Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Episode 23 – The one where Carta didn’t G-Chekketsu herself…

 

…Cuz she G-Wrekettsu’d herself with her actions today.

What I anticipated would be a fairly intense battle between Tekkadan and Carta’s remaining forces plus Galli-Galli and Ein turns out to be a big one-sided beatdown. Mirroring the third episode of the series, the third to last episode has a Gjallarhorn soldier seeking a fight with Tekkadan. However, whereas Crank sought them out to mitigate and/or stop any further slaughter, Carta has an honour issue. Yet due to her killing of Biscuit, nevermind the fact she is wasting Tekkadan’s time, she isn’t allowed to indulge in that battle to reclaim it. Instead she’s annihilated by Mika who cares not one whit for her feels. It’s kinda sad… but kinda deserved since she warrants no sympathy in their regard. It is only by the timely rescue by Galli-Galli in a revamped Kimaris that she lives… Maybe? Her eyes somewhat glaze over in her final scene, so it is hard to tell if she died really. It’s kinda Ein all over again.

Speaking of, it looks like the Alaya-Vijyana System may have more intense variations of it. This is given how we never really see Ein when he interacts with Maccy and Galli-Galli in his mobile suit. Is he like a brain in a jar? Or has the surgery made for some incredibly grotesque scarring, especially if they had to rush installing the system to his body?

Either way, things are getting rather grimmy grimdark for everybody. Despite the kindness (in their own way) of Carta and Galli-Galli during his youth, Maccy continues to move them like chess pieces in his reform of Gjallarhorn. He speaks with interest at how they’ll be able to help him reform it, but how? Is he wanting to use them as martyrs and examples of Nu-Gjallarhorn greatness (propaganda pieces like Garma Zabi), or do they have a place in administrating his new rule? Hard to tell really as two have already dropped like flies, with one already integrated into a machine and the other at death’s door. Who knows?

Then there’s Tekkadan, who’re filled with iron ambition in stopping anyone (especially Gjallarhorn) who tries to stop their trek to Edmonton. I’d go into detail and speculate about the uncertainty I have of these radicalized children especially after Biscuit’s demise in regards to their future, nevermind what happens AFTER Kudelia speaks at Edmonton, but I can’t really. This seems like we’ve reached the midway arc for them that will be continued with another season. We not only have people like Orga and Mika already determined to move forward, but others like Kudelia and Atra as well. The only one that is concerned is Miss Merribit, who tries to shield them from the bloodshed never mind provide a voice of reason. However, the level head of Tekkadan is dead, and all they can do is push forward. I can’t really denote whether I like or dislike this development, but just that it’s happening and how I’m curious to see where it goes.

It’s gonna hurt, but if they wanna get to Edmonton, they have to.

Iron-Blooded Notes:

  • I’d love to hear the reasoning behind Arbrau’s capital being in Edmonton instead of Ottawa. It’s kinda like how the Federation Assembly in Zeta Gundam was located in Dakar, Senegal of all places. Is there a reason? Or did Okada think it’d be nice for it to be in Edmonton? Maybe she went there and thought it was kinda cool and was all “Hm… yeah. I’ll make this the capital of something in that Gundam series I’m writing.”
  • Also what is up with this show and making who are usually the evil Nazis/Titans/A-LAWs to be human what with the flashback scenes with Carta, Galli-Galli, and Maccy? It’s like they want us to care about them or something. Why do, Okada? Why do?

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