Iron-Blooded Orphans Ep. 44: The Man Who Holds the Soul

Rustal announces that Gaelio was kept under his fleet’s protection, and he reveals that McGillis conspired to kill Carta and Gaelio and seize control of the Fareed family. Orga asks Liza if this news means everything is ok, and Liza assures him that the old Seven Stars men will bow to the Gundam Bael. Liza says that there are rules only Gjallarhorn understands, and he’ll explain when they meet with McGillis. McGillis tells Mikazuki that he can take a shuttle back up to space. Mikazuki asks how McGillis could get the Alaya-Vijnana surgery as an adult, and he answers that it’s all based on the research they conducted with Ein and the Graze Ein. He explains that the Alaya-Vijnana System was developed by what became Gjallarhorn, which then placed a taboo on the technology, and over time people forgot that it was part of the Gundam Bael. At Gjallarhorn headquarters, McGillis argues to the captured Seven Stars leaders that activating the Gundam Bael makes him the leader, and he demands that they obey him. A struggling Gallus is brought into the room and demands to know if McGillis tried to kill Gaelio. McGillis demands that the Seven Stars leaders hand over control of their ground forces to him. Gaelio meets with Rustal and apologizes for taking so long to decide what to do. Rustal asks for Gaelio’s help in the upcoming battle, and he agrees. Yamazin orders her mechanics to start removing the Gundam Vidar‘s camouflage. Iok meets with Rustal, who criticizes him for his many foolish decisions. He says that Iok’s father was a great man, and people see an image of him when they look at Iok. He comments that McGillis wants to reform Gjallarhorn, but he had to rely on a symbolic image from Gjallarhorn’s history to do so. McGillis visits Almiria, who cries and holds a knife at the ready. McGillis tells her to go ahead and kill him, and she accuses him of deceiving her. She says that she loves him even after all that he’s done and turns the knife on herself, but he blocks her and gets stabbed through the hand. McGillis reminds Almiria that he promised she’d be happy, but she answers that she can’t be happy now. Isurugi interrupts and reports that Lord Baklazan wishes to see him. Almiria tells herself that everything McGillis is saying is crazy, and so is she. Orga calls McGillis and demands to know why they have to fight the Arianrhod Fleet if the plan was a success.

McGillis explains to Orga that the Seven Stars leaders decide to remain neutral, so they have fewer forces now and have to face down Rustal. McGillis says that he’s sending supplies and will be joining them soon for the last battle. Orga tells everyone that they have nowhere to go, so they have to crush the enemy and move forward. The Lupus Rex is loaded onto the Isaribi for resupply, and Yamagi receives some weapons from Teiwaz for the Gundam Flauros. Merribit asks Dexter why he stayed with Tekkadan, and he says that back in the CGS days he made excuses as to why he couldn’t help the boys, so now he wants to do what he can. Merribit feels that there’s nothing she could say to the boys that wouldn’t feel like a lie, so all she can do is stand next to them. Zack argues with Dane and asks how everyone can be so optimistic when fighting such odds, and Nadi says that if there were more people like Zack in Tekkadan, things would be easier on Orga. Julieta tells Gaelio that his face is more handsome than she’d imagined. She notes that he’s using inhuman powers as his strength now, and he tells her not to deny herself in her goal to become stronger for the person she respects. While discussing current events, Eugene says he thinks they pushed Orga into the situation they’re in now by forcing him to make all the decisions. McGillis meets with Orga and states that they’ll fight Rustal in Earth orbit. Orga says that McGillis makes it sound like they would’ve always had to fight the Arianrhod Fleet, and McGillis admits the possibility due to Rustal’s unique position. Orga punches McGillis in the face and says that every Tekkadan casualty is a family member of his. He reiterates that he won’t betray McGillis, but he doesn’t want lives wasted on something that doesn’t make sense. In the mess hall, Shino eats Yamagi’s food and fires everyone up for the last battle. Atra calls Kudelia and says she’s scared of what might happen in the upcoming battle. Kudelia assures Atra that she’s strong enough to keep Mikazuki from leaving them. Atra visits Mikazuki in the cockpit of the Lupus Rex and asks if the battle will be tough, but Mikazuki says it will be easy for him since he can move his limbs while hooked up to the cockpit. Atra starts crying and tells Mikazuki that she loves him, and he hugs her. He says he just felt how precious she is to him, and that he’s never known a life without fighting. He wants to fight so that she can stop crying. Rustal announces to the Arianrhod Fleet that they will defeat McGillis and reclaim the Gundam Bael.