Rau’s CGUE shoots at the Launcher Strike Gundam, but the Phase Shift armor deflects his attack. He then sets his sights on the Archangel, and Natarle has helmsman Neumann dodge his attack and fire missiles. Rau dodges the missiles, and the missiles hit the central axial shaft of Heliopolis and damage it. Kira grabs the Agni impulse cannon and fires at Rau, damaging the CGUE and blowing a large hole into the side of the colony. Rau is surprised that a mobile suit has such a weapon and escapes through the hole. The Archangel lands, and everyone is brought aboard. The bridge crew is surprised that a kid like Kira piloted the Strike Gundam. Mu asks who is in charge, and Natarle explains that nearly everyone was killed, leaving Murrue in charge. Mu asks for permission to come aboard since his ship was destroyed. He then asks Kira if he is a Coordinator, and when Kira says he is, several soldiers point guns at him. On the Vesalius, Athrun works on the Aegis Gundam‘s OS. Rau returns to the ship and watches video of Miguel’s battle with Kira. He tells Athrun and Miguel that the Strike Gundam and the Archangel must be either captured or destroyed. Athrun asks Ades to let him go, but Ades tells him to sit it out because Miguel has a reason to get vengeance. On the Archangel, Tolle says that Kira isn’t an enemy, and Murrue tells the soldiers to put their guns down. Natarle asks what is going on, and Murrue says that because Kira is a Coordinator he was able to destroy a GINN and save everyone. Kira says that he is a first generation Coordinator, meaning that his parents’ genes weren’t modified. Mu says that in the simulations the intended Gundam pilots could barely do more than make the mobile suits move. Heavy missiles are loaded onto the GINNs, and Nicol, Dearka and Yzak wonder what will happen next. Yzak thinks that it’s ridiculous for Heliopolis to consider itself neutral. As repairs begin on the Strike Gundam and Moebius Zero, Kira takes a nap. Kuzzey wonders when Kira could have modified the Strike Gundam’s OS. He also wonders if Naturals can win a war against the Coordinators of ZAFT.
Murrue tells Natarle and Mu that all the citizens have been evacuated to the shelters, which can separate from the colonies like escape pods. Mu asks Murrue what she will do with the kids, and Natarle says they have to stay on board since they saw military secrets. Mu says that there will be a big battle when they leave the colony, and Murrue thinks about using Kira as the Strike Gundam’s pilot. Natarle disagrees and says that a mobile suit can’t be entrusted to a Coordinator kid, and she thinks Mu should be the pilot. Mu says he can’t because Kira modified the OS in such a way that a Natural can’t even handle it. On the Vesalius, Miguel launches in a new GINN along with two others piloted by Olor and Matthew. Athrun takes the Aegis Gundam against orders, and Rau tells Ades to let him go because they already finished the data extraction and it might prove interesting. Murrue asks Kira to pilot the Strike Gundam when they are ready to leave the colony, and he refuses. He says he hates war and that’s why he came to a neutral colony. The N-Jammers are used by ZAFT to block the radio, and Mu knows that an attack is coming. He calls Murrue and says that she will have to be the captain because although his rank is higher, he knows nothing about the ship. Murrue tells everyone to go to battle stations and asks Mu if his Moebius Zero is ready, but he says not yet. Kira tells Murrue she is despicable and launches in the Sword Strike Gundam. The GINNs blast a hole into the colony and fly in, followed by Athrun. The Archangel fires its guns at the GINNs and accidentally damages the colony. Miguel carelessly fires his beam cannon at Kira and damages the colony’s central axial shaft. Kira throws a beam boomerang to slice off the GINN’s leg and then slices it up with his Schwert Gewehr anti-ship sword. The Archangel destroys the other GINN, but its heavy missiles are launched and destroy the central core. Kira and Athrun ask each other what they are doing as the colony breaks apart. Cagalli sits in one the shelters, which separates from the destroyed colony as a life boat. As Heliopolis breaks apart, Kira is sucked into space.
Well, this third episode is pretty much more of the same. Since Kira is a Coordinator, he now has no choice but to be a pilot. Conveniently, Mu’s Moebius Zero can’t fight in the battle, leaving Kira alone to fight. Miguel shows how bad a pilot he really is. He has Kira in his sights at point blank range and still can’t manage to hit him. His stupidity helps destroy Heliopolis, but at least Kira got him. With Heliopolis destroyed, I imagine the Archangel will head for Earth now. At least that’s what they probably will do since they are following the storyline of the original series so closely.
Director:
Mitsuo Fukuda
Writer(s):
Chiaki Morosawa
Hiroyuki Yoshino
Hiroshi Ohnogi
Shigeru Morita
Akinori Endo
Yuuichi Nomura
Akemi Omode
Mechanical Designer(s):
Kunio Okawara
Kimitoshi Yamane
Junichi Akutsu
Character Designer:
Hisashi Hirai
Musical Composer:
Toshihiko Sahashi
Format:
50 episodes (original); 48 episodes (HD); 1 short; 3 compilation movies
Airdates (Original):
Japan 10.05.2002 – 09.27.2003
U.S. 04.17.2004 – 04.15.2005
Airdates (HD Remaster):
Japan 01.xx.2012 – 11.xx.2012
Video Release (SE):
Japan 08.27.2004 – 10.22.2004
U.S. 07.11.2005 – 11.22.2005
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