Summary

The Gundam EX moves in to stab Solari’s Zaku with its beam saber, but its hit with artillery fire from two Magella Attacks. The Gundam EX jumps away to deal with the tanks, and Solari exits her cockpit and runs over to LeSean’s downed Zaku. She opens his cockpit hatch from the exterior and is relieved to hear his voice. He tells her that his ventilation system was damaged and that he can’t get out. An M61A5 Tank shoots at Solari and an EFF soldier orders her to surrender. She tries to plead with the soldier to let her rescue LeSean, but the tank is destroyed by a Zaku. Kasuga shows up and gives Solari a crowbar to pry open the cockpit and get LeSean out. Kasuga gives LeSean some water to wash his face, and in the distance the Gundam EX continues destroying Zeon units, including attacking Dopp fighters. In the midst of the carnage, Solari tells Kasuga that it’s not safe here and that he should come with them. The three move through the forest while the Gundam EX fights another Zaku. Solari’s group finds a wounded Zeon soldier, and LeSean asks if his unit has any transportation. The four move out and immediately come under fire from EFF soldiers, but Solari and LeSean kill them with their pistols. The group spots a Zebu truck and encounters several Zeon soldiers, including Hailey Arhun. Solari asks for a report and says they need to use the truck to evacuate the wounded soldiers, but Arhun is concerned that they’ll become an easy target as soon as they move. Solari responds that she and LeSean will use two Zaku Tanks to provide cover for Arhun. LeSean points out that the Zaku Tank she wants him to pilot is in bad shape, but she tells him he’ll have to figure it out. Solari tells Arhun that she’ll blow up a fuel truck as the signal for the truck to make a break for brigade headquarters. Solari asks for a volunteer to help her and Ander Heaton volunteers. Heaton moves the fuel truck into position while LeSean tosses the dead pilot out of the cockpit of the damaged Zaku Tank. Kasuga retrieves supplies from a UMRC truck and encounters two EFF soldiers, but Arhun kills them both. Kasuga is upset that she killed him, but she ignores his complaints. LeSean calls Solari and reports that his Zaku Tank is a mess and can only drive in reverse and shoot. Solari pilots her Zaku Tank and attempts to stay clear of the Gundam EX, which is currently engaged with a Zaku. Solari fires on the Gundam EX from behind to attract its attention and bails out of the cockpit. As the Gundam EX moves in to attack, LeSean fires at the fuel truck and blows it up. However, the Gundam EX emerges unscathed and Solari runs over to LeSean’s Zaku Tank.

The Zebu, Jeep and Weasel manage to escape, and in the morning Arhun asks Kasuga if he’s still not talking to her, but he repeats that she didn’t have to kill those soldiers. She tells him that it’s war and you have to kill or be killed, which he says is a typical soldier’s response. LeSean’s Zaku Tank moves through a large field and scares the cows grazing on the grass. Heaton asks Solari how long they’ve been serving together, and LeSean mentions violins and explains that Solari was a famous violin player before getting drafted. The Weasel stops along the road, and a soldier named Derrens reports to Arhun that there’s an EFF roadblock ahead. Kasuga asks what they’re going to do, and Arhun answers that they can’t go back or around, so the only option is to punch through the roadblock. The Weasel accelerates to high speed and opens fire on troops, but is hit by a tank. LeSean rams the Zaku Tank into one of the EFF tanks and opens fire on the other. Solari spots another, so he spins around to blast it. The EFF soldiers fall back, and Heaton tells LeSean that he’s never seen piloting like that. Solari senses another high pitched whine and tells everyone to get out of the Zaku Tank. The three jump down from it just before the Gundam EX blasts it with its beam rifle. The Gundam EX jumps over and targets Solari and the others, but it then comes under fire from two incoming Gouf Customs. Solari and the others attempt to get to the Zebu while the Gundam EX draws its beam saber to engage the Gouf Customs. Arhun tries to push a destroyed tank with the Zebu to clear the road. One of the Gouf Customs attacks with its heat saber, but the Gundam EX maneuvers around and stabs it through the cockpit. The other attacks with its Gatling shield while the Zebu and Jeep drive away. The Gundam EX then beheads the Gouf Custom but doesn’t follow the Zebu.

Commentary

Picking up from the cliffhanger ending of the previous episode, this one is basically a desperate survival tale. In most Gundam stories, the protagonist can always rely on the power of their mobile suit, but what happens when you take that power away? Solari is left with nothing as she and her ragtag group attempt to escape the Gundam EX, which here feels like a slasher movie killer in relentless pursuit. No matter where they try to go, the Gundam EX keeps showing up and causing carnage. The precariousness of their situation is demonstrated in their best weapon being a busted Zaku Tank that can only go in reverse. In hindsight, maybe it would’ve been better to sacrifice that one in the fuel truck trap rather than the fully operational one. We learn that as a civilian Solari was a famous violinist, which is a world apart from where she is now. She might also have some latent Newtype potential since she keeps sensing the Gundam EX’s presence right before it attacks.

Overall Rating
3.5/5

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