Review by Chris

June 26, 2000

The blast from the GP02A sets off a massive explosion that damages Konpeitoh and disables two thirds of the entire Federation Forces fleet. The survivors frantically call for help. Gato escapes in victory, and Karius congratulates him. Cima is amazed that Gato fired the nuke, and her forces begin a countdown for the next operation. As Gato heads for the rendezvous point, he is attacked from below by Kou. Kou says he wants to talk to Gato, and Gato remembers him. He says again he has nothing to say to Kou. Synapse has the Albion head for Konpeitoh to give assistance to the survivors. At Konpeitoh, a general receives notice that the Albion is coming to assist them. He doesn't want that ship coming to Konpeitoh and orders them to 'do something autonomously' since they are an autonomous attack ship. Kou and Gato continue to fight, and Gato hides near some wreckage. He sends out his beam saber as a decoy, and while Kou shoots at it, Gato attacks him from behind. Kou manages to block the attack with his beam rifle, but it gets destroyed. He says that he lives in disgrace for having lost the GP02A, and Gato says he understands that feeling. He also says he is supported by his faith, while Kou is supported only by hatred and will always lose. As Kou evades Gato's attacks, he notices that the GP02A's left arm isn't working. He moves in, and while his shield is destroyed, he damages the GP02A. On the Albion, Nina wonders why Kou and Gato have to fight.

Kou and Gato continue to fight, and Kou uses his vulcans. Gato comes at him with the beam saber, and Kou blocks it with his foot. The GP01Fb is severely damaged, but Kou isn't finished yet. Kou and Gato lock their beam sabers and grapple each other. Kou then activates his chest verniers, which start to overheat both Gundams. He then rams his beam saber into the GP02A. Kou tries to escape with the Core Fighter II, but he is forced to abandon the GP01Fb. He sees Gato getting out of the GP02A, and Gato says he'll never forget Kou's name. Gato flies away and is rescued by Karius, and Kou is caught in an explosion and barely escapes. Keith rescues him, and Kou and Gato both watch the two Gundams explode. Back on the Albion, Mora takes Kou into a storage room and tells him that Nina is acting strangely, and he should talk to her. Kou finds Nina and speaks to her. She wants to be with him, and they both kiss. Out in space, Cima's ships attack the Colony Corporation patrol ship, which is currently moving the two uninhabited colonies to Side 3. A general is informed of the 'colonyjack' and begins to worry. The Federal Forces fleet at Konpeitoh begins to mobilize. The Gelgoog Marine suits place bombs on the colony mirrors, and Cima's ships fire at them, destroying one mirror on each colony. Kou and Nina meet with Synapse, who tells them that he thinks Operation Stardust isn't over. He intends to go after Delaz by using the GP03 "Dendrobium", which is on the supply ship La Vie en Rose. Paserov informs them of the colonyjack, and Nina suggests they plan to have the colonies collide so that one bounces off the other and crashes on the Moon. Out in space, the two colonies collide, and one sets a fateful course for the Moon. Cima watches the collision and laughs hysterically.

Talk about a tense episode. Gato does pretty damned well with destroying two thirds of the entire Federation Forces fleet. Also, he and Kou finally have another epic battle, which hasn't occurred since the beginning of the series. Kou has definitely improved, as he was a bumbling idiot the first time he fought Gato in Australia. Kou finally does the right thing with Nina and gets to express his feelings for her. However, it really seems to bother her that Kou and Gato are fighting each other. It still hasn't been explained what the connection between Nina, Gato, and Kelly Layzner is. Whatever is going on there is overshadowed by Cima's theft of two colonies. Stolen colonies in the Gundam universe always mean trouble, and this should be no different from the other times.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Buy the DVD (eps 8-10) or the Collection (1-13) from DVD Empire

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