機動戦士ガンダム /Kido Senshi Gundam episode 35
Mobile Suit Gundam – 35

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

White Base meets up with 3rd Fleet and begins receiving resupply from the Columbus as well as make some repairs. Bright goes to see the fleet’s commander, Wakkein, who briefs Bright on the plan to attack the Zeon base Solomon. Bright is concerned for his pilots, especially Amuro but Wakkein suspects that Amuro is special but won’t say more. Meanwhile. Zeon commander Dozle is frustrated that he’s only been given one Big Zam mobile suite rather than a bunch of Rick Doms. Back on Side-6, Char and Lalah arrive in a shuttle to return to his ship. Lalah amazes everyone with her ability to float despite not being in a zero-G environment.  Cameron asks who she is, leading Char to respond that this is his sister. As Cameron has removed the seals, he asks Char never to return. Char reminds him that Side-6 exists at Zeon’s good graces.

Dozle attempts to get updated intelligence on the movements of the Federation Tianem fleet but is unsuccessful thanks to the fleet’s heavy use of Minovsky particles and their use of the Side-4 wreckage as cover. The ships of 3rd Fleet prepare for combat with everyone wearing space suits, including the orphaned children.  Wakkein has his Public-class assault ships take the lead and launch their massive, 2-missile payloads before bailing out. Solomon opens fire on the approaching fleet and the capital ships of the fleet, including White Base, return fire. The exploding Federation giant missiles cause Solomon’s beam weapons to become ineffective due to their interference. The Federation ships launch their GM and Ball mobile units while White Base launches two G-Fighters, Gundam, Guncannon, and Guntank. Amuro pauses to note that they are in a real battlefield.

The Tianem Fleet is rapidly deploying a massive set of mirrors near the Side-1 ruins and are almost done when Solomon detects them. Dozle has his asteroid weapons deploy to attack the fleet. He takes the time to see his wife Zenna and their young child Mineva and orders that they and their staff be evacuated as a precaution. The Federation weapon, Solar System, is now fully deployed and aligned, causing a massive beam of energy that inflicts heavy damage on Solomon and destroys many Zeon ships and mobile suits. Amuro attacks a Musai-class ship and enters Solomon through the massive hole created by Solar System.  He is joined by Kai and Wakkein orders GM and Ball units to follow Gundam and Guncannon in.

Hayato is heavily wounded in combat and is forced to retreat to White Base. Because there are so many wounded, Frau Bow gets permission to help the medical team. She tends to Hayato, who is frustrated at being the only White Base pilot to have been taken out. He has long sought to be as good as the others, especially Amuro. Frau Bow tells him that Amuro is on a different level from herself or Hayato. Meanwhile, Dozle returns to where his wife is boarding a shuttle to tell her and his child goodbye, assuring her they’ll survive. Their shuttle leaves and Dozle rallies his troops and then sees the now assembled Big Zam and is impressed. Back at Side-6, Char is on Zanzibar when urgent orders come in from Kycilia to come to Solomon’s aid. Char asks the smiling Lalah if she’s ready and the Zanzibar takes off.

Thoughts/Review:

I liked the fact that everyone was forced to don spacesuits when going into combat. After all, if the hull of the ship is breached, then the crew would still be able to function. However, while I could understand needing to treat the wounded without space suits, why was Wakkein not wearing a suit when the rest of his crew was?  Just seemed odd.

Another odd thing to me was Amuro reflecting on entering a combat zone.  It was almost as if he’d never been in combat before when in fact he’s been in many battles. I suppose he’s just referring to the scope of the battle.

I liked how Dozle got his wife and kid out of Solomon.  Despite his bravado to his wife, Dozle was clearly worried especially after the Federation brought its new Solar System weapon online. I guess he put aside his fear of being a laughing stock if Kycilia ordered Char to reinforce Solomon.

Speaking of Char and Lalah, Lalah apparently has superpowers if she glows and then basically flies down a corridor. Though she does not appear to be a Zeon military person, it seems that Char is going to use her as a military asset.  If she has super powers and she’s willing, why not?

This brings me to Amuro. Both Frau Bow and Wakkein not that Amuro is not like a normal human, hinting again that there is something special about him. Considering Amuro’s awakening abilities, does this mean he will now have super powers of some kind?

While I’m thinking about it, it was interesting to me that Amuro seemed disappointed when Frau Bow wasn’t the one to bring him lunch.  I don’t know if that means he kinda likes Frau Bow. She’s always seemed to have a torch for Amuro but the nature of the show hasn’t done much for romance. We’ll see if there’s more on the Frau Bow/Amuro friendship and beyond.

So, the battle continues next episode and I look forward to it.