Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Episode 22 Discussion Thread

[james0246]

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Well, it's that time again: Gundam Time. RRW is still on break so I'm filling in until their return, please excuse the mess in the meantime.

This episode is entitled: "Not Yet Home"

[Stark700]

Oh man, the pain and sorrow of this show...

Seriously feel bad for Biscuit now. I mean, considering his recent loss as well...
I can't even imagine how Orga felt since he's the last guy to see him alive. Life is too fragile in this series

I kinda like how Aina is taking on a more strategic role as well. Really curious to see if her plan succeeds.

[B214]

Carta survived. ( .__.)

Orga was well depressed this episode till Mika just basically force him to snap out of it.

Kudelia is seriously becoming stronger by the episode. I guess death ends up becoming a propelling force in this show. But still Biscuit. T^T

The title for the next episode sounds dark like there'll be another betrayal.

[John117xCortana]

It's like their going for a Gundam 00 season 1 ending.

[EroKing]

YouTube

https://youtu.be/8WVoQyBu-cU

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

First, I have to let this off my chest: I’m kinda mad that Carta can get away scott free off screen like that. She’s not even captured and became prisoner. Just what the hell happened? Did Mika just let her go? There’s no way he’d do that to someone who has killed Biscuit. My guess is that the remaining Carta’s blonde-squad interfered and managed to snatched her Graze. If that’s what happened then I have to commend those blondie-boys for a job well done staying alive and protecting and saving their superior's life. Otherwise, we’ll get more Ein-clones .

Aside from that. This episode is a really good calm & build-up episode.

Second, anybody who bash Kudelia for her incompetence in strategy and negotiation should shut the hell up after watching this episode. I did say in the past that Kudelia was learning during all the meetings and plannings with Tekkadan & Turbines. And that’s all not for naught as she proved herself this episode by coming up with a really good plan (excellent if you count this being her first time on Earth) to stop in the less obvious place like Anchorage and using Makanai’s connection to transport via double-rail train to Edmonton. She came with all that on her own without Fumi, Orga or Bisky to help her and Teiwaz & Montag providing the resources. Even a Terran-politician like Makanai was impressed and called her a realist and not just a blind idealist.

On the other hand, Kudelia’s smooth plan kinda rob us from the usual air-sea battle where the antagonist faction tried to stop the MC’s ship midway which is a common Gundam trope. It’s kinda sad coz I really want to see this universe’s aquatic & aerial MSs. But narrative-wise, this is really good and provides a little bit of a fresh air and break from the usual Gundam trope (aside from showing Kudelia's competence to the audience).

Also, I’m sure many people were hoping for Merribit to cheer up Orga. Heck, some of the crazy ones even wanted Merribit to give Orga some grief-sex (seriously, what the hell were they thinking? ). But instead, we have Mika and his creepy-way of cheering up Orga. Orga my man, you really have some balls of steel to be able to put up with Mika . But I don’t think Mika is as crazy as he let out this episode. I think he was intentionally played it a bit harsher to make Orga snap out of it so that Tekkadan kids can survive. Way to go, Mika! Don't these two guys really have a wonderful relationship or what?

Notes:

• All the background info surrounding the AV-system and Gjallarhorn’s past that McG provided this episode is really intriguing (I want more). And Fareed Sr.'s scheming is smooth as hell if not for Carta’s pride...uh...issues. All in all, world building is still going on even this late in the season giving this series a four-cour feels. Is IBO really gonna end in episode 25/26? Hmm....
  
• The title for the next episode sounds really sinister or foreboding. Sounds like something bad will happen again. I hope it's just me, but damn, this is still Gundam.

[xeviouses]

McGillis: There's probably an informant within us.

Heh, nice one choco man.

Other than that, I kinda liked the length they gave Orga for his grief. I mean it's not a overly long wangst but not too short that it looks like he treats the death of his best friend as a no biggie..

[Skye629]

Yay Kimaris Trooper next episode! And I cant wait to see Eins new MS dual wielding those Graze axes

Ainas doing well, but McGillis is playing everyone, seems we'll get a bit more on him next time



Pretty sure I can speak for everyone on this, but I love the scenery and locales in this show. Mars, space, Jupiter, asteroid/debris fields, space colonies, earth orbit, and tropical pacific islands to the beautiful wilderness and snow of Alaska/Canada to the American midwest. This shows got it all

[dienrachen]

I'm mad for Carta just getting out of there. Sure, probably those two Grazes saved her... but at least show us some plausible way of doing that, dangit. This way it feels like a cop-out.

This episode cemented it for me: Orga might be the leader, but it's Mika yanking his chains around. And seriously, Mika is scary. Forget meeting him in a dark alley, I'm not sure I'd want to be on the same highway as he is.

And thusly Tekkadan embarks on the warpath. I don't see this ending well for them, but it goes to show how the vicious cycle of vengeance sets off. Every side in the conflict now wants revenge for someone, and this probably won't stop until only one of them remains. I'm not afraid for Mika, but Marribit will probably have less work with the Tekkadan monthly paychecks from now on...

EDIT: also, Chocoman warning GaliGali that there could be a spy in Gjallarhorn... haha, that's golden. I don't think I ever liked a Gundam villian as much as McGillis.

EDIT EDIT: Also, is that Carta charging in the preview? The Graze with the red cloth? The same formal challange for a duel in which Crank also died? It seems her subordinates saved her just so she can stupidly waste her life.

[ReddyRedWolf]

Several expositions are presented to us.

The group that would become Gjallarhorn sought to end the Calamity War which was endangering humanity to extinction by using the Alaya system and the 72 Gundam Frames. Gjallahorn realizing how dangerous the system is on the wrong hands social engineered society to hate it putting the pilots of the Gundams a footnote in history.

Carta's guardian was McGillis father. Putting her under his wing and marrying off McGillis to the Baduins was a calculated move to cement his power as well as putting ABRAU PM Her Fleur in his pocket.

Kudelia, Tekkadan and his own son are ruining everything for him. McGillis is doing this just to make his father pay and suffer. I don't doubt Fareed would commit murder to rise into power.

Kudelia is smart covering all her bases with the politicians.

Now we see why Orga leaves the most important decisions to Mika.

With that declaration it is a matter of time till everyone goes for Gjallarhorn's throat led by Tekkadan.

McGillis is playing both sides so that either way he gets the AV heroes that will be the next Gjallarhorn whether it is Ein or Tekkadan.

The Turbines are a shelter or women. Given slavery and little girls being sold to prostitution I can see why. It may have started as a ruse with the harem but along the line it became real that Naze has several children of several women and they want him to pay attention and time for them.

[Faux Mecha]

you know what?, i thought Orga was almost going to pull a Gihren Zabi speech on them in avenging his brother Garma,

at least Orga never wanted the fight for avenging Biscuit as it would disrespect his feelings along with the rest of the dead Tekkadan members.

[Tenzen12]

Creepy Mika is creepy, well it works so everything is fine. That said, theatrical lighting was bit unecesse

I am Glad that Carta got away, I guess Orga safety was priority and her man are already established to be competent, so it's not big surprise. I am looking forward to see her again.

[Ryuuoh DeltaPlus]

Originally Posted by Obelisk ze Tormentor

Second, anybody who bash Kudelia for her incompetence in strategy and negotiation should shut the hell up after watching this episode. I did say in the past that Kudelia was learning during all the meetings and plannings with Tekkadan & Turbines. And that’s all not for naught as she proved herself this episode by coming up with a really good plan (excellent if you count this being her first time on Earth) to stop in the less obvious place like Anchorage and using Makanai’s connection to transport via double-rail train to Edmonton. She came with all that on her own without Fumi, Orga or Bisky to help her and Teiwaz & Montag providing the resources. Even a Terran-politician like Makanai was impressed and called her a realist and not just a blind idealist.

THIS.

I see a lot of people branding Kudelia as just a poor ripoff of Relena or Marina. But oh boy are they wrong.

We see a character from a high position in society who steps down from her comfort zones and live among our protagonists (who are basically recently retired child soldiers who's running a startup company to make a living), and learn how society really works and how the people around her live in the harsh world they're in. And after gaining significant knowledge, she then proceeds to face head-on her agenda without flinching.
This is one of the best character developments I've seen in Gundam princesses, right after Diana Soriel/Kihel Heim.

[Tenzen12]

Well now it's pretty late, do all complains are still valid.

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Originally Posted by Tenzen12

all complains are still valid.

The complaints of her being incompetent in her own field? That's totally wrong both in present and past. She's not incompetent nor unintelligence. She just need to learn more about the situation like she said herself to the Dort reporters. No matter how smart you are, you cannot handle what you don't know or understand.

[eisai_haramasukoi]

WAAARRR!!!

I know I'm not the only one who wished for Merribit to comfort Orga (damn, she made us instant MILF fans. ), but then Sunrise destroyed our hopes and gave us a crazy Mika who urged Orga to move forward.

And good for Kudelia. She somehow escaped the Gundam Princess Curse.

[dienrachen]

Originally Posted by Chaser

WAAARRR!!!

I know I'm not the only one who wished for Merribit to comfort Orga (damn, she made us instant MILF fans. ), but then Sunrise destroyed our hopes and gave us a crazy Mika who urged Orga to move forward.

And good for Kudelia. She somehow escaped the Gundam Princess Curse.

It might've been better for Orga's sanity to not have Mika... comfort him. Seriously, Mika is ax-crazy, and he's only pushing Orga to be even ax-crazier himself.

Between him letting Carta slip away and being the first to voice his belief in the blood-stained path, I wonder if Mika was more affected by Biscuit's death than Orga. But, instead of showing signs of it, Mika simply deicded to channel that grief into fury.

[FerrusManus]

I think Mika acted crazy on purpose. I don't think he is really that crazy.

[Faux Mecha]

why do some people wanted grief filled Orga to get 'cheered up' by Merribit by making love with him? ignoring the age difference romance, if Flay Allster was a good example, you know that would not be a good sign for her lifespan flag.

[dienrachen]

Originally Posted by FerrusManus

I think Mika acted crazy on purpose. I don't think he is really that crazy.

Me neither... though I think I'd prefer Mika to be simply crazy at this point. I actually think he manipulated Orga here, just so he can get his revenge on Biscuit's killers. The way he answers - so very quickly - during Orga's speech on the ship...