Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Episode 3 Discussion / Poll

[Galaxian]

Originally Posted by Twi

Wasn't Nobliss who Coral was expecting funding from in the second episode?
Sounds like he's playing both sides.

"Keep your friends rich and your enemies rich, and wait to find out which is which." -Tony Stark/Ultron.

[ReddyRedWolf]

Originally Posted by Twi

Wasn't Nobliss who Coral was expecting funding from in the second episode?
Sounds like he's playing both sides.

I think Nobliss is a title.

[Haak]

As far as I can see, Mika is acting according to his own will. It just so happens that his opinions always match Orga's and I'm pretty sure Orga makes a conscious effort to make sure he doesn't ask Mika to do anything he doesn't want to do so it goes both ways. The only difference is that Orga is the one who makes the plan to enact those opinions both of them agree on.

[cf18]

Originally Posted by ReddyRedWolf

While ransoming Kudelia would solve their problems financially and get in good graces of Gjallahorn he hesitated and ultimately decided he wont turn her over.

Selling a client out may be that good for future business, and they could still be wiped out to cover it all up, like how Coral originally ordered.

I wonder if Orga have a longer term goal in mind than just survival.

[monir]

Holy cow, a Gundam series that is worth watching. In fact, it doesn't even feel like a Gundam series considering how much the bishounen beef cakes are kept in check by regular dosage of punching and kicking.

I have actually looked forward to watching the next episodes after watching the first.

[Flower]

Well, that was a pretty good ep, and I think I will tentatively pick this series up...first mecha based series since...man, I cant even remember...Rinne no Lagrange s1, perhaps?

Anyhoo, the story continues to interest me and I like the characters, so why not give it a try?

[BlazeQuest3]

Orga has proven himself to be a strong leader and a clever strategist. The mutiny

went off without so much as a hitch, and Mika has shown that he's more than willing

to do what is necessary in order to protect his comrades. Orga was also more than

fair to the First Group; he could have had them all shot, but he gave them a choice.

He even gave them a severance package if they wanted to leave. That's very

generous of him. I don't know if I could have done the same thing.

[monster]

Originally Posted by Skye629

Whats Mika eating?????

Jerky?

Originally Posted by LoweGear

More and more, I like how unflinching the characters here are in their convictions. Unlike the usual Gundam angst usually revolving around doubt and questioning their philosophies, Orga, Mika and the others simply plow through their problems and do what they need and have to do.

The doubt and questioning are usually there to ward off complaints of self-righteousness.

Originally Posted by ReddyRedWolf

Yeah Mika has point. We win what do we get in return? Krank didn't really think about that.

It's not that he didn't think of it, rather, there was nothing he could've promised them if he had failed.

[Esclair]

Gundam: Accounting and Sponsoships!

I'm glad they're going into the funding and sourcing, even for a bit. For a show that's about a poor upstart mercenary group, having plot points like in episode 3 is necessary. One of the things I felt was disappointing in Gundam 00 was that Celestial Being pretty much had unlimited budget.

Mika has honed himself into a blade, and a blade needs a wielder. He chose Orga. Now, you can argue whether it was his own choice to give up his self-determination and give himself over to Orga's path, but it's not like this was uncommon. You see it in history and in places of strife, where subjects give up their will in order to serve a strong visionary (generals, kings) etc.

I don't think the story will ever go down the route of Mika going into guilt for his killings. He's probably someone like Chris Kyle where killing will never bother him. However, who he kills for and why he kills will probably be a major point of contention, especially if sometime down the road he has to choose between Kurdelia and Orga.

Mika is also pretty different from Heero. Heero actually had no will of his own. He was raised and 'programmed' for the mission, and cared about nothing else. That's why after his initial 'failure' he was planning to blow himself up because he had nothing to live for. Mika lives for his comrades, and its his will that has pulled him through and that pushes him to become stronger and surpass his own limits.

[BlazeQuest3]

Originally Posted by dienrachen

Able to fight back? WHAT? They had absolutely no chance whatsoever. All those poor devils had were butter knives while Setsuna was armed with a freaking tank... no kinetic projectile could affect the Exia, while every weapon Exia had was instakill against the old-style mobile suits. Oh, and Setsuna was never showing any mercy, unlike say Lockon.

For all the chances they had, Setsuna could have been executing those pilots with a well placed shot to their head. No difference.



It's the other way around - cause and effect, not effect and cause. They tried to kill all the kids first, getting 48 of them dead for no justifiable reason. That was what gave Orga&Mika the justification, too... not the other way around.

Had the 1st Corps not fled but joined the battle as they have "promised" (lied), Orga wouldn't have decided to rebel against them. They never meant to help of course, and both sides knew that with abundant clarity.

The First Group got off easy with what they tried to pull. They tried to sacrifice the

boys in the Third group to save their own hides. Orga was more than willing to

take responsibility for his actions last episode, and he's willing to apply that same

standard to First Group. He also gave the First Group a choice; serve the "space

rats", or leave and get a nice severance package. Far more generous than what

they would have done to Orga and co.

[Skaddix]

Yeah Orga seems to have a firm understanding of Politics and Military Strategy Quite The Leader.

[Twi]

On the subject of Mika killing those two guys... honestly, I was expecting more death. A coup is rarely bloodless and Mika strikes me as a product of the current society on Mars in regards to child soldiers. Even when he and Orga weren't a part of CGS in the flashback he looked up and asked Orga what next with an almost placid smile.

[Thess]

Great episode. I'm enjoying Mika's ruthless actions but also his extreme loyalty to his family. I think he killed Crank because he came to respect and sympathize on his way for his motives.

I'm also liking how Kudelia, Orga and the others develop.

Originally Posted by Patriot's Blade

while Mika is seen sniffing nonstop on Atra's handmade gift bracelet, you guys will notice Atra can be seen doing the same with the one she wears in the OP.

It's a matching bracelet, only pink. Looks like they'll be having a chat about it in the preview, but it could be misleading.

I don't think she's worried about Kudelia as "competition"; I think in that scene she noticed that Mika was on the edge and read his mood to not bother him. Like she told the mechanic.

Edit:

Originally Posted by Arya

On a marginal note, I'm set already having the princess fall for Mika, but considering Atra got so much the highlights indirectly, smelling as childhood friend no less, I still have some hope to see some Orga Kudelia development. It's Okada after all.

I haven't considered this, but looks like it could happen. Orga was weirdly against selling her out when it would have been a good idea and she was opening up with her problems to him. They both rely on Mika and she could be a good sister-figure type. Okada sure loves childhood friend romance, right? Knowing her there'll be some triangle drama.

Originally Posted by Esclair

I don't think the story will ever go down the route of Mika going into guilt for his killings. He's probably someone like Chris Kyle where killing will never bother him. However, who he kills for and why he kills will probably be a major point of contention, especially if sometime down the road he has to choose between Kurdelia and Orga.

I thought that first, but I think it's going to be the opposite after this episode. Mika doesn't give a damn about Kudelia while it's Orga who sticks by her, even when it could be disadvantageous for his group. I think it's more likely that the dispute with Orga's behavior choosing Kudelia over "his blood brothers" who are Mika's motivation if there's one (and there might be because of drama). Kudelia is doing the exact same thing Orga does: use Mika to carry out her plans right now. She made a conscious choice to use him by hiring them and Orga seems 100% on her side. She didn't flinch or bother to stop him killing that guy, she and Orga were watching almost side by side, complicit of the circumstances. The one who humanizes Mika seems to be Atra, and she's also the one who knows his mood and personality, frankly subverting my expectations of a shallow crush.

[Esclair]

Originally Posted by Thess

I thought that first, but I think it's going to be the opposite after this episode. Mika doesn't give a damn about Kudelia, while it's Orga who blindly sticks by her, even when it could be disadvantageous for his group. I think he's more going to dispute with Orga's behavior choosing Kudelia over "his blood brothers" who are Mika's motivation.

I don't think Kudelia would force Orga to abandon his comrades, she is pretty much fighting for them. If Orga is on board with whatever Kudelia is planning I don't think the rest of them will disagree.

[Thess]

Originally Posted by Esclair

I don't think Kudelia would force Orga to abandon his comrades, she is pretty much fighting for them. If Orga is on board with whatever Kudelia is planning I don't think the rest of them will disagree.

No, but there could be a situation that he has to choose between saving her or protecting nameless kid grunts, and he would order Mika to save her which Mika will rebel against. Mika's motivation isn't just "following Orga", it's protecting his friends and comrades of the team. He's like Crank, that's why the guy struck a chord with him when he told him what he did. However, Orga, in this episode, is starting to show bias toward Kudelia. This will certainly bring forth some kind of conflict.

[Esclair]

Originally Posted by Thess

No, but there could be a situation that he has to choose between saving her or protecting nameless kid grunts, and he would order Mika to save her which Mika will rebel against. Mika's motivation isn't just "following Orga", it's protecting his friends and comrades of the team. He's like Crank, that's why the guy struck a chord with him when he told him what he did. However, Orga, in this episode, is starting to show bias toward Kudelia. This will certainly bring forth some kind of conflict.

It's hard to tell where Orga+Kudelia vs Mika will go though. Kudelia represents the 'ideal' aspects. Orga represents 'ambition'. If those 2 are together there's not much left for Mika to do. Would he take revenge on Orga/Kudelia? If so the show might go for a more tragic bent where the characters pretty much kill each other. I don't really see the show going down that angle given the 3 episodes we've seen though.

[Patriot's Blade]

you know something is clearly wrong when Mika & Crank's duel is more gentlemanly with the former coming from a poor uneducated society than the most British stereotype that is Neo Britain's Gentle Chapman who resorted to cheating when fighting Domon, the fact his Gundam seems to have more an advantage in long range combat thanks to his signature shotgun rifle as Domon mainly focuses more on melee, to be fair Gentle wasn't on his top health condition that caused him to suffer both physically & mentally.

[Irenesharda]

Originally Posted by Thess

No, but there could be a situation that he has to choose between saving her or protecting nameless kid grunts, and he would order Mika to save her which Mika will rebel against. Mika's motivation isn't just "following Orga", it's protecting his friends and comrades of the team. He's like Crank, that's why the guy struck a chord with him when he told him what he did. However, Orga, in this episode, is starting to show bias toward Kudelia. This will certainly bring forth some kind of conflict.

While Orga and Kudelia being together is totally fine in my book, I can't ever see him putting her in front of his comrades, much less Mika. Mika and Orga has that weird symbiotic relationship that they both depend on and have been together for a very long time. Orga has also been the leader and champion for these orphans long before Kudelia came around. Also, there is his ultimate goal of creating a better life for himself and his comrades and he's done whatever he's had to, to get that.

Now, Kudelia may become part of that life, but I could never see him abandoning everything for her. It would go against his entire character. Now, if Mika told him to give it up, he might just do it. But definitely not Kudelia, the two don't have nearly the trust and fraternal closeness that he has with Mika.

[Thess]

Originally Posted by Esclair

It's hard to tell where Orga+Kudelia vs Mika will go though. Kudelia represents the 'ideal' aspects. Orga represents 'ambition'. If those 2 are together there's not much left for Mika to do. Would he take revenge on Orga/Kudelia? If so the show might go for a more tragic bent where the characters pretty much kill each other. I don't really see the show going down that angle given the 3 episodes we've seen though.

Huh? Orga doesn't represent ambition. His goal is to have a place they could live well, iirc, so Kudelia, IMO, is kind of the embodiment for that aspiration. At least to Orga. Mika's goal is simply "gotta protect my pals." He's a lot more living by the day, while Orga thinks about the future.

I don't think Mika will have "revenge", it'll be just dispute drama before they can work their problems. This is speculating, of course, but I can't fathom why would he "chose" between Kudelia and Orga as you said.

Originally Posted by Irenesharda

While Orga and Kudelia being together is totally fine in my book, I can't ever see him putting her in front of his comrades, much less Mika. Mika and Orga has that weird symbiotic relationship that they both depend on and have been together for a very long time. Orga has also been the leader and champion for these orphans long before Kudelia came around. Also, there is his ultimate goal of creating a better life for himself and his comrades and he's done whatever he's had to, to get that.

Now, Kudelia may become part of that life, but I could never see him abandoning everything for her. It would go against his entire character. Now, if Mika told him to give it up, he might just do it. But definitely not Kudelia, the two don't have nearly the trust and fraternal closeness that he has with Mika.

All I'm saying that this episode Orga didn't even consider sacrificing Kudelia and he looked pissed when the moustache guy proposed it. So I have no idea how far it'll go, an episode ago I wouldn't even say that. I don't think he'll sacrifice Mika, but if he's put in a circumstance he could only save one between random children and Kudelia in the future? I don't think he'll choose the kids.

Frankly, I think Kudelia and Orga are more reliant on Mika, and he's to them. This episode turned the tables.

[Irenesharda]

Originally Posted by Thess

All I'm saying that this episode Orga didn't even consider sacrificing Kudelia and he looked pissed when the moustache guy proposed it. So I have no idea how far it'll go, an episode ago I wouldn't even say that. I don't think he'll sacrifice Mika, but if he's put in a circumstance he could only save one between random children and Kudelia in the future? I don't think he'll choose the kids.

Frankly, I think Kudelia and Orga are more reliant on Mika, and he's to them. This episode turned the tables.

A think him not saying anything when Todo brought it up, may have been a little because of her, but mostly to show what a careful leader Orga is. He's not going to automatically agree to anything until he's thought out all the options. He accepts Todo's presence, but he's not going to trust him any farther than he can throw him. That guy goes wherever the wind blows, you have to be careful of guys like that. He's brought all of the Third Group into this and so everyone is looking to him, he has to make the best decision for all of them, and so, if those children were part of Third Group? Then yes, he would put them ahead of her.

Orga and Mika are reliant on each other. Mika looks to Orga for direction and it's only with Mika that Orga can let his guard down. Notice when Orga is alone with Mika, he act the most like a normal guy? Not a leader that has to have skin harder than steel, and not putting up a facade like he does with the First Group. He is just relax and be normal.

I don't know when and if there will be more to Kudelia and Orga, but this was their first time even really talking together, so I'd wait a little more before assuming he would drop everything for her just yet.