Gundam AGE Ep. 18: Graduation Ceremony Battle

In AG 141, students from Asemu’s school standby inside Tordia’s spaceport after a training session on the colony’s exterior. Big bully Abus wandered off the assigned route and has low oxygen reserves, but Asemu went out on his own and rescued him. Paramedics take Abus away on a stretcher and give Asemu an oxygen mask. Romary asks Asemu if he’s ok, and Shawee asks why Asemu went on his own instead of waiting for the rescue team. Asemu explains that Abus’ oxygen tank was running low, and when Macil asks why he saved a bully like Abus, Asemu answers that he can’t abandon someone he knows he can save. Later, Asemu, Romary and Zeheart visit the club room and find that the mobile suit has been decorated by underclassmen to celebrate their graduation. Romary looks at a board full of pictures from the last year and a half. Asemu asks Romary if she’s going to college, and she tells him that she’s decided to take some time off to think. She asks him about joining the military, which Zeheart is surprised to hear about. Zeheart says Asemu is always doing what Flit says, but Asemu counters that he’s thought about it and wants to help people. Zeheart then says that there are many ways to help people without joining the military, but Asemu says that since they’re at war, being in the military is the best way to protect someone. Shawee and Macil run in and tell Flit that the graduation ceremony is about to begin. After the diplomas are handed out, the principal asks Asemu and Zeheart to come to the stage and speak as class representatives. Abus blocks the path and carries Asemu on his shoulders up to the stage. Asemu stumbles over his words at first and says he’ll never forget his time at the school and wants to thank everyone. Shawee and Macil then start heckling Asemu from the crowd and toss their hats toward the stage, followed by the rest of the class. The festivities are then interrupted when three military police enter the room and climb up to the stage. The lead officer addresses Zeheart and tells him he’s under arrest for violating the Military Secrets Act under suspicion of being a spy. Asemu asks what’s going on, and the officer says Zeheart is suspected of being a spy and possibly a Vagan. Asemu counters that Zeheart isn’t like that, but the officer tells him to shut up. The officers try to arrest Zeheart, but Asemu blocks their path. The lead officer grabs Asemu by the wrist and starts squeezing, threatening to arrest him too. Hiding in the crowd, Daz fires a shot toward the stage and takes Romary hostage. He then tosses her aside as he runs off and is chased by the MPs. Asemu and Zeheart run over to Romary to see if she’s ok. Zeheart asks Asemu if he never thought to doubt him and why he trusts him so much. Asemu says it’s because their friends, which catches Zeheart by surprise. Asemu then picks Romary up in his arms to carry her to the nurse’s office.

Out in the forest, the MPs begin their search for Daz, who has already reached his hidden Dorado and launched in it, followed by the Zedas R on autopilot. Zeheart rides out into a field on his motorcycle and boards the Zedas R. Daz tells Zeheart that he’s going to give the orders to the Dorado team to initiate the plan to take over Tordia. Zeheart rips the carnation off his jacket and comments that he stayed at the school too long. Several Dorados begin firing on Tordia from space, and inside two Adeles led by Woolf’s G-Bouncer head for the area where Daz was spotted. Woolf says to himself that it’s thoughtful of the Vagans to attack just when he’s taken his new job. Asemu sits next to the bed where Romary is sleeping and hears the sounds of battle nearby. Vargas calls Asemu on the AGE device and says he’s sent the Gundam out to the school. An Adele attacks the Zedas R, but its attacks are easily dodged. Zeheart slices the Adele in half and looks at the school, saying he could’ve found what he wanted there, but he can’t forget his duty as a soldier. He comes under fire from the second Adele attacks it, but comes under fire himself from the AGE-1 Normal. Zeheart dodges all of Asemu’s attacks, but he finds that the Zedas R isn’t able to keep up with his X-Rounder reflexes. Asemu attacks with both beam sabers, but Zeheart slams into him and knocks him down. He then puts his sword to the Gundam’s neck and tells Asemu it’s over. He says Asemu isn’t suited for fighting, and Asemu recognizes the voice. They both exit their cockpits, and Asemu asks Zeheart if he’s really a Vagan. Zeheart says it’s fate that they were born in different worlds, and Asemu asks if he was lying all along. Zeheart says they might’ve been able to stay friends, but he has his burden as a warrior. He asks if Asemu has that kind of resolve and can shoot knowing it’s him. He says a kind person like Asemu isn’t suited to fight, and Asemu sees Romary standing nearby. Zeheart then retreats when he spots the G-Bouncer and two Adeles approaching. Romary cries, and Asemu recalls Zeheart’s parting words that he’s too kind to fight.