Gundam 00 - Second Season.

[Admiral Valdemar]

It's clearly better to kill civilians with human wielded machineguns, not robot ones. Well, really, killing non-combatants is always wrong, but they seemed to object to the agent involved, rather than the physical act of slaughter.

[Darth Raptor]

I found the Kataron charge out to be pretty heroic... and stupid. They don't even have GN drives and are piloting suits that were sorely outclassed years ago. They would probably have done better sitting in the bunker and sniping, they'd have lived that extra 30 seconds more.

They might have actually held out long enough for CB to get back. That and even their outdated suits could have wiped the floor with those MG-armed automatons.

[Companion Cube]

Eh, but a Drei with a GN buster sword.

Saji... The next few episodes is going to be his story, so it'd better be good. As in interesting and not contrived. The A-Laws using automatons to slaughter Kataron wasn't that bad though - slaughtering enemy soldiers on the ground with machines isn't any different from just bombing them with a nice, big bomb. It was just a little overkill that they didn't give the rebels a chance to surrender, but seriously, its a bloody war, is killing the enemy that bad?

Well, remember how idealistic CB are; they'd probably be almost as disgusted if A-LAWS had just flattened the entire place from the air instead of sending in the bots. Killing the enemy is only justifiable if you do it by hand. The fact that the hand in question belongs to an invincible robot which the enemy can't compete with has nothing to do with it.*

*Actually, I guess I'm being unfair. The various CB pilots realise they're using brutal methods, but the issue isn't that their actions are justifiable, it's that they're taking responsibility for them. Using autonomous weapons to kill people is, as they see it, a way of abdicating that responsibility.

[Darth Raptor]

The A-LAWS are dicks, and the Federation is being pretty draconian about bringing the ME in line (I wouldn't be surprised if they're oppressing the shit out of the space colonies too, this is Gundam), but I just cannot sympathize with Kataron, who are apparently rebelling because of... yay, nationalism? So long as they're only going after the A-LAWS, I can more or less support CB this season, but Kataron? Forget it. It's not like they aren't also responsible for keeping kids on a fucking military base in the middle of a war. Child shields aren't much better than child soldiers, but at least they're DEFINITELY NOT DOING THAT SHUT UP STOP JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS.

[Ford Prefect]

(I wouldn't be surprised if they're oppressing the shit out of the space colonies too, this is Gundam)

While this would totally make sense, I don't think Ad actually has enough space colonies to justify this. There have been I think three habitats total shown, and no more implied or mentioned. Most of the orbital stuff in AD is the Solar Energy System. There really isn't an earthnoid/spacenoid divide in 00.

[Companion Cube]

Remember how Kataron had that asteroid staging facility in episode 1 (until A-LAWS blew it up)? I wonder how much strength they have in space, and if independence for the various space colonies will be a theme of their struggle later in the series. It'd give those Federation space warships something to shoot at, at any rate. I'm kind of hoping we get an equivalent to season one's battle in the Taklamakan desert.

[Companion Cube]

(I wouldn't be surprised if they're oppressing the shit out of the space colonies too, this is Gundam)

While this would totally make sense, I don't think Ad actually has enough space colonies to justify this. There have been I think three habitats total shown, and no more implied or mentioned. Most of the orbital stuff in AD is the Solar Energy System. There really isn't an earthnoid/spacenoid divide in 00.

Oh god, you instaposted me! My previous post wasn't intended as a counterpoint to yours. They do seem to have a pretty sizeable population in space, at least going by the station in which the Super Soldier Program was based (Here's a screenshot: link I can't tell if those are accommodation rather than industrial or office buildings, but presumably the entire workforce doesn't commute up the space elevator every day).

Then again, you're right, there hasn't been any illustration so far of dissatisfaction in the space colonies (or in the first world), so I guess it's unlikely they'll be major supporters of Kataron.

[VF5SS]

"You have control desu~!"

"I have control!"

Man, I was so waiting for the return of Allelujah's engrish. Poor Saji. Not only is he responsible for everyone being dead, he's now on the bad side of Captain Androgynous. And now he's gonna kill his girlfriend. Saji Crossroad, such is your life.

[Ford Prefect]

Oh god, you instaposted me! My previous post wasn't intended as a counterpoint to yours. They do seem to have a pretty sizeable population in space, at least going by the station in which the Super Soldier Program was based (Here's a screenshot: link I can't tell if those are accommodation rather than industrial or office buildings, but presumably the entire workforce doesn't commute up the space elevator every day).

Then again, you're right, there hasn't been any illustration so far of dissatisfaction in the space colonies (or in the first world), so I guess it's unlikely they'll be major supporters of Kataron.

It's cool CC. There's clearly some habitats around at the Lagrage points; the Union had one which was presumably mining the asteroid cluster in orbit, and the HRL had one. And obviously Saji was doing construction work on a colony. However, I don't think it's like UC's migration into space; the scale of the AD space colonies seems considerably smaller than the full on O'neill Cylinders they had in UC.

[Companion Cube]

So yeah, episode six.

"Return salute, Lieutenant"

Daww.

[Darth Raptor]

I am greatly amused that we're just now learning important things about characters who've been around since basically forever. Does anyone else think the regular Federation uniforms are goofy as hell? I mean, I get what they were going for with the whole AEU-HRL-Union hybrid thing but the result just looks, well, stupid. It doesn't help that the original Union nutcracker hats were dorky as fuck.

[Ford Prefect]

I am greatly amused that we're just now learning important things about characters who've been around since basically forever.

Yeah, it only took them a binillion years for us to find out anything regarding Sumeragi's big bad friendly fire incident. Can you believe I spent all this time thinking that she was an officer in the Union? I dropped the notion that it was connected to Graham's (because the details for that were revealed), but I still thought she was Union. Turns out she was AEU and accidentally ended up fighting Mannikin! This is all fairly amusing.

by the way i think sumeragi looked pretty hot in that beret

Does anyone else think the regular Federation uniforms are goofy as hell? I mean, I get what they were going for with the whole AEU-HRL-Union hybrid thing but the result just looks, well, stupid. It doesn't help that the original Union nutcracker hats were dorky as fuck.

I don't like the hats. Graham could make the old hat work, but these are worse.

As an aside, while I enjoyed episode 6, I think episode 7 is where it's going to be at. Mistah bushido versus a trans-am'd 00? Soma and Allelujah playing at Max and Millia? Sergei getting into a mobile suit?

[Dendrobius]

As an aside, while I enjoyed episode 6, I think episode 7 is where it's going to be at. Mistah bushido versus a trans-am'd 00? Soma and Allelujah playing at Max and Millia? Sergei getting into a mobile suit?

I expect Mr. Bushido to fight at a disadvantage with the Trans Am'ed 00, then something will happen to 00 (Ian keeps saying not to go Trans Am, there must be a reason...) and Mr. Bushido will "win". Chances are that Sumeragi will have to think of something to save Setsuna. She still has Cherudim and Seravee at her disposal, so it's not inconceivable.

Soma and Allelujah doing their best Blue Lagoon impression, well, hopefully this means Al/Hal combo comes back after the interlude.

Sergei has death flags planted all over him. If he doesn't die before the end of the series I'd be highly surprised. Also wonder what he gets to pilot...GNX-III in Fed colour at least?

Where's Patrick? He needs to come and cheer up Katie. Of all the cast, I miss him the most.

[Ford Prefect]

I expect Mr. Bushido to fight at a disadvantage with the Trans Am'ed 00, then something will happen to 00 (Ian keeps saying not to go Trans Am, there must be a reason...) and Mr. Bushido will "win". Chances are that Sumeragi will have to think of something to save Setsuna. She still has Cherudim and Seravee at her disposal, so it's not inconceivable.

I'm hoping that it gives Bushido the oppurtunity to demonstrate his undoubtedly amazing piloting skills like Graham did in the first season. The difference between the Bushido custom and the Gundams (even the 00) is not as drammatic as the differences between his Flags and the Gundams in first season so I can't giggle as much like a fangirl. However, trans-am triples the power output of a GN drive and the 00 has two, so ... it'll be just like the unmodified Flag fighting the Exia in the secodn episode.

Sergei has death flags planted all over him. If he doesn't die before the end of the series I'd be highly surprised. Also wonder what he gets to pilot...GNX-III in Fed colour at least?

I'm hoping to see the Advanced GN-X or something like that, even if it was superseded by the GN-XIII

Where's Patrick? He needs to come and cheer up Katie. Of all the cast, I miss him the most.

I never thought that I'd agree with you, but i do. I miss Patrick too. Alas, but he is dead.

[ZShade]

I never thought that I'd agree with you, but i do. I miss Patrick too. Alas, but he is dead.

Wait, what? When did this happen? Patrick is seen in the season 1 epilogue, standing with the other Federation pilots.

[Ford Prefect]

Well blow me down, he actually is there (incidentally so is Louise's boss, the chubby blonde dude). I'm actually really surprised that he is alive, given how that last shot to his GN-X was handled. It seemed fairly clear at the time that it was a kill-shot, given the 'growing white light in the cockpit' thing. Well, hey, I'm fine with that.

[Darth Raptor]

I thought for sure he was dead, too. Don't feel bad.

[generator_g1]

In the 00F manga, Fon Spark kicked the wreckage of Patrick's GN-X back towards the Earth. Fon was on his way to retrieve the Nadleeh's GN drive. Patrick must have gotten picked up by friendly forces somewhere along the way.

Million to one odds, but he seems to be the resident cockroach in the series...

[Companion Cube]

Sergei has death flags planted all over him. If he doesn't die before the end of the series I'd be highly surprised. Also wonder what he gets to pilot...GNX-III in Fed colour at least?

He should jump into another Tieren variant and do some head-squeezing.

[avatarxprime]

I expect Mr. Bushido to fight at a disadvantage with the Trans Am'ed 00, then something will happen to 00 (Ian keeps saying not to go Trans Am, there must be a reason...) and Mr. Bushido will "win". Chances are that Sumeragi will have to think of something to save Setsuna. She still has Cherudim and Seravee at her disposal, so it's not inconceivable.

Setsuna did use it in the first place to force both drives to increase their emission so the Twin Drive would activate, but unless they are both properly synced rather than just "close enough" continued use of Trans-AM probably will result in damage to the Twin Drive system. I imagine that Ian is worried that by continuing to use Trans-AM the Twin Drive would fail and it'd be like back in Episode 2 where the thing would just sit there and do nothing. Of course should this happen they could always break out GN-0000/7S 00 Gundam Seven Sword and run that.

In the 00F mange, Fon Spark kicked wreckage of Patrick's GN-X back towards the Earth. Fon was on his way to retrieve the Nadleeh's GN drive. Patrick must have gotten picked up by friendly forces somewhere along the way.

Million to one odds, but he seems to be the resident cockroach in the series...

I think it's more impressive that the intended kill-shot actually just ended up taking off the top half of the GN-X and that thanks to it's lower than normal cockpit Patrick just survived. I mean those are some ridiculous odds.

Here's the relevant images

[Ford Prefect]

He should jump into another Tieren variant and do some head-squeezing.

It is perhaps a dream to expect him to have some sort Tieren with a GN drive.

Of course should this happen they could always break out GN-0000/7S 00 Gundam Seven Sword and run that.

I just want them to get that out anyway. It's awesome.

[Dendrobius]

A pity we're not likely to see Seven Swords 00 given that it was cancelled in favour of having the 0 Riser instead. If 00 does malfunction next ep, I'd like to see it shelved for a while (maybe that's why the 0 Riser exists, to help stabilize the Twin Drive), and have Celestial Being bring out Avalanche Exia to plug the gap since they have Exia and can repair it anyway.

Mind you, I think a fully operational base Exia would have won the fight in Ep1. Although the Ahead's 1/144 manual specifically states that it's superior to a 3rd Gen Gundam, I don't think that counts in Trans Am or any of the 00V stuff like Kyrios Gust or Avalanche Exia.

[Manus Celer Dei]

I thought the 00 Seven Swords was supposed to just be a modification to the 00, like the Torpedo Dynames, instead of an entirely different suit?

[Ford Prefect]

I thought the 00 Seven Swords was supposed to just be a modification to the 00, like the Torpedo Dynames, instead of an entirely different suit?

It's a set of equipment, including a GN Buster Sword.

[VF5SS]

It's a B-Club conversion kit you will never own.

Fixed for you.

Kidding aside, I think all the MSV associated with 00 and the crazy manga that goes with it (loli Haros?) is just another one of those disadvantages of being a non-Japanese fan of this stuff. I mean, all this stuff seems to make more sense when you have the light novels (that detail Lyle's terrible life) and the bizarre radio dramas (Choriiiiisu!). Nevermind the fill in stuff from the PS2 game. Jeez. You gotta be entrenched in this stuff.