Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Season 2 Episode 22 – Final Pitstop on that Road to Renewed Strength and Promise?

It’s a bit vaguer in this episode given the circumstances of the plot details. The events of the past few weeks have been a bit more impactful than had already been revealed. However, it is kinda confusing because we ended the last episode with Orga and Mika brandishing some great resolve to do whatever it takes to bring peace…

…Yet it deflates rather quickly moments after they arrive back on Mars. While McGillis and Mika go off to do their thing (the former gets a pass because the head Gjallarhorn guy on Mars owes him one), Orga is faced with more financial hurdles. Accounts are frozen, nobody wants to talk to them, and news of their involvement with McGillis is broadcasted. Orga being Orga of course, buckles under the pressure and instead of giving a St. Crispin’s Day-esque speech about taking down Arianrhod, announces a chance for any and all reluctant Tekkadan members to leave. A lot of them are outraged at this, yet at least we see Zack’s bellyaching go somewhere when he announces he’s leaving.

The last speaking scene of him with Dane is a nice one, since it shows how despite everything he cares a lot about Tekkadan, and it tears him apart how they are more inclined to fight than flight. There is one last moment seen of him carrying supplies in a Merribit and Yukinojo-focused scene, but whether he makes it out is unknown. We’ll see where it goes from there, but at least something happened after so many times in the past episode of him expressing his uncertainty.

A more pleasant event though is seeing Kudelia, who also suffers due to her association with Tekkadan. The Nobliss money has been cut off from her, and Orga remains insistent she doesn’t associate Admoss with him or Tekkadan. She remains ever so steadfast despite the circumstances, and her loyalty to Tekkadan still doesn’t waver even after what has happened in the past few episodes. The bigger thing in this episode regarding her is finding out she’s apparently still in the potential running to bear Mika’s child (as per Atra), not to mention look after the potential child Mika and Atra are now trying to sire. I say ‘try’ since Mika openly states he is not sure if he was successful in doing so. Either way, it shows the two not making any reservations in pursuing the end goal of children given the potential fate that may overcome Mika. It also shows how the bonds between them have not wavered either, and it is great to see them hug one(?) more time to solidify it. What a meaningful ménage a trois. It sortof makes me forget my uncertainty about where this series, never mind characters, are going.

Which leads me to my next topic: Orga. After all eagerness and fire in his belly on replenishing their forces then fighting back, Orga is now wishy-washy. To be sure, his reaction to McGillis subordinating himself to Tekkadan’s command is par for the course, but then after his ‘fight or flight’ speech he decides to (after openly saying he wouldn’t), give up McGillis and Bael to Rustal in exchange for clemency to Tekkadan. Rustal sounds a bit offended at how brittle a backbone Orga has, and given how we still have three episodes left, refuses. Mirroring a previous scene where he talked about how an organization is not merely a leader but also a sum of individuals, he sternly tells Orga it is not enough to sacrifice the leader, he needs to annihilate Tekkadan as a show of power.

I’m not sure of Orga doing this kind of shit anymore, trying to place the burden upon himself and with this event, actually selling out somebody he said he would work with. When Eugene and the rest burst into the room, they are not shocked Orga would betray McGillis and sell him out, but that he is doing things on his own again and leaving the ‘family’ out on the lurch. Then when the end credits roll, the next big idea is to instead move to Earth and live under assumed identities thanks to an idea by Kudelia to utilize Makanai, and they get all excited about escaping and running away, as long as Orga is leading them (even Mika thinks this is fine). Um… okay? This is really the thing we’re going for with three episodes left? Flight from danger?

Not that it matters, since Gjallarhorn has made their move on Tekkadan’s location. So a big fight is at hand, and now I’m uncertain where this series will be going at this juncture. I’m getting mixed messages here, interspersed with nice moments. Even if those moments are nice, I’d like some clarity at this stage in the series.

Iron-Blooded Notes:

  • With the use of news smearing Tekkadan here, I’m surprised nothing has been said at all about the aftermath of the Mobile Armour incident. So what was the spin with that news? Who was to blame for awakening it, never mind what happened to that farming area that was inadvertently destroyed? Did that make Tekkadan lose face? Or Gjallarhorn?
  • Also, given how he was somewhat responsible for it, Ride has taken it pretty well. Not much in terms of PTSD and he’s still eager to fight. What do?
  • So what happened to that Unicorn unit shown many episodes ago? Is it gonna be used in the last few episodes?
  • We also see Cookie and Cracker once again. Those two are adorable, and it’s kinda sad they’re caught up in this.

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