By On Saisei, McMurdo tells Mikazuki and Hush that Teiwaz can’t offer any help because the Turbines have been labelled an illegal organization by Gjallarhorn. He’s surprised to hear Mikazuki say he’ll pass the news along to Orga, and Mikazuki explains he can see in McMurdo’s eyes that nothing will change his mind. Naze calls McMurdo and declares that he wants to return his Sakazuki cup and disband the Turbines. He asks for one last favor, but McMurdo preemptively agrees to take in all his girls and give them jobs on teams he controls directly. Orga is furious that McMurdo won’t do anything to help Naze and wants to do something himself, but Merribit cautions him that taking action will get them into the same trouble the Turbines are in. Shino and Akihiro join the conversation and ask where the Turbines are. Merribit explains that they’re near a relay station outside the range of the Ariadne, so she assumes he wants to let non-combatants escape there. Shino volunteers himself and Akihiro to go rescue the Turbine girls on the premise that they’re helping civilians and not fighting Gjallarhorn. Merribit disagrees, and Shino explains that he and Ride can travel with Kutan boosters, while the Gusion Rebake can use a new booster pack; all of which Yamagi is already working on. Orga bows and asks them to save Naze for him. Isurugi informs McGillis that it’s almost time for Iok to start his operation against the Turbines, but McGillis states there’s nothing they can do to help. He asks Isurugi about contacting their comrades and comments that they’ll do what they should do. With all preparations complete, Shino, Akihiro and Ride take off at high speed from Mars orbit. At the asteroid relay station, Lafter and Azee supervise the evacuation of the non-combat ships. Naze tells his bridge crew that he intends to operate the Hammerhead alone and serve as a decoy to buy time for the escaping ships. The Gjallarhorn fleet arrives and launches its mobile suits, and Iok dispatches Dainsleif teams to the rear. Julieta asks why he’s using so much force against a small enemy, and Iok answers that one should strike every enemy with all their might. Azee and Lafter want to help in the fight, but Naze orders them to protect the escaping ships. Amida decides to stay behind and help Naze, and Azee and Lafter launch in their Hekijas. Naze takes the helm of the ship as Amida launches in her Hyakuren. She knows Naze intends to take all the blame himself and protect his girls and Tekkadan, but she can’t let him fight alone. Atra wonders if the Turbines will be OK, but Mikazuki knows that Orga will do something. Orga hopes that his people will make it to Naze in time.
Iok orders the mobile suits forward, and they report that the Hammerhead has fired a signal flare to request a cease-fire. Julieta asks Iok what he’ll do, and he answers that although the mobile suits reported a signal flare, he didn’t see any such thing himself, and none of his men counter him. He orders the Dainsleif teams to move to the front and fan out before firing. The spear-like rounds hit some of the retreating Turbines ships and inflict heavy damage. Amida singlehandedly takes on multiple Graze Standard Types, and Naze realizes they’re being attacked with the illegal weapons he was accused of transporting. He fires smoke missiles to confuse Gjallarhorn, but a second round of Dainsleif shots hit more Turbines transports. A crew member suggests converting the bridge to combat mode, but Iok wants to project confidence. Julieta decides to launch in the Reginlaze Julia, even though she has no interest in the operation. Turbines girls attempt to evacuate from their damaged ships in launches while Azee and Lafter help hold off Gjallarhorn. The Hammerhead heads into the smoke cloud, and Amida is attacked by Julieta when she emerges from the cloud, so she goes back in. Azee and Lafter are unable to keep up with the overwhelming enemy numbers, which are deliberately targeting emergency launches. A Graze targets Lafter and is destroyed by Akihiro. Shino’s Gundam Flauros and Ride’s Shiden Custom also arrive to provide back up. Akihiro tells Lafter to hurry and save her family, and she says that she’ll squeeze him hard the next time she sees him. Amida manages to deflect Julieta’s attacks, which surprises Julieta. Amida tells her that her movements are good, but monotonous. The Hammerhead emerges from the cloud and fires a surrender signal flare, but Iok refuses to acknowledge it and has all his ships open fire. Amida disengages from Julieta and tries to make a run for Iok’s ship, but Julieta gives chase. Julieta doesn’t understand why Amida won’t stop and why she can’t beat her. Iok has the Dainsleif team fire at Amida, even though Julieta is in the line of fire. Amida takes a mortal wound, but she is able to fire her machine gun before exploding, and one of the rounds cracks the glass on the bridge of Iok’s ship. The Dainsleif team fires again at the Hammerhead, which is on a collision course with Iok’s ship. The Hammerhead broadsides Iok’s ship and crashes into another ship, causing an explosion that destroys both. Lafter and Azee cry in their cockpits as Gjallarhorn retreats. Later, Kudelia cries when she hears the news, and Atra cries in Mikazuki’s arms. Orga cries alone in his office.
Things go from bad to worse for the Turbines in Iok’s idiotic quest for blood. He wants revenge for the deaths of his men on Mars, which is all due to nothing but his own incompetency. And in lashing out like a child, he lets himself be used as a tool to further Jasley’s personal agenda. The situation looks hopeless for the Turbines at the outset, but it’s clear Naze thought he could surrender himself and be Gjallarhorn’s scapegoat so that his girls could get away. But Iok had other plans, obviously. This episode shows what a small man he is by inflicting such needless cruelty on people who are innocent of having done anything to him. What’s worse is that all his toadies stand by and do nothing against his illegal and immoral actions. He clearly wanted to rub it in by using the very illegal weapons that he framed Naze with, and he manages to kill lots of non-combatants in the process. Amida performs very admirably in combat against a technologically superior opponent, showing that skill can go a long way against technology. Although Naze and Amida’s deaths were plainly forecasted in the unsubtle way this series operates, it’s still sad to see them die such pointless deaths to satisfy the impotent rage of a man-child. If only Amida’s bullet had been enough to crack the bridge and suck Iok into space…
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