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Episode 19 - Bonds
Should be a quick recap this week as there was lots of action and not much to really go over.
We start off where we left off last week as the Exia is beginning to engage the Throne Gundams. The Zwei meets the Exia with it's blade as the Trinity's question what Setsuna is doing since they're suppose to be on the same side. Setsuna replies that they are not allies since the Thrones cannot be Gundams and we hit the opening credits.
We're back and the Exia is continuing it's fight with the Throne's though it's really just fighting Michael in the Zwei Gundam. Johann directly questions Setsuna as to why he's engaging them with Setsuna continuing to state they're not Gundams. Johann then orders Michael to engage as the other Throne's jump into the fight. The Zwei launches it's GN fangs but the Exia uses the seven swords to destroy all but two. Just as they are about to hit and massive beam shoots through taking them out as the Virtue shows up to join in the fight, much to Setsuna's surprise.
Up on the Ptolemaios as they are monitoring the Exia fighting the Throne Gundams. The crew debates if this should be happening and Allelujah wonders if this is all part of “the plan”. They then receive a message from Lockton asking for orders as Sumeragi says that he should stop the fighting if possible but to use his own judgement. Christina then asks Allelujah if he'll launch but he says he'll stay put to protect the Ptolemaios.
Back on Earth as the Dynames is preparing to launch and Lockton is complaining about Setsuna causing trouble. Haro then points out that Lockton didn't really do much to stop Setsuna. Over to Wang Liu Mei as she is informed to what it going on but reveals to Hong Long that she doesn't care as long as war is eradicated from the world. Now we're off to Alejandro Corner as he learns from Livonze what is happening. Alejandro notes that the fight between the Gundams is happening sooner than expected then thinks to himself that they're moving to “stage 3”. A look at Livonze and we see him smiling.
Back to the fight as we see the Virtue and the Exia using tactical maneuvers against the Thrones, must to both Tieria's and Setsuna's suprise that they are working together. Up in space as the crew is mildly surprised that the Virtue and the Exia are working together which makes Sumeragi especially happy. Back to earth that the Eins and Drei attempt to dock and fire on the Exia when the Virtue breaks them up. Just as they pair think they have the Virtue stuck between them, Tieria purges the armor and here come Nadleeh. It them begins to admit an energy field that causes the Drei and Eins (and it even affects the Purple haro) to seize up and cease functioning and fall to an island below. We then learn through Tieria that any unit that uses the Veda system can be stopped by the Nadleeh (using “the Trial system”), and this is it's true power. Tieria then judges the Eins and Drei and not true gundams and their pilots not true meisters and draws a beam saber to move for the kill. Just as he's about to strike as quick flash and see Alejandro smirk as the Trial system disengages and the Throne's just get away. Tieria guesses this is what the blocks in the Veda system that were locked out to him were meant to do. As the Drei and Zwei reform to attack the Nadleeh, Lockton and the Dynames arrive and as Lockton says “it's now 3 on 3, ”. However, before Michael can engage the Dynames, Johann orders the Thrones to pull out. Johann then addresses Lockton by his real name (Niel Dilandy), showing that they have the pilots personal data. Johann then goes to to detail that the terrorist attack that killed Lockton's family was carried out by a middle-east group that Setsuna was/is a part of.
We then see the leaders of the 3 major powers and they discuss among their own parties how to deal with seven Gundams and if they should give into Celestial Being's demands. Each nation then gets a transmission form someone noting that the Gundams are in fact fighting among each other. Off to the hospital and Saji is still with Louise. She then tells Saji that he should head back to Japan because if he continues to stay with her he'll give up his dream. We then get a long flashback to their relationship. Meh.
Over to Kinue and we see she's still investigating when she learns that Lagna referred to Lagna Harvey, president of the linear train industry. Her co-worker notes that Harvey would have the money and the ability to construct and use the orbital elevators to move the Gundams. We also learn that Harvey is a major shareholder in the news company that Kinue works for. She says she won't stop now, especially since she's got a clue.
Back to the island base for the Gundams as Lockton confronts Setsuna about what Johann said. Setsuna says it was true that he was a part of the group, which surprises Tieria given how young Setsuna might have been. We learn that Lockton became a Meister to prevent another terrorist attack like the one that happened to his family. Lockton points a gun at Setsuna and tells him he wants to shoot him and fires at a tree behind Setsuna. We then learn that Setsuna was convinced to join his group by Ali Al-Sarges, the one he faced and got out of his Gundam for. After explain his beliefs Lockton decides that he doesn't have to shoot him though Tieria makes an interesting comment about “is this being human?”.
Off to Africa as the Trinity's discussed what happened with the Gundams and Johann says he'll ask Lagna for directions and notes that they may have to fight the other Gundams again. The episode ends with representatives for the three major powers being taken down in an elevator in a facility in Antarctica that appears to be holding pods(more Gn drives?) or warheads of some sort.
Nimrod's Thoughts – Another great episode this week. It was nice to see the Nadleeh again and learn more about it's abilities. It does look like Tieria would have taken out the Eins and Drei had Veda not been hacked. It also looks like the Trinity's are as unaware as the Meisters as to who did it but it looks as though Alejandro is in on it. Perhaps he and the other observers are making their own play. We also see the Meisters are tied together in more ways than first thought. Finally, what's in the Antarctic? Are those nukes or something more like more Tau/knock-off Gn drives? Looks like next week could be just a good as the past few eps.
