Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Episode 14 Discussion / Poll

[SonicSP]

Originally Posted by Dark Wing

She had to be some kind of chold prodigy or something it'sthe only way that can make since unless they change the dates around.

Yeah I speculated in the Episode 13 thread that she was given growth medicine by her parents to make her grow faster while also being a child prodigy. Pretty out there, but you never know. I know the medical technology we're already aware of makes such things sound plausible in this series.

At the very least, making such an important speech at seven would definitely add to the fame of it. It *did* make it into the calender afterall that was chronicling all the vital points political points that had happened since the start of the Post Disaster calender.

[Rising Dragon]

All things considered, Kudelia doing such things at such a young age fits in with the series' main theme, so it's not terribly surprising when you look at it from that angle.

[Arya]

In all honesty the prodigy theory doesn't fit, Kudelia seems all but a prodigy, unless she lost it due to some unknown reason.
And given the revelation of late, both Tekkadan and Kudelia being used, it seems more likely that Kudelia has always been a pawn.

[kari-no-sugata II]

Interesting possibility would be that Fumitan manipulated Kudelia into giving that speech...

[Dark Wing]

Originally Posted by Arya

In all honesty the prodigy theory doesn't fit, Kudelia seems all but a prodigy, unless she lost it due to some unknown reason.

Well being a prodigy doesn't mean one has to be perfect or know everything. That person can just pick up and absorb certain subjects easier then others. Also didn't she attended college and graduated while still barely in jer teens?

[Arya]

Originally Posted by Dark Wing

Well being a prodigy doesn't mean one has to be perfect or know everything. That person can just pick up and absorb certain subjects easier then others. Also didn't she attended college and graduated while still barely in jer teens?

Of course not, still this is a work of fiction, so I'd expect a supposed prodigy character to be hinted at, even subtly, before being revealed. Kudelia characterization instead went in the exact opposite direction than what we were expecting to go in the light of her told political role.

She is timid, inconclusive, unfocused. At the same time the whole premise of her going to a negotiation on Earth seems to be a set up of Gordon to make her a martyr. That means it wasn't something she worked for to obtain or that she obtained out of her merits, but probably that someone asked her for.

Her figure has been hyped as a mean to incite the masses, at least on these colonies.

Also Fumitan seems to be implied to have been working as Kudelia's maid/page for long devoted years. They dont' seem to have a particular relation, still she has been the closest person to her for a long time. A lot of room for her to push Kudelia into the right direction. Even more if we factor Kudelia's indecisiveness into the equation.

At this point it seems more plausible that Gordon plotted it from when Kudelia was a baby than Kudelia being or having been a prodigy. Sure it is a long term plan, but not that complicated to adopt nor to plot. Leaving a lot of room and time to scheme dozen of back up plans.

[kakakka]

Originally Posted by Arya

In all honesty the prodigy theory doesn't fit, Kudelia seems all but a prodigy, unless she lost it due to some unknown reason.

...Being an open-minded adolescent in the middle of exploring the ways of a mercenary group, which need skills you don't have.

Interesting possibility would be that Fumitan manipulated Kudelia into giving that speech...

And/Or this too.

[Skaddix]

I dont think this was planned since Kudelia was a baby or anything. Nor do I see anything to suggest Kudelia is a Prodigy or at least in comparison to Orga (Alexander The Great or Lelouch for an anime reference) and Mika (Typical Shonen Prodigy and Gundam Protag)

Gordon needed someone to help incite a war between Mars/Colonies, The 4 Earth Blocs and Gjhallahorn and decided Kudelia due to her parents was a great target thus Fumitan was sent to groom Kudelia. I mean from what we can tell Kudelia is known for one great speech and beyond that nada nothing to suggest she is directly leading the protest movement. She is worrying about Mika's Kiss not writing more speeches, practicing negotiations, recording messages for followers, organizing protestors, etc if she was doing any of that Gordan wouldnt be able to set her up so easily. She has been pretty timid, unsure of herself and shown no real leadership skills. I mean basically Kudelia reads more like the One Ring or any MacGuffin ie as long as we get the super special person or object to the correct location alive or intact we win. So as long as Kudelia gets to the meeting without being arrested or killed, its a win for our Heroes.

And for all we know Kudelia didnt even write her own speech...I mean real politic side note plenty of people can deliver a good speech but cant write one. and yeah she didnt look seven in the flashback we saw... as for the English its been pretty darn good for awhile and by that I mean I noticed it since Gundam Build Fighters.

[monster]

Originally Posted by SonicSP

If we're going by the official calender timeline text used in Episode 4, she made her famous speech nine years ago - when she was seven.

Originally Posted by Dark Wing

She had to be some kind of chold prodigy or something it'sthe only way that can make sense unless they change the dates around.

According to episode 1, she made that speech while in her second year in Chryse College, majoring in history and economics and having an excellent academic record. That same episode also established her to be 15 in the present time. So she is no doubt a prodigy.

I think the bigger issue though is that the speech that appeared in episode 2 doesn't show a 6/7-year-old individual, unless it's a different speech, which is unlikely, but not impossible.

[Skaddix]

Eh she is a rich girl with the best tutors money can buy sorry that doesn't necessarily suggest a prodigy to me.

I agree on her not looking 7.

But again this might be a case of show not tell...I have seen zero to suggest Kudelia is a prodigy...I have seen plenty to suggest Orga and Mika are prodigies. Maybe writers should spend less time of Kudelia doubting herself in the stairwell and cooking in the kitchen and more I dont know using her Economics Degree to help Merrebit, Biscuit or something. I have seen more to suggest Biscuit has an Economics and History Degree then Kudelia quite frankly.

[Rising Dragon]

Prodigy or not, her being that pivotal at that young of an age fits well with the show's themes on child exploitation. Basically, she's just as much of a victim as the Tekkadan kids, the Human Debris, and the enslaved colonists. She pretty much always has been, and never realized it.

[Irenesharda]

Originally Posted by Rising Dragon

Prodigy or not, her being that pivotal at that young of an age fits well with the show's themes on child exploitation. Basically, she's just as much of a victim as the Tekkadan kids, the Human Debris, and the enslaved colonists. She pretty much always has been, and never realized it.

I don't know if I would say that. This is a path that she chose for herself and desired to do. Many have actually tried to dissuade her from this path, from her parents, to those in power on Mars, and yet she continues. It's not like she has a family to support, or a is a slave beholden to a master, she doesn't have to do any of the things she's doing. Her parents would be perfectly happy if she just dropped everything and just became a normal noble girl.

However, she saw the injustice on her planet and by her own words, desires to understand it better in order to change it. Not because she has to, but because that is her own personal desire.

I would see Almiria or McGillis as a better example of child exploitation than Kudelia. Both of them come from an affluent background, but they have no choices when it comes to what they themselves want to do because they are controlled by their families and used to advance the family and make it more prestigious and stronger. They don't control their destiny (or at least Almiria doesn't) but are at the whims of their parents.

[monster]

Well, depending on one's definition, being at the age of 15, Kudelia can still be considered a victim of child exploitation right now after making a name of herself from that speech. There is just not enough information yet to say that she was being exploited leading up to making that speech. This episode reveals that she's always been interested in Mars, so making that speech might still be of her own doing.

[Skaddix]

She is a victim sure but as much of a victim hardly. She may be getting manipulated in a long con but she still had a choice that wasn't work a crap job with poor treatment or you, your friends and any family you have left will die.

[monster]

Originally Posted by Skaddix

She is a victim sure but as much of a victim hardly. She may be getting manipulated in a long con but she still had a choice that wasn't work a crap job with poor treatment or you, your friends and any family you have left will die.

I agree for the most part.

That said, in one sense, it's worse for Kudelia because at least the children at CGS know that they're being exploited and they can at least still make some kind of a living out of it whereas she doesn't know that she's being exploited and betrayed and the end goal is to exploit, not just her life, but also her quick death.

[Rising Dragon]

Learning that all of her work towards peace and a better life for the people of Mars was only being twisted to start a horrific war will break the girl, especially if it succeeds.