Review by Chris

August 14, 2001

In space, the Federation's Bagley Team attacks a Zanscare fleet. Fuala receives a call from Pippiniden, and he tells her that the Federation is moving towards the satellite Keilas Guilie. Pippiniden says that if Fuala can stop the League Militaire at Arti Gibraltar that it will have an effect on her punishment. Cronicle wants to take out a Tomliat and has a look at the new prototype suit Memedorza. At a funeral home at Arti Gibraltar, Mandela supervises the viewing of Mahalia's body, along with Yellowjacket pilots (for neutrality). Uso and Shakti apply lipstick to Mahalia's lips. Kate says that Uso and Shakti are always together and probably will be together even after they die. Cronicle meets with Katejina and gives her shuttle tickets to get into space. Cronicle then goes to the funeral home, and when Uso asks him again about Katejina, he says he doesn't know where she is. Cronicle tells Mandela he wants to talk, but Mandela doesn't want to hear it. Cronicle says he doesn't want to suppress Arti Gibraltar with force, and Romero says it doesn't matter if only he thinks that way. Cronicle leaves, and Shakti finally gives Uso the letter Katejina left for him in Kassarelia. He goes with Shakti to the spaceport and finds Katejina ready to board a shuttle. She tells him she is leaving because the Earth is hopeless, and he says even space is becoming a battlefield now. He wants to go to space with her, but she says he has to stay and protect Shakti and be with the League Militaire. Uso says he can go into space with Shakti, but she says she doesn't want to go to space. He chases Katejina to the shuttle until the area is rocked by an explosion. He finds Shakti, and they hide from exploding glass. The attack is coming from Fuala's Recarl, and she demands that Arti Gibraltar surrender. She is joined by a group of Tomliats and Kwan Lee's Memedorza.

Oliver and Marbet attack the Recarl with their Core Fighters, and they are in turn attacked by the Memedorza. Katejina's shuttle begins flying on the track to launch from the catapult. Uso rushes over to the hangar containing his Victory Gundam, and he tells Odelo to take care of Shakti. Uso launches and attacks the Recarl, but it is protected by two Tomliats. The Shrike Team fights near the bridge, and they realize if they use beam rifles they might damage the bridge. Peggy and Connie fight Lupe near the bridge, and she thinks they are despicable for using the launch platform as a shield. They attack the Tomliat with beam sabers, forcing Lupe to eject yet again. Near the platform, Cronicle furiously attacks Junko with his beam tomahawk. Kate is attacked by Lee's Memedorza, which moves very quickly because of its twin beam rotors. Uso briefly helps her and leaves to go after the Recarl and the remaining Tomliats. Kate is forced to fight Lee with only her beam saber because of her proximity to the platform. She manages to avoid his attacks, but Lee shoots at her and damages the support frame of the catapult. Kate uses her Gun-EZ to hold the catapult up. Lee approaches and tells Kate that what she's doing is very heroic. He says the mobile suit can stay, but that she has to die, so he sticks his beam saber through her cockpit. Uso has a Newtype reaction and attacks Lee with incredible rage. Marbet damages the Recarl's main engine, which forces it to crash land in the ocean. Fuala escapes with the evacuation pod, and Cronicle grabs the pod just as the Recarl explodes, killing Metchet. When Uso finishes beating down on the Memedorza, he sees Cronicle's Tomliat mounted on the shuttle just as it takes off. The shuttle heads for Keilas Guilie and avoids an exploding Salamis class ship. With Metchet dead, Fuala wonders what will become of her. Uso blames himself for Kate's death because he left her alone. Junko says that's nonsense because Kate was a professional. Uso says he is sorry, and they both cry over her sacrifice.

This is probably the darkest episode of the series so far, and it's about as dark (if not more so) than a Zeta Gundam episode. Death is all over this episode, starting with the depressing funeral for Mahalia at the beginning. You don't usually see a pilot's funeral in Gundam, and this one was very depressing. You've also got the deaths of both Metchet and Kate, which both help to make this episode dark. Tomino's really got it out for the Shrike Team because there's only 3 of them left now. Despite all the darkness, Tomino manages to throw in some Katejina fan service with a shower scene. It also seems like Katejina might be infatuated with Cronicle, and possibly vice versa. Speaking of Katejina, why did it take Shakti so long to give Uso the letter? Also, he didn't seem to be bothered about her withholding it. And much like other Newtypes, Uso goes into a rage when people die, and his power increases. From the looks of things, it seems like there's a lot more death in store for him.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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