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Gundam Wing G-UNIT Vol. 2

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Summary

Roga can’t believe the news that Dr. Berg is a spy, but Lucille explains that he was the one responsible for the transmissions to OZ Prize. Tricia wonders why someone as smart as Dr. Berg would leave behind the plans for G-UNIT upgrades, and Roga wonders if it’s another trap. On the Granshirio, Dr. Berg gives Silver Crown permission to launch in the Gundam Aesculapius because he’s disappointed with Roche’s performance. At MO-V, Odin launches in the Gundam Geminass equipped with a space booster unit. Odin fires his beam rifle, but Silver Crown dodges and knocks the rifle out of Odin’s hand. Odin assumes that the pilot of the Gundam Aesculapius is Roche, and he’s shocked when he sees the face of Silver Crown on his screen. As they continue to fight, Odin feels that Silver Crown’s piloting style is familiar. He activates his PX system and charges in with a beam saber attack, but Silver Crown slices off his left forearm. Odin knows that only he and Odel can use the PX system, so he realizes that Silver Crown must be his brother. Odin stops and tries to contact Silver Crown, but Silver Crown ignores him and cuts off his left leg at the knee. Roche suddenly appears in his Leo-S and orders Silver Crown to stop because he wants to take out Odin himself. Odin asks Roche who Silver Crown is, and Roche offers to tell Odin if he can beat him. Roche and Silver Crown escape and return to the Granshirio. Aretha reports to Broom that they can’t contact the Romefeller Foundation, and Kratz tells Broom they might as well enjoy the assaulting MO-V. Dr. Berg is annoyed with OZ Prize and believes they’re nothing but rich and untalented fools. They don’t realize that he is the one blocking their transmissions to Romefeller. He believes that Duke Dermail’s days are over now that he has named Relena Peacecraft as Queen of the World Nation. At MO-V, Dick and the other engineers work to convert the Gundam Geminass to the upgraded Gundam L.O. Booster. Odin tells Lucille that he doesn’t think he can win because he suspects that Silver Crown is Odel. Roga sends out a transmission to the Granshirio and requests permission to evacuate the civilians. Roche grants his request, but Kratz says to himself that Roche is a fool.

Four space shuttles launch from MO-V carrying civilians. Odin wonders if they can trust OZ Prize, but Roga says they have no choice because the civilians are it risk whether they stay or go. As the shuttles fly away, Silver Crown approaches in the Gundam Aesculapius and orders them to return to MO-V. Odin says that Silver Crown can’t be Odel now, and he launches in the Gundam L.O. Booster. When he reaches Silver Crown’s position, he tells him to let the shuttles go. Silver Crown calls Odin a fool, and Odin tells him to look out behind him. Roche approaches in his Leo-S and yells at Silver Crown for defying his orders. He tells Odin that he will keep his word and allow the civilians to leave. Roche prepares for a fight with Silver Crown, but Silver Crown says it’s not worth fighting him. Broom and Kratz arrive with their Leos, and Broom tells Odin that the Stardust Knights will keep their word. As soon as the shuttles resume flight, two of them are destroyed by Hydra Gundam pilot Valder Farkill. As a high-ranking pilot within OZ Specials, Valder is known by the nickname “Dark General of Destruction.” Kratz says that Valder will lead OZ Prize in a new direction away from Roche’s foolish knight games. Broom calls Kratz a traitor and says that this is not how OZ Prize operations. Valder pulls out a beam saber and slices Broom’s Leo-N apart. Odin realizes that the situation isn’t good and has to do something to protect the remaining shuttles. He aims his beam rifle at Valder and vows to take him down. Valder laughs at Odin and tells him he must have a death wish.

Odin fires at Valder and sets off an explosion, but Valder appears from above and attacks. Odin dodges Valder’s attacks and sees that he can’t afford to let Valder get close to him. Odin fires his thrust beam cannon, but Valder uses the Hydra Gundam’s high output mode to dodge the blast. He then flies by Odin and heads in the direction of the remaining two shuttles. Odin chases after him, but Valder destroys the two shuttles and flies off. Roche asks Kratz where Broom is, and Kratz tells him that Broom was executed by Valder. Kratz tells Roche that his games of knighthood are over and stabs his Leo-S in the torso. Odin tries to chase after Valder, but Silver Crown blocks him. He tells Odin that he’s no match for Valder and couldn’t him even with the PX system. He also tells Odin that if he wants to live he’ll leave now. Odin reluctantly agrees and escapes along with Roche’s damaged Leo-S. Kratz asks if he should go after Odin, but Valder tells him to let Odin go. Roga can’t believe he’s made such a major mistake that cost so many lives, but Tricia tells him they have to plan their next move. Odin asks Dick to raise the PX system’s limit, but Dick says if does that it’ll kill Odin. He says he’ll tweak it a bit, but he tells Odin that to use the PX system properly he’ll have to train his body too. Roche wakes up in the medical bay and finds Lucille watching over him. Odin, Roga and Lon walk in, and Roche asks Odin why he brought him back. Odin says he couldn’t let him die, and Roche says he wishes he had. He tells Roga he’s no good as a hostage now that Valder is in charge of OZ Prize. Lon is shocked by the news and explains to the others that Valder is an elite pilot who was a member of Zechs Merquise’s unit and scored more kills by himself than the entire unit. Elsewhere, Silver Crown tells Valder that he wants to crash a resource satellite into MO-V to destroy it. Kratz thinks it’s crazy, but Valder allows him to proceed. Silver Crown tells Aretha that if she wants to see Roche alive again she’ll help him. With the thrusters attached, Silver Crown begins Operation Pandora and sends the asteroid on a collision course with MO-V. Odin launches in the Gundam L.O. Booster and heads for the satellite to reprogram it. Aretha calls him from inside the asteroid and tells him that he’ll have to come inside the asteroid to find out the truth. On MO-V, Tricia reports that they’ve lost contact with Odin.

Odin explores the interior of the resource asteroid and discovers the transformable Gundam Griepe. Aretha tells him that the asteroid and Gundam Griepe are a gift from Silver Crown to help in the fight against OZ Prize. The asteroid stops, and Valder appears behind Silver Crown and attacks him. Valder accuses Silver Crown of being a traitor who was never with OZ. Odel responds that he worked within OZ Prize to find a way to save his people. Valder attacks, and Odel sees that he might have to escape. He activates his PX system and escapes, but Valder chases after him. At MO-V, Tricia detects that one of two incoming mobile suits has a PX system. Lucille realizes that it must be Odel and that he’s being chased by OZ Prize. Odel retreats to the resource asteroid, and Kratz joins in to help Valder. Valder hits the Gundam Aesculapius, causing Odel to crash into the asteroid. Valder and Kratz move in for the kill, and Odin suddenly smashes out of the asteroid in the Gundam Griepe. Kratz attacks with his beam lance, but Odin slices his arms off. He tells Kratz to back off because he’s not used to his new Gundam yet and might hurt someone. Valder sees that this was the true objective of Operation Pandora, but he tells Odin that when Pandora’s Box was opened it unleashed evil upon the world. Odin says that it also unleashed hope, and tells Valder he’ll make him pay for killing all those civilians. Valder fires at Odin, but Odin blocks with his reactive shield. Odin retaliates with his buster mega particle cannon and shoots through the asteroid, but Valder dodges the attack and escapes with Kratz. Odin wants to chase after them, but Odel tells him not to. He apologizes for everything that has happened, and Odin tells him it’s nothing. The two return to MO-V, and Tricia is happy to be reunited with Odel. Aretha visits Roche in the infirmary, and he tells her that he’s glad she’s come. On the Granshirio, Valder is informed that the lunar base is sending him 48 mobile dolls as per his request.

Commentary

The second volume picks up right where the first one left off. The mystery of Silver Crown is no mystery to anyone, and it’s obvious that Odel was fighting in a way to cause minimal damage to Odin. With Odel’s departure, Odin is left as MO-V’s only defender, which forces him to grow up and improve his skills. Things change when elite pilot Valder Farkill arrives and kills a whole lot of people. It’s hard to believe that someone as amoral as him would be a mobile pilot under Zechs. Roche is left for dead, but Odin saves his life. Cast out from OZ Prize, Roche doesn’t really have anything to fight for anymore. As is always the case with Gundam, it’s time for mid-series upgrades. Odin’s Gundam Geminass is upgraded to the Gundam L.O. Booster, but on top of that he gets the new Gundam Griepe. With 48 mobile dolls on the way, it’s not going to be an easy fight for the Bernett brothers. The end of the story also features more SD strips. This selection branches out to include characters from the original series as well as Gundam 0080 and Gundam 0083.

Overall Rating
3.5/5

G-UNIT Info

Writer:
Koichi Tokita

Artist:
Koichi Tokita

Mechanical Designer(s):
Koichi Tokita
BEE-CRAFT

Format:
3 volumes

Manga Release:
Japan 05.01.1997 – 03.01.1998
U.S. 12.10.2002 – 04.08.2003

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