Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Episode 2 Discussion / Poll

[ReddyRedWolf]

Originally Posted by kari-no-sugata II

What is Gjallarhorn, really? They seem to be able to do what they want without much concern for those on Mars - they seem more concerned about the overall company and the powers on Earth. How did they end up in their situation and what is their wider role? If they "lose" will they be replaced by a different company/organisation?

Gjallarhorn is Earth's colonial military force. Gjallarhorn HQ sent two officers to inspect what is going on with their Mars branch.

The commander of the Mars branch Coral wanted to assassinate Kudelia to justify their presence via escalation. To secure funding and weapons.

[wissenschaft]

Originally Posted by kari-no-sugata II

I've not researched it but I wouldn't have thought that the american colonies were particularly important to Britain except as long term potential and a small incremental source of extra tax revenue in the short term. The British Empire controlled a huge amount of territory and was an economic powerhouse in its own right.

This is exactly what I meant. The Mars colony is only important to earth in how much it can be exploited.

[wissenschaft]

Originally Posted by kari-no-sugata II

Mars seems too poor to generate much in the way of taxes.

It's should be extremely expensive to export anything from Mars to Earth - a round trip takes 5 months. Putting it another way, it could only make economic sense if the material is extremely valuable and extremely rare on Earth to the extent that Mars has a monopoly (or near monopoly) on it. What could be so valuable? If it is something critical for the Earth then they'll go ape-shit if Mars revolts.

I think your putting too much logic into a mecha anime. Mobile Suits themselves are unrealistic in almost countless ways. Colonizing Mars, for the most part, is such a long term (We are talking centuries here) plan to be virtual impractical.

Perhaps Mars exports a rare resource used in mobile suit manufacturing. How knows?

[kari-no-sugata II]

Originally Posted by ReddyRedWolf

Gjallarhorn is Earth's colonial military force. Gjallarhorn HQ sent two officers to inspect what is going on with their Mars branch.

The commander of the Mars branch Coral wanted to assassinate Kudelia to justify their presence via escalation. To secure funding and weapons.

I was kinda getting at "what are they beyond the vague official description". Are they effectively a private company? If not, why aren't they called "Earth Forces" or something. If they've been hired then they can be fired. Which also implies that they're other military companies out there. I also wonder if it's just Mars where they can effectively get away with murder or the whole solar system.

Originally Posted by wissenschaft

This is exactly what I meant. The Mars colony is only important to earth in how much it can be exploited.

To briefly go back to the comparison to colonial America - maybe it would be better to compare to Australia or New Zealand. Earth is physically much bigger than Mars... and the current Mars is also described as being a "used-up colony". It's oddly being held up as being economically important and also being dismissed at the same time.

Originally Posted by wissenschaft

I think your putting too much logic into a mecha anime. Mobile Suits themselves are unrealistic in almost countless ways. Colonizing Mars, for the most part, is such a long term (We are talking centuries here) plan to be virtual impractical.

Perhaps Mars exports a rare resource used in mobile suit manufacturing. How knows?

That's what I've been wondering, specifically something related to Ahab reactors.

Sometimes the authors do put in a decent amount of thinking into the background and economics even if all the details are not clear from the show itself. I'm fully aware that Mobile Suits are a silly concept It's basically a "fantasy" story dressed up as sci-fi.

[SonicSP]

Likely related to the Ahab Reactors, since they were mentioned to be important and was the cause of the Calamity War in the first place.

And Mars was mentioned to be a used up colony so whatever they are harnessing or protecting is likely important. This doesn't seem to be a normal economics colonization thing. Or rather if it is it's not done through the usual colony economics model.

In regards to terraforming, I wouldn't be surprised if the pre-Calamity civilizations advanced enough that it was easier for them (though not too much, terraforming is a pretty big deal). The Calamity War certainly didn't erase everything and things weren't chaotic enough that it prevented four economic powers from securing it but it was chaotic enough to name a new calendar over so I wouldn't be surprised if there was still a significant regression even if Ahab Reactor technology survived/recovered to some level.

It could be similar to Britannia in Code Geass where one of the public reasons they conquered Japan was because of their abundant supply of Sakuradite, which is needed to power the Yggdrasil Drives used to power their Knightmare Frames. This was more conventional colony economics though whereas in IBO it may be more related to some other strategic or political reasoning (not wanting the other non Earth factions get it for example).

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On a side note, it would be pretty funny if terraforming of Mars was done by the AGE factions after the series was over (they already found a way to solve the rays problem) and that the current Pre-Disaster timeline human civilization just rediscovered it in a habitable state.

It would be one way to use Dark History in a smart way.........and making it sound like a cool idea now that I think about it makes me almost certain that's not exactly what happened.

[Draco Spirit]

Originally Posted by kari-no-sugata II

I've not researched it but I wouldn't have thought that the american colonies were particularly important to Britain except as long term potential and a small incremental source of extra tax revenue in the short term. The British Empire controlled a huge amount of territory and was an economic powerhouse in its own right.

Mars seems too poor to generate much in the way of taxes.

It's should be extremely expensive to export anything from Mars to Earth - a round trip takes 5 months. Putting it another way, it could only make economic sense if the material is extremely valuable and extremely rare on Earth to the extent that Mars has a monopoly (or near monopoly) on it. What could be so valuable? If it is something critical for the Earth then they'll go ape-shit if Mars revolts.

PS Kudelia studied history and economics so I'm sure she'll be able to explain things when it becomes more relevant

My guess is the export costs from Mars have dropped via some new kind of tech in this setting. Through I expect the nature of the 'cookies' will be explained in due course anyway.

[Tenzen12]

Originally Posted by dragon1412

Just the fact that she is the face of the movement is more than enough, based on what we knew, it seem like Mars is in some form of colony. And independent for the colony ??? seriously, that spell next to rebellion and revolution right there, Kudelia might not have any intention of resorting to war, but as far as it stand, her existence is more than enough to cause war.

She is face of movement, which means, PEOPLE LISTEN TO HER. If she was killed, yes it would lead to uprising immediately. But as long as she lives she decide what kind of means movement will use.

Different thing would be if leader of radical faction appeared and made name for himself, but in that case "her existence" wouldn't play any role in it.

She is not actual leader, because movement by definition is not organised, that's why people listen those who are seen most.

[wissenschaft]

I say Kurdelia is the face or voice of the movement in the same way Thomas Paine was for the American Revolution. Irrelevant when it came to combat or direct leadership but instrumental to kick starting the revolution.

[BlazeQuest3]

2 episodes in, and I LOVE the band of brothers relationship going on between the Third Group

boys. Orga was badass in the way he took all of the beating to protect his men. That's a leader I

can get behind! Can't wait for the next episode!

[Patriot's Blade]

& Orga's handsomeness levels got a boost from all that beating as a reward, killing two birds with one stone literally

[Skaddix]

And to think he is not even going to get laid in this series.

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Originally Posted by Skaddix

And to think he is not even going to get laid in this series.

Doesn’t matter. Getting laid is not a measurement of awesome men. Just ask Makoto from School Days .

[Chibiloli]

Originally Posted by Obelisk ze Tormentor

Doesn’t matter. Getting laid is not a measurement of awesome men. Just ask Makoto from School Days .

From what I see, Orga gets a Nice boat/ship to command anyway.

[SonicSP]

Originally Posted by BlazeQuest3

2 episodes in, and I LOVE the band of brothers relationship going on between the Third Group

boys. Orga was badass in the way he took all of the beating to protect his men. That's a leader I

can get behind! Can't wait for the next episode!

I wasn't a big fan of the kid/young soldiers theme when the show was announced, but I have to say that in the first two episodes they have convinced me that it's well done as a setup. I love the way they have set up the close bond between Orga and Misuzaki as well as the Third Group in general. The background of Mars also help makes it all nice.

And Orga is badass. Those packs sure help that's assessment. I have a strange unfortunate feeling that he'll be killed though. Probably not anytime soon but eventually. If this does ever happen, I hope it would be an awesome inspirational death.