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Phase
38: Decisive Fire
Review by Chris August 8, 2003 Senior Alliance officials meet to discuss the recent ZAFT attack at Panama. With Panama's mass driver destroyed, they have to reclaim the one at Victoria in Africa, which is currently held by ZAFT. Though several neutral nations are helping, Orb is not. Blue Cosmos leader Muruta Azrael says that the rest of the world is united against ZAFT, so Orb should be obliged to help. He says he can get them a mass driver if they cooperate, and depending on Uzumi's reaction, he might have a chance to test his new Gundams. On Earth, Athrun flies over the giant crater that was once the Alaska Base. Uzumi receives an ultimatum from the Atlantic Federation, which states that Orb has ignored repeated requests for help from the Alliance. The ultimatum also says that if Orb's government doesn't disarm the army and step down within 48 hours, the nation will be viewed as a ZAFT supporter and be attacked by the Atlantic Federation. Uzumi finds such an ultimatum ridiculous and sees that the Alliance has become desperate after the losses at Panama. He says that Orb will refuse the Atlantic Federation's request. Elsewhere, Athrun lands on the island where he fought Kira and examines the wreckage of the Aegis Gundam. Several children hide behind one of its hands and run away from Athrun and toward Malchio. On the Archangel, Murrue meets with the entire crew and tells them the situation regarding Orb and the impending battle. She tells them she is no longer their captain, so if they want to they can either stay or go. Later, Cagalli tells Kira that she is worried about Orb becoming a battlefield. He tells her he thinks that Orb has chosen the right path and that he will try his best to protect everyone. Kuzzey decides to leave the ship, and he asks Sai if he or Miriallia will be coming. Sai tells him not to worry about what other people do. Kuzzey thinks people will see him as a coward, and Sai tells him he is too gentle a person to be involved in a war. He tells Kuzzey they'll meet again once the war ends. In the brig, Miriallia opens the door and lets Dearka go. He asks what's going on, and she tells him he can go because the ship is going to fight the Alliance. He asks about the Buster Gundam, and she tells him that it's not his and it was taken back to Morgenroete. He asks her if she is going to fight, and she says she is because she's a soldier and Orb is her home country. Azrael reads Uzumi's reply and is glad that Uzumi rejected the ultimatum. On the bridge, Murrue asks Mu why he came back at Alaska, and he responds by grabbing her and kissing her. She tells him she hates mobile armor pilots, and he reminds her he is a mobile suit pilot now. They kiss again, and Neumann and the rest of the bridge crew walk in and are shocked by what they see. On the island, Athrun and Malchio watch the news reports at Orb and see that battle is inevitable. A boy says he will destroy ZAFT and kicks Athrun in the leg. Malchio explains that the boy's parents were killed during the battle at Carpentaria. The Alliance begins its attack, and the Archangel goes out into battle. The Alliance deploys Strike Daggers, and M1 Astray girls Asagi, Juri and Mayura fight them on the coast. Kira launches in the Freedom Gundam, followed by Mu in the Strike Gundam with Aile parts. Kira attacks several Strike Daggers and blasts off their heads and arms while Mu helps the M1 Astray girls. On a nearby ship, pilots Clotho Buer, Shani Andras and Orga Sabnak take drugs before launching in the Raider Gundam, Forbidden Gundam and Calamity Gundam. Azrael reminds them not to damage the mass driver or the Morgenroete area. As they enter the battlefield, Orga attacks Mu from the ground while Shani an Clotho attack Kira in the air. Kira fires his cannons at Shani, but the beams get deflected. Dearka watches the Gundams in battle and runs to Morgenroete. Missiles fly towards the Archangel's bridge, but Dearka destroys them with the Buster Gundam. Kira continues to fire at Shani, but each time his shots are deflected. Orga shoots at him from behind, and he dodges that along with Clotho's hammer. Athrun arrives at the battlefield and watches as Kira fights outnumbered. Clotho fires his mouth cannon at Kira, but Athrun blocks the shot and fires back with his beam rifle. There's quite a lot going on in this action-packed episode. First, we're introduced to Muruta Azrael, who is the leader of Blue Cosmos and seems to have a lot of influence within the Alliance. We also get to see the three new Gundams that were initially shown on a computer back in episode 32. Their pilots are Naturals, and they need to take drugs to be able to fight on the same level as Coordinators. Though they seem psychopathic and reckless, they do well enough in damaging Orb and outnumbering Kira. Athrun finally makes the decision that Kira is not his enemy, and he steps in to help Kira fight the new Alliance Gundams. In some other developments, Kuzzey finally leaves the ship. He was such a useless character who only ever complained about wanting to leave, so I'm glad he's gone. Also, Mu seems more confident than ever now that he's a Gundam pilot. He even kisses Murrue twice, and she doesn't object either time. Makes you wonder what will happen between them now. Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
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