Gundam Ep. 17: Amuro Deserts

As the White Base travels across the desert, Amuro examines data from the captured Zaku to create new algorithms. Kai says that’s not enough to fight the Gouf, and Amuro explain s he increased the Zaku’s abilities to compensate. Kai relieves Mirai from her post, and she goes to see how Bright’s interrogation of Cozun is coming along. Apparently, Cozun doesn’t believe that Bright is the ship’s commander because he’s so young, and he refuses to say anything. Bright asks him for information on M’Quve, and Cozun calls Bright an amateur. Amuro nearly slips in the hallway, and Kikka tells him that their faucet is broken. He goes inside to fix it and accidentally sees Mirai naked. He quickly fixes the faucet and leaves. Elsewhere, Ramba is given a refurbished Zaku by a Fat Uncle transport plane. He tells Hamon he wants to destroy the White Base so that he can secure a good future for themselves and the soldiers. Cozun is taken back to his cell by Job and thinks that he’s a fool for not doing a proper search. He removes a fake tooth which contains explosives. He destroys the lock and escapes from his cell, and he offers to take Sayla with him. She instead screams out that he’s escaping. At the same time, the ship is attacked by pillboxes from one of M’Quve’s mines. Bright orders Amuro to launch in the Gundam, but Amuro instead launches with Hayato in the Guntank to attack the pillboxes. Hayato wonders if they’ll get in trouble, and Bright wonders why Amuro launched in the Guntank. Amuro and Hayato destroy many pillboxes, and Amuro notes that Gundam isn’t always right for every battle. The base commander calls for help and realizes that the White Base is attacking them. Cozun finds the communication room and calls Ramba. He informs Ramba about the White Base‘s mobile suits, but his transmission is cut. Sayla finds him and chases him. Nearby, Ramba prepares to launch from the Gallop in his Gouf and wonders if Cozun will escape safely.

Cozun continues to run, and the kids use Haro to trip him. Sayla catches up to him, but he gets away again. Ryu launches in the Core Fighter, followed by Kai in the Guncannon. Ramba arrives with two Zakus and attacks the Guntank. Amuro and Hayato destroy attacking Dopps sent to reinforce the mine’s forces. Bright orders Amuro to return to the ship and switch to the Gundam. Cozun reaches one of the airlocks and puts on a jetpack to escape. Sayla can’t open the door, so another soldier uses a bazooka, which blasts Cozun out of the the airlock and kills him. The Guntank returns to the ship, and the Core Fighter is converted to Gundam. Amuro returns to the battlefield to help Kai, who is helpless because of the Gouf’s powerful heat rod. Amuro shoots at Ramba, which blows off half of the Guncannon’s right arm. Amuro manages to get Ramba away from Kai and push him toward the pillboxes. The ship fires its beam cannons at the Gouf and damages it. With his Gouf damaged, Ramba retreats. Bright scolds Amuro for disobeying his orders and not using the Gundam when told to. Amuro says the Guntank is more suitable for attacking bases, and Bright points out that the Gallop and mobile suits joined the battle. He says the chain of command must be respected and that Amuro has to get his act together. Later, Amuro falls asleep in the mobile suit hangar while reviewing his combat data, and Mirai and Bright come into the room. He wakes up and hears their conversation. Bright wants to make Ryu the Gundam’s pilot, and Mirai disagrees. Mirai thinks Amuro should take a rest, and Bright says he doesn’t have time to wait for Amuro to grow up. They notice Amuro is there, and he runs away. He changes to civilian clothes and tells Fraw he’s leaving the ship. Bright is woken up and told that Amuro is stealing the Gundam. Amuro launches and disappears into the night.