Summary

The Gundam EX and GM begin running toward the Zakus, and LeSean is lost in thought about the initial attack that killed Kale and Chubs. LeSean rushes forward in his Zaku and opens fire on the enemy, but the Gundam EX blocks with its shield and returns fire with its beam rifle. Solari’s Zaku fires rockets to dispel an attack from the GM’s beam spray gun. LeSean focuses on the Gundam EX while Solari goes after the GM. Ronet complains that this kind of attention is exactly what he wanted to avoid. Solari helps LeSean fight the Gundam EX while Arhun fires a Weasel’s gun to attack the GM. She jumps out of the vehicle just before the GM fires and destroys it. The Gundam EX blasts off one of LeSean’s shields, but Solari helps him get up. Solari fires missiles at the Gundam EX, but it dodges and knocks her down. She then trades punches with the Gundam EX before grabbing her machine gun and falling back. The GM pulls out a bazooka but is hit by a partially assembled Zaku Cannon. Ronet takes the controls while LeSean attacks the GM from behind. Solari fires at the Gundam and then uses her heat hawk to block its beam saber. The Gundam EX disengages to attack LeSean when he knocks down the GM. Solari covers him and tells him not to pursue the GM after it runs away, but he doesn’t listen and gives chase. Solari loses her right arm, and Ronet fires at the Gundam EX, which returns fire with a bazooka. Ronet jumps out just before the Zaku Cannon is destroyed. The Gundam EX then leaves to assist the GM, which LeSean is still firing on. He cuts into the head with his heat hawk and keeps up the machine gun fire until the Gundam EX slams into him from behind. The Gundam EX prepares to blast him with the bazooka, but Solari attacks it to draw its attention. LeSean keeps up his fire even as the GM’s pilot attempts to bail out. The Gundam EX escapes with the GM pilot just as the GM explodes. LeSean complains that he almost had them, and Solari says killing a defenseless pilot won’t bring back Chubs and Kale. LeSean counters that he was aiming for the Gundam EX and that this was their best chance to take it out. Solari asks at what price, and LeSean says the battlefield isn’t the place to debate mercy. Solari responds that she’s not willing to give up her humanity, and LeSean asks if the Gundam EX was debating mercy when it cut down half their unit. Solari reminds LeSean that their mission is to defend the base, not get revenge. 

Zydos finds Ronet drinking and says they have a lot to do, but Ronet responds that everything is gone now. He says that he failed in his duty to protect soldiers and civilians at a garbage dump. He thinks that many died needlessly for such a miserable place, and Zydos says that for a short time it was their home. He adds that they all lost people, but Ronet has to show everyone that there’s still hope. Zydos says that win or lose, they have to get their young people back home to space. Ronet agrees and thanks Zydos. Kasuga finds Arhun staring into flames and asks if she’s okay. She answers that she’s the only one left from her unit and angrily asks Kasuga if he still thinks they shouldn’t stop the EFF. Kasuga counters that his job is to save everyone on the battlefield, including her, and he hopes that she lives to see what the war has taken from everyone. Arhun angrily fires her machine gun into the air in salute of her lost comrades, and she tells Kasuga that she hopes he finds the peace he’s looking for. Solari kisses her watch and looks at the picture of her family before dismounting from her Zaku. Zydos approaches Solari and LeSean, but Ronet tells him to stay back. He states that by defying his orders and building the new Zakus, Solari brought the attention of the EFF to the recycling center and cost Zeon lives. Zydos steps in and says that Solari and LeSean saved their lives, but Ronet insists that someone has to answer for disobeying orders, so he wants them taken into custody until he can file charges. Two soldiers raise guns at LeSean when he points his pistol at Ronet and angrily complains that he and Solari risked their lives to protect everyone. Zydos tries to deescalate the situation, but Ronet yells that it isn’t a debate and orders Solari to have LeSean stand down before he gets shot. The tense situation is interrupted by the arrival of Maj. Gen. Yuri Kellerne, who asks what’s going on. Kellerne orders everyone to lower their guns and compliments Ronet on building two Zakus from scrap. Kellerne wants the Zakus repaired and rearmed immediately and asks to speak privately with Solari. In Ronet’s office, Kellerne pours drinks and asks if Solari was the one who actually got the Zakus rebuilt. He knows that Ronet lacks the ingenuity to do something like that. Kellerne tells Solari that the war isn’t going well, but he has a new mission for her. She notes that she lost half her unit and is low on supplies, but Kellerne tells her that the new suit she fought is the GM, a mass production unit. He explains that the GM is turning the tide of the war, so they need to examine one and find its weaknesses. Kellerne says that he’s sorry about the losses in her unit, as well as Daltum. He asks Solari what the Gundam EX was like, and she answers that it’s like fighting a shadow you can’t shake off. Kellerne mentions that their spies obtained two command keys that will allow Solari to commandeer a GM. He points to an EFF outpost on a map where GMs are stationed. He comments that if she brings him a nice souvenir, they might be able to get back to space together.

Commentary

Much of this episode is a long battle against the Gundam EX and the GM. While the Zakus are still outclassed by the EFF suits, at least this time Solari and LeSean are better prepared for the fight. It’s not often that the GM is depicted as an actual threat, so this series accomplishes something we rarely see. LeSean is definitely a hothead and demonstrates that not just in battle, but also in the confrontation with Ronet. You definitely know that Ronet is a small-minded and incompetent officer, so it’s a good thing that he was interrupted by the arrival of Kellerne. This series has definitely shown some affinity for The 08th M.S. Team, and that now extends to this crossover appearance by Kellerne. His anime character design doesn’t quite translate perfectly to 3D CG, so he looks a bit out of place compared to all the new characters. Up to now, Solari has spent all of this series running away from the Gundam EX, but now she’s been given a daring mission to capture a GM for the Zeon to study. Such a mission won’t be easy to accomplish.

Overall Rating
3.5/5

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