Why Masters Of The Air Episode 7's Storyline Avoided a Critical 100th Bomb Group Mission
Discover why Masters of the Air chose to skip the pivotal 100th Bomb mission in Episode 7, unraveling the impact on the storyline and characters.
Masters of the Air episode 7 contains spoilers, so be warned before reading further.
The series has covered some of the most intense missions and moments faced by the 100th Bomb Group in seven episodes. In the seventh episode, there was a time jump that skipped over a particular mission. It seems like it was a good decision to skip it. From the first episode, the men of the 100th have faced horrifying and deadly missions like Regensberg, Munster, and most recently, Berlin. These missions highlight the harsh reality of the 100th, but there are even more missions that the series hasn't shown yet.
In Masters of the Air episode 7, the 100th brings on a number of replacements to take over the men that have been lost in previous missions. At this point, most of the original 100th has either been killed or captured as prisoners of war. However, the war does not stop, and for the 100th, the missions get more and more dangerous. In the seventh episode, the 100th take on Berlin for the very first time in a mission known as Black Monday. What the episode does not show is the similar battle that happened long before it: Black Thursday.
Masters Of The Air's Time Jump Skipped Past "Black Thursday"
Rosie's Riveters Plane Masters of the Air - Masters Of The Air's Time Jump Skipped Past "Black Thursday"
In episode 5 of Masters of the Air, the Munster Raid in October 1943 is depicted as a disaster. Episode 6 then shows Major John Egan's capture as a POW and the impact of the raid on Lt. Col. Robert Rosenthal. Moving forward to episode 7, we jump to March 1944. This skips over the intense Black Thursday battle that the 100th participated in on October 14, 1943. The time jump covers significant events like The Great Escape and Black Monday that took place five months after the Munster Raid.
On Black Thursday, shortly after the 100th lost most of its planes in the Munster Raid, the Eighth Air Force sent its airmen to bomb ball-bearing factories in Schweinfurt, Germany.
Despite their best efforts, the Americans were easily tracked and targeted by German forces. In a highly organized and overwhelming attack, the Germans successfully took out the American bombers one by one. By the end of the mission, 60 B-17s were lost and 17 were damaged beyond repair, resulting in the deaths of approximately 600 airmen. Though Schweinfurt was successfully bombed that day, the American losses were devastating.
Notably, Schweinfurt was the secondary location of the Regensburg mission.
Why Did Masters Of The Air Skip Over Black Thursday?
Anthony Boyle as Harry Crosby Masters of the Air episode 7 - Why Did Masters Of The Air Skip Over Black Thursday?
Masters of the Air may have skipped over Black Thursday because it was similar to other losses experienced by the 100th Bomb Group. The series needed to focus on other missions to keep the storyline moving forward. While Black Thursday was a significant event in 1943, it didn't stand out as much as other deadly missions. For instance, Regensberg was notable for its destination in Africa, Munster stood out because Lt. Col. Rosenthal was the only pilot to return to base, and Major John Egan became a prisoner of war.
It's Good Masters Of The Air Skipped "Black Thursday"
Though the series could have included Black Thursday in Masters of the Air episode 6, it likely would have slowed everything down. It was important to spend the sixth episode following up on Masters of the Air's cast apart from flying missions. Audiences needed to see what became of Major John Egan after the Munster Raid, and also, had to learn about the mental states of Rosenthal and Major Harry Crosby. In this way, a slower episode 6 added much more to the story than another dangerous mission like Black Thursday would have.
Callum Turner as Major John Egan Masters of the Air episode 5 - It's Good Masters Of The Air Skipped "Black Thursday"
Skipping over Black Thursday in Masters of the Air was actually a good decision. It helped to keep the story moving forward and also maintained a sense of hope. The 100th Bomb Group's story is already quite sad, and including Black Thursday would have made it even more depressing. It's important for the series to focus on the most significant challenges faced by the 100th, so that the show remains engaging for viewers.
While Black Thursday is a significant mission for the Eighth Air Force due to its grim nickname, Masters of the Air made a good decision to not include it in the series. By avoiding this dark event, the show maintained a lighter tone and used the extra time to delve into the emotions of its characters. This allowed viewers to connect more with the cast and set the stage for an intense finale. While Black Thursday is important to remember, skipping over it was a smart choice to keep Masters of the Air engaging and entertaining.
Editor's P/S:
The article provides a detailed analysis of the decision to skip "Black Thursday" in the seventh episode of "Masters of the Air." It highlights the intense missions faced by the 100th Bomb Group and the devastating losses incurred in the Munster Raid. While "Black Thursday" was a significant event, the article argues that its exclusion allowed the series to focus on other crucial missions and the emotional impact on the characters.
The time jump in episode 7 enabled the show to explore the aftermath of the Munster Raid and the introduction of new replacements. By skipping "Black Thursday," the series maintained a sense of hope and avoided overwhelming the audience with excessive tragedy. This decision allowed the story to progress seamlessly while still acknowledging the significance of the events that took place off-screen. Overall, the article effectively justifies the choice to omit "Black Thursday" in "Masters of the Air," showcasing the show's focus on character development and maintaining a balance between historical accuracy and entertainment value.
