機動戦士ガンダム /Kido Senshi Gundam episode 26
Mobile Suit Gundam – 26

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:
 
White Base makes it to the Federation base in Northern Ireland where the crew are about to officially become members of the military and the ship receive some much needed repairs.  A young woman sees White Base fly overhead and sends a report by balloon to the Zeons.  On the Zeon submarine Mad Angler, the captain gets the report from their female spy, whom he knows as “107,” and shows it to Char, but they can’t tell if this is White Base or not.  As such, Char dispatches in a Sea Lance to see for himself while another Zeon sea force decides to beat Char there by launching two Gogg mobile suits underwater.  Once the Goggs have reached shore, the Zeon commander (Boone) will provide missile cover fire while the Goggs destroy White Base.

General Revil arrives to personally brief the crew of White Base on their next assignment (Jaburo, the Federation HQ in South America) and the new Zeon weapons but as the briefing starts, Frau Bow wants to know what happens if someone doesn’t want to join the military.  Revil says that because the civilian crew on White Base have had access to classified Federation military technology, anyone not joining the military would be arrested and placed in jail.  Amuro finds this harsh and after the briefing, Frau Bow expresses her concern for the orphans.  “107” attempts to get Kai and Amuro to purchase goods but fails as the Goggs make their way to shore.  The Federation forces are alerted to a attack and intercept the missiles but do no damage to the Goggs.  White Base goes on alert and Amuro prepares to launch in Gundam.

The Federation defense units are no match for the Goggs, leaving General Revil to ponder about how everything is mobile suits these days.  Amuro takes Gundam into the fight but doesn’t have his beam riffle, but does have a powered up Hammer.  However, the enhanced flail is no match for the Gogg Amuro is fighting.  Back on White Base, quick plans are being drawn up for Sayla to enter the fight as soon as final repairs are made to G-Fighter.  As Kai and Hayato drive an anti-missile defense vehicle to help defend against the incoming Zeon missiles, they nearly run over “107” and send her off.  At the same time, Amuro decides he needs firepower and retreats to White Base to hook up with G-Bull, the tank configuration of the new G-parts.

Sayla drives the G-Bull into combat, leading the one Gogg pilot to remark on the uniqueness of the tank.  Amuro is able to destroy the Gogg, so the other Gogg retreats into the sea.  Amuro has Frau Bow launch the B-section of Gundam (the legs) with the G-Fighter section.  Combining with G-Bull, they are now in G-Armor for a moment until Amuro extracts Gundam and Sayla combines her halves to G-Fighter.  Gundam drops into the sea where it is at a disadvantage against the Gogg.  After taking some heavy damage, Amuro uses one of the laser swords to disable the Gogg’s visual sensors and with the other sword, he slices the mobile suit in half, destroying it.  Revil knows they’ve destroyed the Gogg from the lack of enemy fire but until Gundam finally emerges and gets to shore, no one knew if Amuro had survived or not.

Meanwhile, Char safely makes it to Boone’s submarine.

Thoughts/Review:

Good grief!  Another G-unit?  I had just assumed that for whatever reason, the G-Fighter/G-Armor units had tracked caterpillars in case the unit needed to land in bad places.  Now I see that this was simply the tank version.  Therefore, we need to switch, switch, switch.  That’s just nuts.  I don’t have a problem with a G-Bull tank as such per se (it should be something separate, akin to Core Fighter with Guncannon or Guntank), but having multiple conversions as were shown in this episode was just bonk.  It is a complete waste of time in which the Zeons, had they pressed a harder attack, would have destroyed everything.  I never did understand why Amuro didn’t have a beam rifle but I guess that was just so all of the G-units could be displayed.  Otherwise, when would they use G-Bull?  *_*

What the heck is the bloody flail (aka: Hammer) doing back?  I seem to recall someone saying it would return and be powered up.  I guess this was the episode for that.  Again, another complete waste of time.

Char returns, so I guess it won’t be long until he and Amuro are fighting in their respective mobile suits, at which Char will have his smirk, his look of surprise at something Amuro/Gundam did, and ultimately a retreat to fight another day.  Can’t say I’m looking forward to that aspect but maybe the writers will do something unexpected.

I’m glad the members or White Base are now all officially part of the Federation military.  As such, they shouldn’t have too much trouble as long as they report to General Revil.  I also completely understand the Federation’s stand on “join or be thrown in prison for a year.”  After all, they don’t want people who’ve crewed White Base to be taken by the Zeons and interrogated for military secrets.  In a year’s time, technology should have advanced enough that whatever top secret information the crew had, the Zeons with likely already know it and new technology will have supplanted the current tech of White Base.  Of course, if White Base gets new tech all along, then what does the Federation do with the crew who want to quit?  Another 1-year jail term?  ^_^;

Interesting how Frau Bow is shown to be taking greater care of the children, to the point of being their advocate.  I guess she’s become a pseudo mother to the orphaned trio as she’s been shown the most with them.

I liked how White Base‘s visit to Northern Ireland allowed us to see civilians on the ground again, even if it is only the Zeon spy.  It would be interesting to me to learn more on how people on Earth are dealing with the war and how someone like the spy decided to choose sides, in this case, Zeon.

So, an official military unit on board White Base now travels to a new location.  I look forward to seeing what happens.