Gundam AGE ep44: dripping with hyperbole, like chocolate syrup on a delusional sundae.

[Gundam AGE ep43]

I’ve never hid my dislike for Zeheart Gallette, nor will I start now.  But I will state that I’m trying to be fair.  Something that doesn’t really come up very often in the show in regards to him.  I think he’s fairly assessed as an outstanding pilot and a charismatic and likable personality.  But I think he’s unfairly assessed as a great commander (by the people in the show) and competent judge of character.  And at his core, I don’t find Zeheart to have much of a personality.  But this episode was the episode that I sat back and honestly hoped that he would make the right decision.  The moral one.  Or at least put up a fight.  Can you guess how he handled it?

With the fall of the lunar base doing not much more than helping to level the playing field on the Federation side.  Everyone’s attention turns towards La Gramis.  That giant floating collection of anal beads (no I’m not holding back, it really does look like it) orbiting Earth.  And plans are made by both sides to attack and defend the installation.  It seems that the Vagan military still has many spies and traitors working for it, despite years of Flit’s purging.  And speaking of Flit, we see more than a little bit of that simmering hatred burst forth in this episode.  When told that the Vagan prisoners of war were going to be imprisoned and not executed, he exploded!  I don’t know how Algreus could sit around and think/believe that Flit is not just a little too old and dangerous to have full control of the Federation fleet.  For once, something the Federation does makes too much sense.  I’ve there’s a genocide on the way, much of the blood is on his hands.

We also get the usual clash between great daddy and hated filled warrior Flit, and terrible daddy, but well adjusted pirate, Asemu.  At least Asemu makes more sense when arguing with Flit than Kio does.  But everything’s too clouded by a convoluted cloud of family issues, rivalry and rebellion for there to be any progress.  And when Kio pops into the argument, he and Flit are such polar opposites that they may as well save the conversation, stare intensely into each other’s eyes and toss drinks in each other’s faces.  The Asuno men are a mess at this point.  All talent.  No chemistry.  Though I am starting to get the feeling that Flit may be starting to wonder about his intentions and how far he’s come.  Kio appropriately shooting down Flit’s delusional talk of messiah-ship seemed to sting.

On the Vagan side of things, somehow Zeheart has gotten wind of Ezelcant’s plan, and confronts him on it.  This is quite clearly the pivotal moment of this episode so far.  Ezelcant and Zeheart have their debate, but things change when Ezelcant coughs up some blood.  I have to give Ezelcant props for coming clean with his insane and bloody plan.  He trusted Zeheart and told him everything.  And then freely gave him the choice to take up his mantle when he offered him full control of the Vagan military and the horrific “Project Eden”.  And this is where I decided to fully throw Zeheart into the bin when it comes to being a character that I have any respect for.

I know Ezelcant has basically been like a father to him his whole life.  But like Kio (I can’t believe I’m using him as a reference for anything good), you have to stand up for what you think is right.  I don’t believe he had anywhere near the level of hatred for the Earth Federation that Ezelcant had.  So I was disappointed to see him roll over when he sees the old fool get all sad and bloody in the mouth.  It remains true to how AGE has done its character and plot development up until this point, quick and to the point.  But I thought a pivotal decision like this would be struggled with more.  He’s no Char Aznable.  He doesn’t have the ruthless intentions and cunning to make this plan his own, I don’t believe.  And he’s no Athrun Zala, who may have struggled a bit with this turn of events, but would always have done right.  Regardless, the baton is passed, literally.  Though it seems Ezelcant still has a few surprises up his sleeve.  That new “test tube pilot” may not be stable from the looks of it (not physically, but mentally).  And there’s still the matter of EXA-DB.

It seems like the Vagans have gotten perilously close to what they want.  And when I say perilous, I mean there’s a giant Zeon-like mobile armor that’s self autonomously scrubbing intruders out of its space.  Seems like an interesting and opportune time for Zeheart to try his hand at managing the Legilis Gundam.  The thought of him handling that machine so capably actually makes me wonder if anyone could handle him one on one?  It may be the only thing though worth mentioning about Zeheart himself though.  Great pilot.  Forgettable character.

Links

• Gundam AGE ep44 gunpla recap