The El Santo (エル・サント, Eru Santo) is a pirate ship, captained by Ben Witherspoon. It participated in the battle between the frontier pirates and the Grand Cross.
Design[]
Exterior[]
The El Santo has a catamaran-esque frame with two long rocket-shaped hulls joined at the rear end by a large engine. The bridge is located on top of the starboard hull near the front. A turret with three cannons is at the same position on the port hull. Behind both of those, either side on top of the hull, are two single cannons.
Towards the rear of the ship, are two missile pods on each hull, one behind the other on top of the hulls, and a cut-off fin (possibly holding a radar mast) on the bottom. Two extra smaller engines are located at the periphery of the rear of the hulls, connected by diagonal fins.
The large central engine connecting the top hulls at the rear has two three cannon turrets either side on top, just behind the large engine cone. A structure similar to a conning tower is located just behind them on top. The central engine has one nozzle while the ones built into the hulls have four.
Interior[]
Bridge[]
The El Santo's bridge has a similar structure to most pirate ships from the War of Independence with a raised section with the captain's seat, the emblem behind it and two consoles either side, and a lower section with the steering wheels, displays and consoles either side for radar and navigation, and two other consoles behind them. The control room has grey walls and purple on the seats and the sides of the consoles and the elevated platform.
Colour Scheme[]
The El Santo is primarily purple with black bands with its pirate emblem painted on the outer sides to the rear of the ship. The engine cones are teal coloured.
The El Santo's pirate emblem
The El Santo's emblem consists of a skull and crossbones with the skull wearing a red bicorne hat with the bones crossing behind the open jaw and a string of characters in a curve along the bottom.
Technology and Combat Characteristics[]
The El Santo is armed with four missile pods and multiple cannon turrets, single and triple.
History[]
Pirate Hunter Arc (Anime-Only)[]
When the call summoning the frontier pirates was sent out in response to the attacks by the Grand Cross, the El Santo was one of the ships that heeded the summon and headed for the Pirate's Nest. It was one of several ships at the nest when the Bentenmaru arrived [1].
After the Pirate's Council had been held, the El Santo departed with the rest of the pirate fleet to confront the Grand Cross.
During the battle between the frontier pirates and Quartz's three Grand Cross ships, the El Santo was the first ship to be targetted via the Grand Cross's gravity-control technology, and was warned in advance. Grand Cross β zigzagged in front of the El Santo and its escort ships, and opened fire with a laser barrage. Witherspoon had the escort ships self-destruct, surrounding Grand Cross β with a chaff field and interrupting communications to the main ship. Grand Cross β was then subjected to heavy missile bombardment from the El Santo and several other ships, and destroyed [2].
Fever Mouretsu Pirates (Game-Only)[]
Witherspoon and the El Santo appear as opponents for Marika and the Bentenmaru in the game's fifth Galaxy Episode. Depending on circumstances, the two face each other either in a swordfight or ship-to-ship, with the outcome resting on the player's actions [3].
Crew[]
- Ben Witherspoon (captain)
Escort Fleet[]
- 2 unnamed escort ships (self-destructed under fire from Grand Cross β) (same design as Lightning 11, blue-green colour scheme)
Trivia[]
- 'El Santo' means 'The Saint' in Spanish.
References[]
| Frontier (Letter of Marque) | Bentenmaru • Barbaroosa • Hakuchou • Kokuchou • Silver Fox • Big Catch • El Santo • Viracocha • Shangri-La • Southern Island • Low of War • Dark Star • Love Machine • Hakugin Go • Murakamimaru • Back Slash • Lucky Star • Karyoubinga • Sinbad • Death Shadow • Glamorous Ridis |
| Frontier (Unlicensed) | Chimaera of Skylla |
| Galactic Empire | Parabellum |