Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Ep. 8: Their Choice

At the Earth House, Nika and Martin explain to everyone the shocking outcome of the incubation party and Miorine’s new company. Chuchu thinks it has nothing to do with her, but Miorine walks in and says that it does. She declares that she’s going to run GUND-ARM out of Earth House and have everyone in it be her employees. Ojelo says not to presume they’re agreeing to anything, but Miorine shuts him up by saying everyone will be paid properly. Suletta apologizes profusely for what Miorine is doing. Aliya asks Miorine what her company is going to do with Gundams, and she responds that she’s going to figure that out now. Later, Chuchu angrily wields a buzzsaw with her Demi Trainer and complains to Nika about why they have to listen to Miorine. Nika is excited about getting to work on the Aerial and thinks that if the company is successful it will prove that Earthians can do as well as Spacians. Ojelo discusses the situation with Martin in class and says everything depends on the salary that Miorine is offering, but Martin nervously states that Gundams and witches are cursed. The teacher scolds Martin for speaking too loudly, and Martin tells Ojelo he’s out. Lilique asks Aliya and Till if they’ve seen Miorine. Elsewhere, Suletta and Miorine visit a Shin Sei satellite office to ask Prospera about the Aerial. Miorine asks if the Aerial is safe, if it can be mass produced, and why it was developed as a Gundam when they’re prohibited. Prospera responds by sending the Aerial’s data to Miorine’s phone. Prospera explains that mass production is impossible right now because they haven’t pinned down the basics of the GUND Format and aren’t ready to collect data. Miorine thinks of Delling’s comment and realizes what he meant. Suletta nervously asks why Prospera said the Aerial wasn’t a Gundam, and she asks if it’s cursed. Prospera removes her cybernetic arm and asks Suletta if it scares her, and she answers that it’s just an arm. Prospera notes that people are afraid of the unknown and attack it, so they view Gundams as forbidden machines. Prospera adds that she did it to protect them, and Suletta cheerfully accepts that answer. On the shuttle flight back to the school, Miorine tells Suletta that she didn’t ask Prospera the most important question: how she can pilot the Gundam Aerial without suffering any physical harm. Shaddiq greets them and asks Suletta if she made up with Prospera, and Miorine interrupts and tells Suletta not to say anything. She adds that Shaddiq is only trying to get info about the Gundam Aerial to help his own company, and Shaddiq counters that Miorine has a lot of work to do because her investors aren’t philanthropists. Shaddiq offers to run the company, but on the condition that Miorine marries him. Suletta wrongly concludes that Shaddiq is in love with Miorine, and Miorine explains that Shaddiq was raised in an orphanage run by the Grassley family, so he’ll do whatever it takes. At Earth House, Lilique tells the assembled employees that they have many decisions to make, and they also have to file the articles of incorporation. Chuchu notes that they have to determine the company’s mission, and Nika adds that they have to prove the GUND Format is safe. Lilique shows everyone the absurdly high cost of developing the Gundam Pharact, and how low the company’s funds are after acquiring the development teams of Peil and Shin Sei. Based on that, Nuno laments that manufacturing suits is beyond their dreams right now. Miorine just wants to create a rosy business plan to spur investment, but Chuchu asks what they’re supposed to sell. Miorine comments that the most obvious thing would be to sell mobile suits as weapons, and Chuchu is all for selling them only to Earthians. Nika doesn’t want Earth to become a battlefield again, and Martin notes that selling only to Earthians isn’t even realistic since they’re part of the Benerit Group. Ojelo comments that he didn’t come to the school to build mobile suits, and even though he loves money, he doesn’t want to profit off killing machines. Till cuts through the debate by saying it should be Miorine’s decision, and she says who cares if if they sell weapons. Nobody is pleased by that answer, so Miorine assigns tasks to everyone while she works out the company’s mission.

Guel silently eats food outside his tent as other students bully him by pouring water on his head and saying they thought this was a trash dump. Shaddiq shows up and asks Guel to join his House, but Guel answers that he won’t grovel before someone too cowardly to duel him. Shaddiq whispers that he didn’t duel Guel because he thought he could leave it to him. Shaddiq leaves a handkerchief and tells Guel to call if he changes his mind. As he leaves, he takes a call from Sarius, who says that he’s sent over some Beguir-Pentes, a Michaelis, and anti-Gundam weapons. Shaddiq states that he has no intention of seizing the Gundam in a duel, and Sarius tells him to do it whatever way he likes, as long as Gundams are erased from the world. After hanging up,  Shaddiq comments that Sarius’ vision is too narrow. In her bed, Miorine watches the video from 21 years ago when Delling announced that Gundams are prohibited. Miorine visits Belmeria at the Peil facility and says she wants to know more about Gundams and the public story of them being cursed. Belmeria says they’re not witches, and she’s been enthralled by GUND’s ideals and imitating what the Vanadis Institute did. Later, Shaddiq visits Miorine in her greenhouse and she asks him if he knows about GUND technology. He answers that Sarius told him about it, and when she asks who he’s groveling to today, he answers that it’s her. He notes that there are customers who want Gundams, and if they can create something as powerful as the Gundam Aerial, people will buy it even without Cathedra’s approval. Miorine assumes that Shaddiq knows about her financial situation, and he suggests working together, as he can offer financial support until she’s on her feet. Miorine asks what’s in it for him, and he answers that Gundams are game changers that will revitalize the stagnant weapons industry. Miorine notes that Sarius is anti-Gundam, but Shaddiq says he can bring him around. Shaddiq recalls the time as children that they submitted a joint plan and were scolded by their fathers, but Miorine doesn’t remember. Shaddiq vows that they can create a better future than their fathers by working together. At Earth House, everyone works on their tasks and some wonder if Miorine abandoned them. Miorine then shows up and outlines two paths to revenue: selling Gundams as weapons, or another path. She then shows them an old video with Cardo highlighting GUND medical technology’s ability to help all of humanity. Miorine wants to pursue this path and complete GUND medical technology and save lives. She doesn’t know if the world will accept this, but she thinks it’s worth a try. Prospera laughs as she wants the ridiculous GUND-ARM promotional video featuring Suletta and the Gundam Aerial dancing. Everyone at Earth House is tired from their hard work, but they feel better about selling medical technology instead of mobile suits. Chuchu comments that lots of people in her town have lost limbs in industrial accidents, so this will help them. Suletta rides on a scooter with Miorine and thanks her for coming up with a plan that helps everyone. She says she’s excited and that this is kind of like joining a club, which is on her list. Miorine tells Suletta to stop when she receives a new notification on her phone. Elsewhere, Grassley House member Sabina Fardin tells Shaddiq that she added new rules to the regulations about student startups requiring verification that new technology is safe. She says that Miorine won’t be able to start her business, and Shaddiq vows that he’ll take over the company and keep the Gundam.