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Episode 3 - The Changing World
This episode picks off immediately where episode 2 left off, with Graham challenging Setsuna’s Exia with a Union Flag mobile suit. As Graham gets overzealous, Setsuna luckily manages to disarm the Flag of its plasma blade. Graham quickly dodges Setsuna’s attacks, and counters by firing the Flag’s linear rifle at the Exia. With his GN Sword not helping him finish the job, Setsuna pulls out a beam saber and destroys the linear rifle. Graham is shocked and makes his escape without taking damage to the Flag, while a frustrated Setsuna doesn’t pursue.
A few clips were then shown summarizing the first two episodes before it shifts over to the Union ship. Graham and Katagiri discuss the fight, noting that while they lost they still collected some data on the Gundams. Graham talks about trying to understand Setsuna better by fighting him. The Exia’s signal is lost, and we see Setsuna pondering about identity the Flag’s pilot.
Meanwhile, JNN reporters and writers were working on the double, trying to find any tiny bit of information on the Celestial Being. Some more information about Aeolia Schenberg (the creepy guy from the CB video) is revealed. He appears to be a developer of the solar powered generator and a famous inventor. The mystery of how he is still around 200 years after his death is still puzzling for everyone, especially with Schenberg’s bloodline vanished. Nations around the world wonder where the Celestial Beings are getting their funds.
At the HRL orbital elevator, the Gundam Meister team gathers around waiting for Setsuna to show. Tieria was set to return to space to recharge the Virtue, while the other three were to perform the next mission. Tieria openly states that he has his doubts about the mission, an obvious shot at Setsuna. Lockon, being the happy-go-lucky guy, cools off the discussion when an order for milk was delivered. Setsuna is confused, and Lockon pokes fun at the fact that Setsuna was the youngest member on the team.
The team once again discusses their plans. Allelujah speaks a little too loudly, and Setsuna quickly shuts him up to avoid leaking information. The team splits, with Lockon, Allelujah, and Setsuna going off to perform their mission as Tieria goes off into space. Tieria seems relieved that he is returning to space. As the Meisters leave, the HRL’s commander Sergei Sirnov arrives on Earth to see the damages done to Sri Lanka.
Off at Union headquarters, Graham and Katagiri are being debriefed. They are then given new orders and are transferred into the newly formed “Anti-Gundam Defense Force” under Professor Raife Aifman.
Focus then shifts to Saji and his girlfriend Louise in class. Afterwards, they discuss their classes, lives, and relationship before walking off.
Cut to another location, a restaurant this time with Wang Liu Mei enjoying a soft drink. A man who had no more than 30 seconds of screen time in the previous episodes greets her, and they apparently discuss Celestial Being’s next plans. Hong Rong watches from afar before another suspicious person diverts his attention.
Union HQ is shown again as Graham and Katagiri discuss a way to mimic GN particle technology as well as ways to steal a Gundam. Graham suggests taking one when the pilots are asleep, when Professor Aifman shows up. An announcement is made that the Gundams are on the move, and Aifman convinces Graham not to head out.
At South Africa, the Gundams are laying waste to the defenders of a mine in Ireland. Lockon demonstrates his boredom as he effortlessly shoots down several Workloaders as if he was playing a video game. Allelujah then shows up to level the place with bombs. During the meantime, Setsuna takes out Tierans at a location close to Sri Lanka, apparently acting as a diversion. After asking for a Tieran, Sergei shows up in a High-Mobility Tieran to battle the Exia. Setsuna struggles for a bit before disabling the HM Tieran quickly. The battle ends shortly afterwards.
The Virtue is then seen in space as it re-docks to the Ptolemaios for recharging. Tieria remarks that he likes space a lot more than Earth, and asks about the status of the mission. Sumeragi replies that the mission was a success and invites him to celebrate with the rest of the crew, an invitation to which Tieria bluntly turns down.
Back with Saji, it is revealed that his next door neighbor is none other than Setsuna himself. Louise gives Saji a call and tells him to turn on the news. Ireland’s two halves have signed a treaty, forming an alliance against the CB. Saji watches and comments that the world was changing.
Thoughts:
It wasn’t a bad episode by any means, but it is beginning to seem like the writers are trying to cram too much into one episode. The apparent A.D.D. effect of the episode kept changing the spotlight on different characters every minute or so, and it got rather confusing after awhile. Of course, it did serve its purpose of revealing a little bit more of the plot and the technology of the time, especially a glaring weakness for a seemingly invincible Gundam Team.
With very little action in the episode, we see more character personalities. Lockon is the apparent joker of the group, while Setsuna is still rather quiet. Allelujah is shown to have a rather big mouth when he ran the risk of leaking secret information. Tieria just showed how much of a Char he was for making his pro-space comments.
After all of this, I honestly thought that more could have happened in the episode. There was a lot of talking, but in the end we got very little from it besides a few revelations. We finally see who might be the Celestial Beings’ real leader in the form of the red-suited man talking to Wang Liu Mei. We also see that Graham and Sergei can hold their own against Gundams for a short period until their weaker technology screws them over.
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars.
