Episode Title:
The Nautilus Faces Its Biggest Crisis.
Episode Description:
Several days later, the Nautilus falls into an even deadlier trap. First, mines drift into the submarine's intakes and disrupt its engines. Then torpedoes narrowly miss the submarine. A Garfish rams into its side, only to have its nose crippled, and the submarine drifts away, exploding. When the Nautilus attempts to surface, it is surrounded by the American fleet, commanded by vengeful Captain Melville, who has received an anonymous tip that the submarine is responsible for sinking the ships. (Naturally, the "source" of this information is Gargoyle.) The subsequent damage causes the Nautilus to drift to the bottom of the ocean. Because the American fleet wants to see them destroyed, the Nautilus is forced to stay underwater until the fleet departs. Prior to this, a genial sailor named Ensign Fait gives Jean a bouquet of manmade flowers to offer as a present to Nadia, but she rudely turns it down (it reminds her of the flowers from Gargoyle's garden). In the aftermath of the attack, Fait is trapped inside an engine room poisoned by leaking gas, but Nemo orders the room sealed off so as to prevent further damage. Jean is crushed beyond grief as he painfully listens to his new friend die.
