Review by Chris

January 16, 2003

Maria tells Uso that what he's doing is useless and he should stop. Marbet moves her Zoloat in front of Uso and activates her beam shield to protect him. Cronicle appears with his Contio and attacks with his beam saber, despite the fact that Uso is holding Maria. Uso tells him to back off so that Maria doesn't get hurt, but Cronicle deploys his shot claws and beam sabers. Peggy intercedes and her damaged Gun-EZ takes the beam saber through the shoulder. Cronicle realizes if her suit explodes it will destroy the harbor, so he sticks his beam saber through the cockpit and kills Peggy. He then wraps Marbet up with his shot claws and tosses her aside. Uso surrenders, and Maria asks Cronicle not to kill Uso. Odelo, Warren, Elischa, Tomache and Karrel use an elevator to go down into the city. The port is closed off to the public, and Zanscare soldiers toss them out into the street. A man grabs Odelo and asks everyone to follow him. In prison, Marbet tells Uso that he needs to eat food. He grabs her and they both cry over Peggy's death. A soldier comes in to take Uso away and smacks Marbet with his rifle. Uso kicks him and runs away. Cronicle, Tassilo and Kagatie watch Uso's escape on camera in another room. Cronicle says that the League Militaire is short on pilots and must use children like Uso. Tassilo thinks it will be dangerous if they can mass produce a suit a child can use, and Kagatie accuses him of trying to shake off his responsibility. Cronicle leaves and is joined by Katejina before running into Uso. Katejina tells him he can't escape, and Cronicle punches him. At the palace, Shakti runs to the gate as a limo drives by carrying Uso, Tassilo, Cronicle and Maria. The man who grabbed Odelo turns out to be a friend of Batsraff and owns a repair shop. The Victory Gundam is hauled in, and Odelo watches as Maria's limo pulls up. Maria tells Uso that she wants Shakti to be her successor, and Uso says Shakti hates the Zanscare for using the guillotine. Maria hates it too and hopes Shakti can become Queen and eliminate it. She gives Uso a bag of candy before leaving, and Uso sees Odelo disguised as a mechanic.

Maria leaves and says that Uso won't listen to her because he hates Zanscare's methods. Tassilo says that Uso will be sent to the guillotine on Kagatie's orders. Cronicle says that executing Uso will have the opposite effect, and Tassilo says he doesn't want Cronicle's opinion. Warren and Karrel attack the Zanscare soldiers guarding Uso. As he eats Maria's candy, he discovers that the paper it was wrapped in has a map of the central square and the positions of Shakti and the Zanscare military. Uso decides he will wait if Shakti is to be there tomorrow. As the sun sets, Cronicle tells Shakti that Maria will do something special tomorrow, but Shakti says her mother is dead. The next day, a crowd gathers at the central square where the Victory Gundam and Gun-EZ are on display. Shakti watches as Maria comes out to give a speech. She announces that Mutterma's fleet defeated the Federation fleet at Side 2, and she prays that her people will prosper. A glowing light emanates from Maria, and all the sick people gathered at the front of the crowd begin to heal. Cripples begin to walk, and the blind are able to see again. After performing the mass healing, Maria collapses from exhaustion. Cronicle picks her up and takes her to her room. Kagatie gives a speech and asks everyone to pray for Maria. He then says that those who oppose her ideas must be sent to the guillotine. A platform is raised up with a guillotine, and Uso, Marbet and Tassilo are brought out. Uso and Marbet are to be executed for being enemies, and Tassilo for failing to protect Keilas Guilie. Odelo and Tomache suddenly take control of the Victory Gundam and Gun-EZ and send the crowd running. Odelo destroys the guillotine and hands the Victory Gundam over to Uso while Marbet takes the Gun-EZ. Uso surveys his surroundings and is attacked from the air by a Rig Shokew. The Rig Shokew knocks Uso into the forest, and he is unaware that the pilot is Katejina. Katejina looks down at Uso and fires.

There's quite a lot going on in this episode, as we've got some death and betrayal. As I expected, Tomino killed Peggy as he has done with most of her fellow Shrikes. For those who are counting, that leaves only Junko and Connie. They probably won't last much longer either. We also see Katejina in a Zanscare uniform and piloting a Rig Shokew against Uso, so it's clear she's no longer on his side. Katejina is a sick woman who rejoiced at the destruction of Woowig, so she probably fits in with the Zanscare very well. In Zeta Gundam, Kamille Bidan was similarly betrayed by Reccoa Londe, but she was very hesitant for the most part about firing at former comrades. Katejina doesn't seem to have that hesitation at all.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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