication with advanced machinery like the Galaxy Express and can disrupt La Metal's central computer. Her equipment includes a multipurpose trunk for storage and communication, dream-monitoring sensors, and weapon-concealing accessories like laser-firing rings and bomb earrings.
Her narrative arc spans multiple continuities. In *Maetel Legend*, she and Emeraldas confront the mechanized usurper Hardgear but fail to save their mother or planet. *Space Symphony Maetel* depicts her return to La Metal, where Promethium attempts to mechanize her mind; Maetel ultimately destroys Promethium's physical form, though her consciousness persists. During her travels with Tetsuro in the original series and films, she manipulates events to dismantle the mechanized empire from within, culminating in Planet Prometheum's destruction using Dr. Ban's technology. In *Adieu Galaxy Express 999*, she potentially ascends as the new mechanized queen, hinting at cyclical conflict. Her story closes with her departing to "lead another boy to his future," maintaining her enigmatic purpose.
Her name derives from Latin and Greek roots for "mother," reflecting her relationship with Tetsuro, and incorporates "metal," signifying her origins. This duality encapsulates her role as both nurturer and instrument of galactic change.
Her appearance follows Leiji Matsumoto's signature design: tall, slender, with long blonde hair, pronounced eyelashes, and expressive brown eyes often conveying melancholy. She is most recognized for her black attire—a long coat, Astrakhan hat, and boots—described as "clothes of mourning" for her mother's lost humanity. This outfit varies in color across timelines: white during her youthful innocence in *Maetel Legend*, blue in *Cosmo Warrior Zero* symbolizing her involvement in major galactic events, and red or fuchsia in *Space Symphony Maetel* reflecting her hardened resolve. Alternative attire includes a black dress for leisure and a black bikini for high-temperature environments.
The nature of Maetel's body remains ambiguous. Scans reveal a human skeleton, yet encounters where she reveals her form provoke profound shock or fear, suggesting possible technological concealment. Her "original" body is buried on Pluto, which she visits tearfully with Tetsuro. She implies she might return to this form in the future, though her appearance remains unchanged in continuations like *Adieu Galaxy Express 999*. Leiji Matsumoto has stated she is "human," though the narrative maintains deliberate uncertainty, including theories of cloning or remote-controlled android bodies.
Her personality balances maternal warmth with strategic ruthlessness. She exhibits profound care for Tetsuro Hoshino, rescuing him after his mother's death and offering passage on the Galaxy Express 999. While her mission involves delivering him to the mechanized empire, she encourages him to question mechanization's value, fostering his moral growth. She avoids unnecessary conflict but demonstrates lethal proficiency with weapons like the Blitz Whip, gravity sabers, and explosive devices when threatened. Her calm demeanor serves as a moral compass, though she harbors deep sorrow over her fractured family and mission.
As a La Metalian, Maetel possesses an extended lifespan, immunity to illness, and enhanced physical capabilities, including rapid healing aided by a pendant containing Dr. Ban's consciousness. This pendant also allows communication with advanced machinery like the Galaxy Express and can disrupt La Metal's central computer. Her equipment includes a multipurpose trunk for storage and communication, dream-monitoring sensors, and weapon-concealing accessories like laser-firing rings and bomb earrings.
Her narrative arc spans multiple continuities. In *Maetel Legend*, she and Emeraldas confront the mechanized usurper Hardgear but fail to save their mother or planet. *Space Symphony Maetel* depicts her return to La Metal, where Promethium attempts to mechanize her mind; Maetel ultimately destroys Promethium's physical form, though her consciousness persists. During her travels with Tetsuro in the original series and films, she manipulates events to dismantle the mechanized empire from within, culminating in Planet Prometheum's destruction using Dr. Ban's technology. In *Adieu Galaxy Express 999*, she potentially ascends as the new mechanized queen, hinting at cyclical conflict. Her story closes with her departing to "lead another boy to his future," maintaining her enigmatic purpose.
Her name derives from Latin and Greek roots for "mother," reflecting her relationship with Tetsuro, and incorporates "metal," signifying her origins. This duality encapsulates her role as both nurturer and instrument of galactic change.