Athrun finds the military command center in chaos as many reports come in from Alaska. He goes to his father’s office and finds him giving orders to arrest anyone connected to Siegel or Lacus Clyne. The officer objects, and Patrick says that Siegel is the traitor who gave the Alliance the true target of Spit Break, while Lacus helped a spy. Athrun can’t believe it, and Patrick shows him a video of Lacus helping Kira steal the Freedom Gundam. Patrick tells him that she is no longer his fiancé. He orders Athrun to take the Justice Gundam and eliminate anyone connected to the theft of the Freedom Gundam. He tells him that if he can’t recover it then it has to be destroyed because it has an N-Jammer Canceler. At the mobile suit factory, Athrun tells Yuri that he can’t believe ZAFT is using nuclear power again. Yuri says they developed the N-Jammer Cancelers to help quickly end the war, but if the Naturals get it then they can start using nuclear weapons. He also says that with so many people sacrificing themselves for the cause, he can’t understand why anyone would betray them. Athrun apologizes for Nicol, and Yuri says it isn’t necessary since Athrun already took revenge for Nicol. On Earth, Murrue and the crew leave the Archangel to see Kira. Some find it hard to believe if he’s alive and wonder if he’s a ghost. Mu asks him if he went to ZAFT, and Kira says he did but he is not a part of ZAFT or the Alliance now. Murrue asks him about the Freedom Gundam, and he says it doesn’t need any repairs now because it has an N-Jammer Canceler. They ask him about it, and he says if they try to get any data he will stop them, even if it means fighting them. He says it is part of his responsibility since he was entrusted with the Freedom Gundam. At the PLANT, Athrun goes to the Clyne mansion, which was ransacked during the search for Siegel and Lacus. As he walks through the garden, pink Haro jumps out. He looks at a white flower and recalls Lacus telling him about the first theater she publicly sang in. He grabs pink Haro and runs away with it.
On the Archangel, Kira discusses what happened with everyone. Mu says that the Alliance knew the target was Alaska all along, and they also knew for a long time to have the chance to install the Cyclops System. Kira remembers what happened on the PLANT and says that people in ZAFT didn’t know about Alaska either. Kira asks Murrue what she will do, and Neumann suggests going to Panama. Murrue says if they do go, they will all be arrested and executed for deserting in the face of the enemy. In her office, Murrue discusses the situation with Mu, and he suggests going back to Orb. He says she has no desire to go back to the military, and she says if they go there it is definitely desertion. He also says that Kira has changed, and she agrees. Kira returns to his quarters and finds the box with his things there. Sai comes in with Birdy, and he says he is glad that Kira’s alive. Kira asks what happened to Flay, and Sai tells him that she and Natarle were transferred at Alaska. Sai says that he feels miserable every time he looks at him because they’re different. Kira says that while he can do things Sai can’t, Sai can do things he can’t. At the PLANT, Athrun arrives at an abandoned concert hall where Lacus performed in the past. He goes inside and finds her singing on the stage. He asks her why she helped a spy, and she answers that all she did was give the Freedom Gundam to Kira because he needed it. Athrun points a gun at her and says that’s a lie because he killed Kira. Lacus explains that Kira survived and was brought to her by Malchio. She asks Athrun if he fights for medals or to follow his father’s orders. She says if he does, then that makes them enemies. Just then, secret agents in black suits surround them at gunpoint and demand that Athrun hand over Lacus. He refuses, and men hidden behind the seats shoot the agents. Athrun and Lacus hide behind a stage, and a secret agent trying to shoot them is killed by DaCosta, who was formerly Andy’s right hand man. Lacus tells Athrun that Kira is on Earth and he should go down there and speak to him. Athrun returns to the mobile suit factory and launches in the Justice Gundam to head to Earth.
Given the hectic battles of the last two episodes, we get a bit of a break. Kira has returned to the Archangel, but he’s changed. It’s like he’s finally accepted his role in the war and his desire to end it. The Archangel is technically now a renegade ship since they left the battlefield, and now they’re taking on the Alliance. Also, Patrick is running ZAFT with an iron fist. He has Siegel branded as a traitor, but it’s quite obvious that it’s Rau, because Siegel didn’t even know about Spit Break’s true objectives. Athrun is forced to confront his reasons for being in the war, and I think he realizes that he doesn’t know what he’s been fighting for up to now. Also, there’s a surprise appearance by DaCosta, who in the past was Andy’s second-in-command in Africa.
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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