Iron-Blooded Orphans Ep. 45: If This is the End

Chad and Dante’s Landman Rodis stray from the Isaribi while fighting Graze Standard Types. Isurugi asks McGillis for permission to launch and fight incoming enemy suits. McGillis sees that the Arianrhod Fleet is focusing on his inexperienced younger officers. A squad led by Julieta’s Reginlaze Julia ignores the small fries while heading for their main target. Orga pushes everyone to press on one last time so they can defeat Rustal and achieve their goals. Julieta moves in to attack Hush’s Hekija, but she’s stopped by the arrival of Mikazuki’s Lupus Rex. Rustal’s forces succeed in dividing the revolutionary fleet, and he wants them to press the attack while Julieta’s team focuses on Tekkadan. Julieta destroys a Shiden and orders her team to attack Tekkadan’s ships. Mikazuki fights Julieta, and she recalls Rustal asking her to stop the Lupus Rex as part of his plan. She lands a hit on Ride’s Shiden Custom before returning her focus to Mikazuki and declaring that she’s weak. Mikazuki deploys his tail blade and uses his ultra-large mace to keep Julieta at bay. Akihiro’s Gusion Rebake uses all four rifles to attack enemy forces, although some manage to hit the Isaribi. Chad and Dante return to provide back up, and Isurugi’s Helmwige Reincar arrives with reinforcements. Rustal’s forces retreat, which Liza interprets as a victory for their side. An Arianrhod infiltrator fires a Dainsleif at Rustal’s side as a false flag attack, which gives Rustal the pretext to use the weapon himself in retaliation. Isurugi’s men secure the Graze and find that the pilot has committed suicide by shooting himself in the head. McGillis orders all ships to take evasive action and prepare to counterattack. Julia’s team falls back as the Dainsleif team opens fire on the revolutionary forces. Liza’s ship is destroyed, and the Dainsleif team fires a second round as the Isaribi and Hotarubi try to evade. Shino kicks Ride out of the way to safety, but the Gundam Flauros takes damage from a Dainsleif round. The Hotarubi is also hit, so Orga orders the crew to abandon ship to the Isaribi. Rustal explains to Iok that he’s not attacking the Outer Earth Orbit Regulatory Fleet because it’s acting under McGillis’ orders, and once he’s beaten, they’ll follow Rustal’s orders instead. Rustal wonders what McGillis will do next.

The survivors from the Hotarubi transfer over to the Isaribi, and emergency resupply begins on the mobile suits. Yamagi finds that Shino has broken his arm, and Shino asks if he brought what he asked for. Yamagi objects, but Shino says he has to keep going so they can reach their goal. Chad tells Orga that they could remote pilot the Hotarubi and use it as a shield. Eugene asks what their next move is, and Orga says they haven’t heard from McGillis yet, but he wants to retreat. Everyone objects and says they have no place to go, so they have to fight to the end. Shino walks in and says he can win with his Super Galaxy Cannon. A Dainsleif round was loaded onto the Gundam Flauros, and Yamagi told Shino that he only had one shot. Shino promised to take Yamagi drinking when this was over, but Yamagi thought to himself that Shino didn’t even know how he felt. Shino asks Orga to show them what’s beyond their goal, and Orga asks Mikazuki to be the vanguard for their plan to rush in and take down Rustal. Zack tells Hush and Dane that they’re all going to die, but Nadi points out that there’s no changing their minds once something has been decided. McGillis appears on the battlefield in the Gundam Bael and urges his forces not to give up. Gaelio attacks McGillis with his upgraded Gundam Kimaris Vidar and says he pities the young officers because it’s like seeing himself in the past. Isurugi holds off Gaelio, and Gaelio tries to convince him that McGillis is just using him and doesn’t view him as a comrade. Isurugi counters that his only wish is to see McGillis create the future he wants. As McGillis tries to rally his forces, the Dainsleif team fires another round. The Hotarubi closes in on Rustal’s fleet as a shield for the Isaribi, and Shino prepares to get into position as Yamagi bandages his broken hand to the control stick. Yamagi says he won’t forgive Shino if he dies, and Shino laughs that the Arianrhod Fleet doesn’t scare him the way Yamagi does. Mikazuki and Akihiro fight Julieta’s team as Isurugi battles Gaelio. McGillis returns and engages Gaelio himself. The Dainsleif team fires at the Hotarubi just after it separates and moves forward on its own. The Gundam Flauros stands atop the drifting ship and targets Rustal’s bridge. Julieta launches an attack that hits Shino just as he fires, which sends his Dainsleif round off target. Shino rushes forward in anger and is killed when hit with a barrage of attacks from the Arianrhod Fleet.