機動戦士ガンダム /Kido Senshi Gundam episode 25
Mobile Suit Gundam – 25

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:
 
Amuro and Sayla have quick repairs made to G-Armor before taking it out on a training mission so that Sayla get more experience at the controls.  As they fly, an angry M’quve has the remaining Black Tri-Stars and a squad of Dopps head to White Base, where the crew there quickly becomes aware of it, leading Bright and Mirai to feel sure there is a traitor as Matilda had implied.  The recall order is sent to G-Armor but since they’ve spotted a Federation Dragonfly leaving a Zeon camp, they decide to tail it until it docks with a Federation Big Tray.  G-Armor docks and Amuro is escorted to see General Elran.  Amuro provides proof that Judock is a traitor so Elran attempts to kill him but fails and is shot and wounded by Federation troops, who hold Elran for a court martial. They send Amuro and G-Armor back to White Base and begin their part of Operation Odessa.

Back at White Base, the Dopps attack the ship while the two Doms engage Guncannon and Guntank.  Guntank is no match for the Doms and is forced to retreat, losing a catepilar as it returns to White Base.  Amuro and Sayla get briefed by Frau Bow as G-Armor enters combat while Kai in Guncannon fights a losing battle with a Dom.  The two surviving Dom pilots let Kai escape to White Base while they attack G-Armor. After taking fire, Amuro has Sayla flee behind a mountain so that Gundam can be extracted. Sayla returns to White Base with the damaged G-Fighter and the two Doms engage Gundam.  Amuro holds his own as Hayato’s Core Fighter is attached to the back section of the G-Fighter and Hayato launches in this modified craft to support Gundam.

Meanwhile, M’quve’s troops are being defeated thanks to the loss of Elran and the two Doms. As such, M’quve threatens to use an H-bomb in violation of the Antartic Treaty if Revil doesn’t withdraw. General Revil refuses as Amuro continues to fight the Doms, using the G-Core-Fighter as a platform and destroys a Dom. Before he can engage the 2nd Dom, Bright orders him to go after the missile with the H-warhead.  At the same time, M’quve is stunned that the Federation ignored his threat.  Seeing the G-Core-Fighter and Gundam on approach as well as the lone Dom, M’quve orders his missile fired.  Amuro takes out the last Dom and with Hayato’s help, the nuclear missile as well.  M’quve retreats on the battleship Zanzibar but is confident that his mining efforts will allow Zeon to fight for 10-more years.

With the Federation victory, General Revil arrives to personally congratulate the crew of the White Base.

Thoughts/Review:

Wow.  There was a lot that happened in this episode.  For starters, I didn’t expect the Elran situation to be resolved so quickly.  I figured it would take another Federation loss or so to make people convinced there was a traitor.  Having Judock spotted in the Dragonfly craft for G-Armor to tail is just a little too convenient but I let it slide because I remember it was a lucky break like that which allowed the Allies to find and kill the Bismark during WWII.  Perhaps more surprising is that Elran’s men on the Big Tray seemed to already suspect him of being a traitor.  Whether this was solely a result of the intel that Amuro brought or whether they had something else to go on (or both) was not made clear.  However, the Elran problem is now resolved though why he helped M’quve wasn’t stated.

Also resolved was the long talked about Operation Odessa.  With the traitor plot resolved, I was surprised that the Odessa plot was also resolved in this episode.  Things did feel a bit rushed, but not enough for me to say this should have been a two-part story.  I wonder how M’quve’s failed attempt to use a nuke will go over with the Zeons and Kycilia.  Regardless, once the battle was done, I liked how General Revil paid the crew of White Base a visit to congratulate them.  As that happened right at the end of the episode, I hope that in the next episode, we get to actually see some interactions with Revil and the crew.  If this doesn’t happen, then I will be disappointed because he’s apparently the top Federation general and I think it would be a good moment to see the crew react to such an important person treating them with respect they deserve.

Again, we have more plug-and-play Gundam components.  Now, it appears that the front half of the G-Fighter can be removed and a Core Fighter attached to the rear of the G-Fighter instead.  Don’t get me wrong, such technology to plug-and-play like this is pretty good to have because it allows one to adapt to changing situations.  However, it also stretches things a bit much IMO.

Speaking of stretching things, again we had Gundam playing cavalry on the G-Core Fighter.  Seeing it really bothers me for some reason.  I guess maybe I’m subconsciously thinking of the massive wind resistance of Gundam on top of an aircraft to say nothing of its weight.  ^_^;

So, an enjoyable, action packed episode that sees M’quve not bite the dust.  Where to next?