Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury - Anime Episode Discussion

[magnuskn]

Yeah, gotta say the "SAL as the last ultimate villains!" is a bit out of left field, unless we do get another season. Which it doesn't look like. Some teasing that they might be up to no good and then pulling out this rabbit at the last minute isn't exactly stellar set-up for a "last big boss villain". Smells like an attempt to make the actual villain (Prospera) seem more palatable, like they tried with the Windpassers in Macross Delta.

[Frontier]

Originally Posted by ryllharu

That's not the point. SAL was barely mentioned before that episode. They don't have the crunchy build-up a faction of their strength should get in any anime, much less a Gundam series.

I get they don't want to make Prospera irredeemable villain because of the Tempest reference, but SAL was badly teased out to do the supervillain stuff. They had plenty of other options.

Yeah, have to say them trying to stop a laser from a bunch of tacked on antagonists doesn't feel as exciting as watching Calibarn vs Aerial...which didn't even really end.

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Originally Posted by ryllharu

That's not the point. SAL was barely mentioned before that episode. They don't have the crunchy build-up a faction of their strength should get in any anime, much less a Gundam series.

I get they don't want to make Prospera irredeemable villain because of the Tempest reference, but SAL was badly teased out to do the supervillain stuff. They had plenty of other options.

I don't know if "wanting to take down a corpo" counts as being supervillain-y. At most, it's just an organization being greedy.

On the other hand, SAL funded Ochs under the table to support the DoF terrorist with Lfriths units. And they did that, once again, to take down Benerit.

But then again, are we rooting for Benerit in the first place?

[Frontier]

Originally Posted by Obelisk ze Tormentor

I don't know if "wanting to take down a corpo" counts as being supervillain-y. At most, it's just an organization being greedy.

On the other hand, SAL funded Ochs under the table to support the DoF terrorist with Lfriths units. And they did that, once again, to take down Benerit.

But then again, are we rooting for Benerit in the first place?

It just all feels kind of after the fact because there was so much invested plot wise and emotionally in Quiet Zero and now we're just stuck with the SAL. I guess everyone hates the Peil Hags so there's that, but...

I don't know the writing and story wants us to feel about Delling and Kenanji at this point because they're big parts of why this all happened in the first place. Like, Kenanji killed Elnora's husband and we're not going to address that at all?

[magnuskn]

The show overall was not very clear on who is an antagonist, or better said a lot of people had the antagonist role at one point or another and then the ball was passed to the next person/organization. At least we have a group of nice and good protagonists to rally around, even if they kinda feel like they are only reacting to things just happening to them rather than being a driving force to change the plot.

I still like the series, but the last episodes have brought this issue more to the front for me than the rest of the series did. I guess I expected a bit of a grander story for the finale.

[Marina2]

Around 8.40 minute, Who did that interference? Aerial resisting Eri? or does Quiet Zero have its own mind?

[azarhal]

Originally Posted by Marina2

Around 8.40 minute, Who did that interference? Aerial resisting Eri? or does Quiet Zero have its own mind?

Big hints that Quiet Zero has a mind of its own and

Spoiler for speculation:

that is it Nortrette.

[justavisitor]

Last episode: We adult can't let the kids die

This episode: Throw the kids into the battlefield against countless deadly drones. Then make them become the live distraction from Haro-Terminators so Miorine can sneak in and guess the password.

Judging this episode alone, any trained adult can do what the kids did in this episode, perhaps even better...(loyalty aside, I guess)

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Frontier

I don't know the writing and story wants us to feel about Delling and Kenanji at this point because they're big parts of why this all happened in the first place. Like, Kenanji killed Elnora's husband and we're not going to address that at all?

This. I feel the show is downplaying how these dudes basically started it all. Specially Delling. Not only he murdered everyone at Vanadis but he also built Quiet Zero. I'd like to see this being addressed somehow.

[Frontier]

Originally Posted by justavisitor

Last episode: We adult can't let the kids die

This episode: Throw the kids into the battlefield against countless deadly drones. Then make them become the live distraction from Haro-Terminators so Miorine can sneak in and guess the password.

Judging this episode alone, any trained adult can do what the kids did in this episode, perhaps even better...(loyalty aside, I guess)

Why was Martin even there again? He, Chuchu, and Nika should've just stayed behind in the Demi-Barding.

[azarhal]

Originally Posted by Frontier

Why was Martin even there again? He, Chuchu, and Nika should've just stayed behind in the Demi-Barding.

He was there so he could regret his life choices.

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Originally Posted by magnuskn

The show overall was not very clear on who is an antagonist, or better said a lot of people had the antagonist role at one point or another and then the ball was passed to the next person/organization. At least we have a group of nice and good protagonists to rally around, even if they kinda feel like they are only reacting to things just happening to them rather than being a driving force to change the plot.

I still like the series, but the last episodes have brought this issue more to the front for me than the rest of the series did. I guess I expected a bit of a grander story for the finale.

That's pretty much Gundam. Various shades of grey on all factions. Meanwhile, we're rooting for the (usually) pure protags to, at the very least, survive the show. We see how a string violence & battles affect the young protags while the "adult world" around them keep on spinning and trying its best to screw them up. We see how the protags respond to it and then find their own answers of what they really want to do.

Depending on the status of the young protags, not all of them can steer the direction of the bigger plot, which what makes it more relatable & realistic tbh.

[John117xCortana]

The callback was unexpected.

Spoiler for spoiler:

Even though Eri was fighting Suletta she never delivered a killing blow to Suletta or her friends.

[Frontier]

Originally Posted by Obelisk ze Tormentor

That's pretty much Gundam. Various shades of grey on all factions. Meanwhile, we're rooting for the (usually) pure protags to, at the very least, survive the show. We see how a string violence & battles affect the young protags while the "adult world" around them keep on spinning and trying its best to screw them up. We see how the protags respond to it and then find their own answers of what they really want to do.

Depending on the status of the young protags, not all of them can steer the direction of the bigger plot, which what makes it more relatable & realistic tbh.

True, but the SAL just feel kind of underwhelming and last minute .

I do feel like WFM might've benefitted from stretching the plot out just a little for more world-building and character building before we reached this final arc. It feels like there's just a little bit missing.

[Twi]

Review done.

Spoiler:

How many people want to bet that Mio's mother is also part of Quiet Zero via uploading?

They don't explain the original thing that stopped the bits from blasting Mio and the others to death. It seemed like Quiet Zero itself intervened, but that would imply there's another party involved just beyond the data storm. And unless you're telling me Mio's mother uploaded herself into the machine, that feels like plot armor.

But if it turns out that Mio's mother was just beyond the Data Storm and part of Quiet Zero then everything starts making sense. It'd explain why Delling worked with Prospera. It'd explain why that bypass worked. It'd even explain why Quiet Zero stopped Eri from blasting her daughter.

Prospera's probably going to colony drop Quiet Zero onto the SAL base.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Twi

Prospera's probably going to colony drop Quiet Zero onto the SAL base.

It would feel really anticlimactic if Suletta doesn't manage to save at least her mother after losing her sister.

Honestly, if someone should sacrifice to save the kids, it should be Delling. He started all this problem in the first place. It's about time he takes responsibility for it.

[azarhal]

Since the series seems to want to go after all the Gundam classic story moments, all that is missing now is a colony drop. So on what will Quiet Zero be dropped?

1. Giant laser, sorry energy transmitting satellite
2. Earth because...yeah Earth
4. SAL HQ



And I can't get over Prospera's death glare to Miorine when the later said "we will be family, after all". I'm starting to think she wear an helmet mostly to hide her eyes, they are so expressive.

[TheDoctor324]

So here's a question, if each bit has an Eri clone in it.... just how much of the DS can they take off Suletta? Or did it require Eri in the MS only to negate Suletta being cursed? Could the bits help her by taking the brunt of the DS and let Calibarn get to PS 8+? Or is this gonna turn into Gohan going Awakened instead of super Saiyan? Suletta just ascends to a perfect being capable of handling the DS with no drawbacks?

[magnuskn]

Gotta say, though, the people who thought Suletta isn't a good pilot, because Eri was doing all the hard work, were dead wrong.

[Dextro]

Originally Posted by TheDoctor324

So here's a question, if each bit has an Eri clone in it.... just how much of the DS can they take off Suletta? Or did it require Eri in the MS only to negate Suletta being cursed? Could the bits help her by taking the brunt of the DS and let Calibarn get to PS 8+? Or is this gonna turn into Gohan going Awakened instead of super Saiyan? Suletta just ascends to a perfect being capable of handling the DS with no drawbacks?

I have a strong feeling that's what we'll get. The Eri clones in the bits will band together to keep Suletta safe for the final battle. Probably burning themselves out in the process for one final sacrifice.