機動戦士ガンダム /Kido Senshi Gundam episode 07
Mobile Suit Gundam – 07

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

As the civilian refugees on board White Base get restless and have to be tended to by various members of the crew, Bright, Kai, Amuro, Reed, and Mirai discuss the situation. Reed wants to be rid of the civilians so they can return to satellite orbit but Bright does not want to abandon the people behind Zeon lines. Amuro feels that with modifications to the Gundam catapult, they could launch the Core Fighter to break through Zeon lines and get to Federation controlled areas and thus get help. His plan is agreed to when word comes out the some of the civilians have taken hostages, including Frau Bow. When Amuro is more interested in his mission than his best friend, Hayato questions this. Amuro explains that there are others who can deal with this problem as his concern is getting the Core Fighter through.

Meanwhile, Garma receives the reports on the new Federation mobile suit and praises Char for surviving as long as he did. Zeon forces detect White Base gaining altitude and this is reported to Garma. Char doesn’t believe that the ship is escaping to satellite orbit but then realizes what is going on and has Dren prepare the Komusai for launch. Char tells Garma that the enemy ship is attempting to make contact with Federation forces. They detect a launch from White Base, which is Amuro in the Core Fighter traveling at a very high rate of speed. Char and Dren launch in the Komusai (the pilot craft for the Musai) in order to intercept the Core Fighter before it has a chance to get a message to the Federation.

Back on White Base, the hostage takers are mostly elderly, so Bright, Sayla, and some others try to defuse the situation. Bright is recalled to the bridge as White Base cannot raise Amuro on the radio and they’ve detected the Zeon launch. Amuro is unconscious due to the G-forces he’s experiencing but comes to just in time to avoid being shot down. Realizing that he has the advantage over the Zeon shuttle, he goes on the attack and damages it. However, Char accomplishes his goal of delaying Amuro so that a squadron of Zeon fighters arrive. Amuro asks for support from White Base, but they can fire no missiles lest Amuro be hit as well. With Amuro in serious danger, Bright orders him to return to the ship.

Seeing that the Core Fighter is returning and having reinforcements from the Gaw carrier, Char orders pursuit. Amuro makes it back into the White Base‘s gun firing range, where it opens up. Sayla directs Amuro to land and transfer to the Gundam, by which his Core Fighter will fold up to fit into the center section of the Gundam. This is successfully accomplished but Amuro is worried about taking the Gundam for a free fall fight. Sayla expresses her belief in his abilities which gives him some confidence and he takes out some Zeon fighters from the hatchway of the White Base.

Seeing that Gundam is about to be launched, Char has Dren take the Komusai to a higher altitude than the White Base where he drops with his Zaku unit. When Amuro hears this, he launches the Gundam, taking out some Zeon fighters and engages in midair combat with Char. Char uses his superior skills to blast Amuro several times, causing him to be warned about taking so many hits in the same spot lest he be destroyed. Bright has White Base launch a missile barrage at Char’s Zaku, forcing him to deal with the missiles while White Base retrieves Gundam before it reaches the ground. Char’s Zaku makes a safe landing where he’s contacted by Garma with new information about Gundam that terrifies Char.

As this is going on, the elderly civilians see they aren’t about to land and aren’t happy. So, they have a sit in on the White Base bridge until the ship lands and they return to Earth. When Amuro arrives on the bridge, the leader of the elderly civilians says he understands the crew have been fighting for them. He wants them to know that his group aren’t being selfish but they are desperate to be on Earth. When they refuse to wait until White Base reaches Federation territory, Amuro snaps and goes off on them, causing Mirai to get him away. The civilians decide to return to their quarters and release the hostages.

Thoughts/Review:

I know that air craft carriers use catapults to launch fighters but the scene of the Core Fighter launching reminded me more of the launchers from the Battlestar Galactica series (old and/or new) only without the narrow launch tube.

Anyway, one of you (I think it was Junior) mentioned that the Core Fighter was actually the center of Gundam and this episode showed that to be the case. I’m still at a loss as to what advantage this gives the Federation mobile suit (I could be just too tired to see it at the moment) but whatever this sectional approach to the Federation mobile suit technology is, it has Char afraid, which surprised me.

I can understand the civilian frustration and desire to return to Earth, a place they thought they’d never walk on again but they are being irrational. If they are Federation citizens and are dropped onto Zeon territory, what will the Zeon forces do to them? Despite the old man’s claim that they weren’t being selfish, Amuro was right — they are being selfish and stupid so why should he risk his life saving theirs if they simply want to throw it away?

Speaking of right, Kai was also right when he had expressed his opinion that the plan was doomed to failure. Of course the way he said it annoyed everyone and eventually angered Bright. Still, they didn’t accomplish their task since Amuro never made it.

While I don’t blame Amuro for turning and fighting Char’s shuttle, I do have to again question Federation weapons. Granted, in the hands of Amuro, his Gundam can cause mass destruction on everyone save Char (who’s shundo abilities are really beginning to annoy me). However, when the White Base fires missiles, apparently said missiles have no guidance packages in them because they were easily dodged and easily shot down.

There was something else I was going to mention, but things being what they are in the real world, I’ve forgotten so I’ll just wrap this up and try to move to the next episode. ^_^;;;