Review by Chris

February 8, 2003

The White Ark arrives in Europe and approaches Kassarelia. Odelo tells Warren that Elischa kissed him and says that Warren needs to try harder with Martina. Uso patrols the skies in the V2 Gundam and thinks to himself that Muller could have survived if the cease fire had been signed just five minutes earlier. He holds her helmet and wishes that she didn't have to come back to Kassarelia like that. Uso flies ahead to check out several Overhead Hawks, but they don't attack. After landing, Marbet tells Uso that when he returns from Kassarelia they have orders to occupy the Largane base that the Yellowjackets abandoned. Shakti and others find two hovercraft and mostly everyone gets aboard. Warren asks Martina to come along, but she says she isn't used to the area yet. Nearby, Mathis Walker's Zolo squad watches the White Ark in hiding. Mathis tells his men that the cease fire was signed by the Zanscare and the Federation, so it doesn't apply to rebels like the League Militaire. He wants to destroy the Gundams to avenge the Largane base. The hovercrafts fly by, and Mathis listens to Shakti singing. He thinks that it's a peaceful song and looks at a picture of his wife and children. Everyone stops at Shakti's house and sees that the field has overgrown after being unattended for so long. It begins to rain water and fish, but Uso sees that it's not rain. The White Ark activated its beam shield near a lake, sending the water and fish flying. Uso runs to his garage and gets his para glider. He jumps off of a cliff and heads for the White Ark. Marbet sees Uso approaching and knocks the V2 Gundam off the ship so that Uso can get inside. He ends up crashing into it, and they both fall into the lake. Uso quickly emerges from the water and destroys a Zolo. Tomache launches in his Gunblastor and crashes into the ground. Marbet goes out in her Victory Gundam and pics up the hovercraft with Odelo and the others. Mathis follows her with his Zolo Kai and hopes to lead her into a trap that he's set up.

Uso sees that Marbet is in danger and tries to help her, but he is attacked by several Zolos. Marbet lands the hovercraft on the White Ark and gives Odelo a boost so he can get to his Gunblastor. Marbet tells Uso not to be careless, and he says they look weak. Marbet tells him that an enemy fighting his hardest will often display strength beyond his abilities. Tomache rejoins the fight and slices the legs off a Zolo. He and Uso shoot at another Zolo and set off its reactor. The Zolos escape through the dust cloud, and Tomache follows them. Mathis calls his other men for reinforcements, and Tomache destroys a Zolo's Bottom Terminal. He then suddenly finds himself surrounded by Zolos and is attacked with barrages from beam rifles and missiles. His Gunblastor is damaged, but he manages to escape. Uso sees that the Zolo pilots are fighting as hard as he was when he tried to destroy the Motorad fleet. He lands on the ground and spreads his wings of light to maximum power. As the Zolos fly through the wings of light, the Minovsky particles contained in the wings cause the Zolos to lose power and crash. Mathis flies around for a kamikaze attack against Uso. Marbet rushes in and destroys Mathis' Bottom Terminal. Mathis attacks Uso, and Uso sticks his beam saber in the Zolo Kai's head. Mathis tries to stab Uso with his beam saber, but Uso holds him back as he crashes into the White Ark. Mathis tells Uso that if the League Militaire hadn't come to Kassarelia his daughters could live in peace. He says that after hearing Shakti's song he wanted to make the place his hometown, and Uso says there is no reason to fight. He gets out of the V2 Gundam and goes over to Mathis' cockpit. He grabs Mathis' picture and drags the wounded pilot out of the cockpit. The Zolo Kai falls away and explodes, and Mathis dies in Uso's arms. Afterwards, everyone sets up graves for Muller, Oliver, the Shrikes and Mathis. Uso asks Shakti to sing her song for Mathis, and Marbet prays at Oliver's grave. Uso begins to cry at Mathis' grave and holds Karlmann.

Well, it looks like with this episode we're back where the series started. So much has happened since the beginning though. Here we're introduced to Mathis Walker, another sympathetic enemy pilot. Though he appears in only this episode, he's probably one of the most sympathetic enemy pilots that Tomino has featured in any series so far. Mathis is a family man, and he wants to raise his family in peace. He just happens to be on the wrong side of a pointless war. Despite the fact that Uso hates the Zanscare for killing his mother, he is able to put aside his hatred and try to save Mathis. It's not something most other pilots would do.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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