Welcome to Gundam Plus II, the successor to the original Gundam Plus site.
Episode 4 - Hometown Soldiers
Loran struggles to control and balance his new found mobile suit, still wary of what it can do, and hardly knowing how to use the very basic of controls. He moves down the mountain and begins to search for the enemies.
Meanwhile, just below, the militia attempts to fend off oncoming mobile suits with cannon fire, failing miserably. Dianna's troops are careful only to destroy the cannons because the fields they are fighting in must be used for harvesting crops - though they make it sound as if keeping the fields is more for their sake than anyone else's. From behind, Loran appears in the WhiteDoll, armed with only a beam rifle (which seems to have been damaged from its previous shot). Dianna's troops insist that it must be taken back for research, and arrogantly believe that since it is ill-equipped they can take it on easily. Using smaller mobile suits known as "cute", they surround and circle Loran, while the larger Waldon hangs back a little. Just as Loran attempts to make contact with the Waldon, the Cute's surrounding him use large poles to shock the WhiteDoll.
Loran runs away from this Cute's, straight up to the Waldon, and Dianna's troops realize that WhiteDoll's rifle is damaged, and is most likely useless. It is only when the WhiteDoll goes near the Waldon that we realize how big the Waldon's are: It seems to be at least twice, if not three times taller than the WhiteDoll. Loran pounces, grabbing onto its leg and punching it, not really leaving a mark. As the Waldon attempts to grab it, Loran jumps back quickly, escaping into the trees, the Cute's perusing.
Back at the Heim mansion, Soshie is in her bed, much to the dismay of Sheshika and Sam, as they believe that the house (now a charred and destroyed version of its former glory) is no longer safe. Soshie sits up, wondering if Loran is fighting at that very moment.
Loran stops running and fends off the Cute's with a few kicks, and then picks up the final one and tells them to stop, because he never wanted to fight to begin with; but they say that if he didn't want to fight, he wouldn't have started the mobile suit in the first place. As the Waldon approaches Loran, a plane with Soshie's friend Meishi and her father approaches and fires upon the Waldon, not causing any real damage. As the plane flies away, a band of wagons full of militia men comes out of the fields, hoping to defend the fields.
The Waldon pilot notes that even though the earth people are barbaric and use ancient (and insignificant) weaponry, they have a mobile suit none the less, and to them, it seems to be just made. It is only now that we notice something important: The WalDom and the Cute's do not attack the bands of militia men, and it is because they wish to use weapons as little as possible. Loran even goes as far as to say that Dianna does not allow them to fire on humans.
Dianna's troops retreat and it begins to rain. The Pilot of the Waldon speaks to her commander, pointing out that if they had information on the earth's mobile suit, they would have greater bargaining leverage. Her superior says that they will decide that later, but at the current time, a second space shuttle will be appearing shortly, and that her mission is to protect it. In a remaining Cute suit which had been damaged and unable to move, the Militia men point their guns at the two men driving it, preparing to shoot them, but Loran interferes, saying that they should not shoot POWs.
Back at the castle, Kihel explains to her mother that the machines which had come from the sky have caused the fire, and that her husband (Kihel's father) is dead. Shocked and Pale faced, Kihel's mother straightens and repeats this, as if she were a machine. Kihel goes on to explain that the 'light' from the machines hit the house, and that Mr. Heim was in the fire. Standing up and instantly falling, Kihels mother seems to faint once again from shock.
Back at Dianna's troops' base, we see two planes land, a few mobile suits, and a golden mobile suit carrying three large cylindrical objects in each arm. Standing on the outside of his mobile suit, a man wearing a black jacket with white hair and red sunglasses enjoys the warmth of the rain, and notes that the green earth is their hometown.
In Shoshie's room, Meishi comes to visit, telling Soshie about how Loran used the WhiteDoll to fight, and that every male has joined the Militia to fight. She then asks what her father would say if he found Soshie, the one who wanted to fly an airplane for the Militia, lying on her bed doing nothing. She then says that Soshie should avenge her father’s death, and Soshie, although confused, seems to agree.
Hidden beneath bushes near the Heim home, Loran runs to the house, pulling out the Users manual from WhiteDoll and receiving a notice that a plane is approaching. Noticing that it is a WalDom, Loran goes and finds it, biking towards it, and approaching it with his hands raised, as if surrendering. He announces that he is Loran Cehack, of the Moonrace, and that he was sent two years ago. After confirming this information, the pilot takes Loran back to the base, explaining that the returning space ships and those like Loran all came here to this base together. She says that there were a few fights on the way here, but if they had WhiteDoll (they call WhiteBeard) like the native warriors it would be a lot easier.
Flying high above in a plane, Soshie and Meishi talk about how Shido is looking for the heritage of the "dark history" in order to find more mobile suits like the WhiteDoll. Down in the mines, Shido is in a collapsed mine, evidently uncovering the "dark history" he was looking for, and they desperately attempt to dig him out.
Back at Dianna's base, Loran introduces himself, saying that he was born on November 2328 in the Misan Area, and that after he graduated; he took Flat number two to earth. He tells them that when he was in issan town, he had never heard of Mobile Suits, but at the Adult festival, the WalDom fired its weapon, and the WhiteDoll statue crashed, revealing the Mobile Suit beneath. As he explains that he was absolutely sure that even the Heim mines do not mine enough resources to make mobile suits, he faints, falling down. Sitting him down, they ask Loran if he has heard of the dark history. Loran then explains that Shido explained to him once that they may be able to uncover a universal weapon to prove the dark history.
The female pilot who brought him here (and he has fought twice) then chimes in that she has fought with a mobile suit. Loran confirms that Ralf Grey, the leader, is having the digging continue so that they may find more (if possible).
The leader stands up, and says that Harry and Loran should go together to the Castle. We now see the unidentified Golden mobile suit pilot (Harry) With Loran in a car like vehicle. Harry tells Loran that he hopes that Loran can get more information out of Shido, to which Loran says that it will be no problem. Harry then asks how large the WhiteDoll is, and Loran sizes it up to be about twice as large as a Cute. Harry then says that if that's the case, it should be about the same level as his SUMO (presumably the golden mobile suit he was piloting before). Loran comments to Harry that if Queen Dianna were here, there would be no battles, to which Harry agrees, stating that she has that power. Loran nostalgically remembers how he got a 'good-bye' kiss from her, and Harry says that he Envy's him. (One can only assume this is a real treat.)
Pulling Shido out of the mine, Shido sarcastically comments that he has no idea how many times he has died. Knocking away bits of rock, they notice that the rock isn't hard, but rather sand-like.
Back at the castle, they let Loran go, but before they do, they tell Loran to go back, but not give himself up, because it will make it easier to re-capture the mobile suit with the beard (WhiteDoll). As Loran begins to exit, he runs into Kihel, and says that he has something to tell her, but she tells him hastily that they are short staffed, and need a secretary, so he should stay here until the meeting is over. As she enters into the room, Harry and another soldier both admire how alike she looks to Dianna.
In the mines, Shido, his assistant, and a few miners uncover a circuit which is clearly well beyond their capabilities, and continue digging.
In the negotiation room, Ralf Grey scolds them for being so cold hearted - they state that they will not have to kill anyone else, given they merely hand over the Sunbelt Zone (presumably, north America, where this is situated). Someone of Dianna's side says that negotiations have been open for two years now, and that they wanted to come back for over 2,000 years. As he talks, he is shot by a man sitting next to Ralf Grey, stating that his wife and nephew were killed that night by them. Grey offers himself instead of the Old man, named Inura, and as they shoot him to avenge the death of their comrade, Inura jumps in front of Grey, telling Ralf that he must not die. Harry states that the fighting will be temporarily stopped, and they exit. Loran enters to get Kihel from the room, and as he does so, Ralf Grey interrupts, telling Loran that no matter what it takes to have him learn how to control it, he wants it done. When Loran says that he wants to start a war, Grey looks distraught, saying that he never thought about starting a war.
In the mines, Shido and the others have uncovered a machine, egg-like and green, with long arms, and as they look onward, they notice that they have not found just one, but three of these machines.
Final Thoughts: This episode seems rather confusing. Loran starts the episode fighting Dianna's troops, but for the majority of it, seems to be giving away key information to Dianna's troops themselves. This makes one wonder what side he really is on - but given he didn't give up the location of WhiteDoll; we must assume that he is at least somewhat loyal to Ralf Grey. The negotiations have gone terribly, ending in a death for both sides, but a cease fire seems to have been reached, and Ralf Grey seems to be a man genuinely interesting in the well-being of his people. Add onto this the fact that Loran seems to jump right back to taking orders from him, the discovery of three more mobile suits, and of course the mention of a universal weapon seems to me the most troubling of facts: Is this weapon just more mobile suits, or is it more? What Side is Loran really on? I guess we'll find out soon enough.
