Review by Chris

September 13, 2002

Karaba plans to attack Dakar from the north and south, and the Argama will be part of the attack. The entire Gundam Team launches and travels through the desert to reach Dakar from a different direction. In a small town, 'Desert' Rommel is informed that Mineva Zabi has arrived in Dakar and that the AEUG and Karaba are planning an attack. Rommel wonders if the White Base will attack and thinks about the Gundams he's been hating for eight years since the One Year War ended. Rommel sends out the message for his men to report for duty. One man named Niki brings his wife and son along, and Rommel slaps him. Niki's wife asks Rommel not to send her husband to fight, and Rommel tells Niki to discipline his family. After the men are gathered, Rommel gives them a speech and talks about the hard life they've lived for eight years while waiting to resurrect the Principality of Zeon. He says that since Mineva is here now they must show their loyalty to her. Rommel leads his men in cries of 'Sieg Zeon!'. The men prepare their mobile suits for action, and Niki launches in a Desert Zaku to scout out the area the Gundam Team is in. Elsewhere, the Gundam Team stops because too much sand is getting inside the mobile suits. Everyone wants to drink some water, but Ple has locked herself inside the Mega Rider to take a bath. Judau takes Zeta Gundam and decides to search for an oasis. Ple sees that Judau is leaving and follows him with the Mega Rider. Niki takes pictures of them and takes them back to Rommel. Rommel launches in his Dowadge Kai and is joined by his officer Karahan in a Desert Zaku for the attack on the Zeta Gundam. As Judau and Ple fly through the desert, Rommel and Karahan ambush them from within the sand. Rommel attacks Judau with his heat tomahawk, and Judau fires missiles at Karahan. He breaks away from Rommel and wonders where he has vanished to.

Judau shoots at Rommel and Karahan, but his beam rifle runs out of energy. Ple pilots the Mega Rider and shoots the mega particle cannon at them so that Judau can escape. Elsewhere, everyone else decides to start moving so that they can find Judau. Rommel and his men hide their Desert Zakus in the sand to prepare another ambush. Judau and Ple change direction and spot the rest of the Gundam Team. Niki ambushes Judau by throwing grenades at him. Ple gets into the Mega Rider, and Judau transforms into Waverider mode to chase Niki. Niki panics and wonders what Judau will do, so he decides to lead him to where Rommel has set up the ambush. As they approach, Rommel's squad begins firing missiles despite the fact that Niki is still there. Though he tries to dodge them, Niki is hit by a missile and is destroyed. The Gundam Team rides on the Mega Rider and chases Judau to catch up with him and help out. Rommel and his men emerge from the sand and attack. Rommel knocks Judau down, but Iino shoots at him with Double Zeta's beam rifle. Beecha attacks with the Hyaku Shiki and destroys a desert Zaku, while Elle attacks with the Mk II and Mega Rider. Rommel watches in horror as the Gundam Team wipes out his entire squad. Judau gets out of the Zeta Gundam and tells Rommel there's no point in fighting anymore. Rommel can't believe that after eight years of planning his men were all killed by a kid. Rommel begins a suicide run, and everyone starts shooting at him. He tries to attack with his heat tomahawk, but Judau drives his beam saber through Rommel's Dowadge Kai. Judau tells Rommel that he was rash, and Rommel can't believe that after all his planning he's being called rash. Judau breaks away just as the Dowadge Kai explodes. The Gundam Team continues its trek through the desert, and Niki's wife and son cry as they watch the burning field of ruins where he died.

This episode features some interesting battles and picks up on some elements from the original series. After the One Year War ended, fighting still continued in Africa with Zeonic forces that refused to surrender. Many of them have dug themselves into the desert and hide, such as Rommel or the group of Zeons seen in Gundam 0083. Rommel and his men have led hard lives in the desert, and he seems eager to join with the Neo Zeon. However, their outdated One Year War-era weaponry is no match for the Gundam Team. Also, there was one thing weird about Rommel. He wondered if the White Base was going to attack Dakar, but he was able to correctly identify the Zeta Gundam. Did he know that the White Base was destroyed years ago, or did he mean the Argama but didn't know its name? Well, either way it doesn't matter since he's dead.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

<<back to Gundam ZZ episodes