「巡る想い」 (Meguru Omoi)
“Circling Thoughts”

Would you look at that; season ending climax ahoy! While I did promise escalation in Witch from Mercury’s first season twilight, I was somewhat doubtful it would actually happen. There’s been a lot of beating around the bush, a lot of hints, and even more baiting and switching. And yet in the end you can treat it all as Suletta has to date: the elephant to avoid until it’s right in your face.

The one big thing Witch from Mercury has not dealt with to date is how Miorine, Suletta, and the whole Gundam thing would be tangibly dealt with by outside powers. While tentative moves have occurred, none have really been blatant or particularly committed: kangaroo court? The wonders of blackmail. Repeated dueling? Say hello to introverted cuteness. Hell even Shaddiq found out the hard way what happens when coercion is utilized. Now, however, things have really moved into new territory. Guel’s father going for a second assassination attempt of Delling after all isn’t special because of who’s doing it or why – it’s important because it’s Shaddiq taking the reins of the operation (alongside confirming some split loyalties) for the sake of acquiring power. His own power. This moment arguably heralds the start of the ‘true’ Witch from Mercury because we’re no longer seemingly dealing with lackadaisical kiddie strategy. For the first time the gloves are off and casualties be damned.

Particularly important about this development too is that it’s not occurring in isolation. The reappearance of Elan (as Suletta knows him) and his attempted seduction shows that the likes of Peil haven’t given up monopolizing Gundam technology for themselves, they’ve simply thought of a different approach. Tack on one familiar face part of the so-called Space Assembly League who too are interested in what Gundam offers and you can start seeing where things are heading. Miorine, for all her desire to grow her company and see it thrive, is missing the forest for the trees. Just because she won reprieve from Shaddiq’s earlier plan and has her father aligned doesn’t mean she’s safe – if you’re not considering potential threats you’re going to miss one at the worst possible time. As her ignorant brushing off of Suletta shows Miorine hasn’t grasped the full picture or her own importance yet, something which will come back to bite her sooner rather than later.

And proving the above just so happens to be the setup for our grand season finale. Delling and Prospera hashing it out at a Benerit Group factory just so happening to contain Aerial; Guel on track to be part of the battle and assuredly repair his wounded pride; Miorine taking Suletta along for Suletta’s inevitable first taste of actual battle; and our first enemy force in Dawn of Fold who in quintessential Gundam fashion just so happen to have their own Gundams to fight with: everything is finally coming together to lay out the battle heading into Witch from Mercury’s second season.

It’s only a question of who won’t survive the ordeal.

 

Preview

22 Comments

  1. Dellling, calmly sipping from his “Best Daddy Ever” mug while watching the thickening plots unfold as the dawn is before his eyes.

    If Prospera is smart, i expect her to have some G-Bits defense system, an Anti Gundam EMP bomb or her Nu Llfrith Gundam and her piloting skill is better than these two quasi Throne series (lfrith Ur and Thorn; and they look like crappier copy of Leopard and Airmaster). I don’t see her conspiring to assasinate Delling now. This is not a tripartite meeting between Axis, AEUG and Titans (Haman, Blex/Quattro, Jamitov), and she still need his funding fur unforeseeable future… except if emotion get better of her.

    Third party trying to get a piece of action…. so long that they didn’t become Seed and Destiny Three ships alliance…. Damn, don’t let Shaddiq’s harem turned into another Shrike Team or Astray Girls… let them live and be ntr material, please…. Okouchi…. also the Jeturks two harem…. they are kinda cute.

    Mr Bob and his argonauts is being forced to be the quasi Thrones’ Trojan Horse…. a tactic as old as Yang Wenli’s capture as Iserlohn , i guess. But Mr Bob will be the new Masked Tuxedo who appear during distress and vanish when all is right, hope he is not as cringe as Mr Bushido. And i think Graham Acker fuelled by vengeance hopping on GN Flag was cooler and better character than any characters in Gundam OO 1st season…..

    Porn
    1. We still dont know what is Prospera’s true goal, is it revival of the Gundam idea, revenge on Delling or power quest of her own?
      As Gundam newb i dont understand all the comparisons , apart from Yang Iserlohn capture (and only because I got into Die Neue Thesis rework…)
      Season finale is likely to be exploding with action, anyway…
      What an unluck for Guel, he gets some respect points for being able to sustain himself from ordinary workman position, and then he gets directly into Gundam battle…. without one, as hapless victim. Unless he is extremely resourceful…

      ewok40k
      1. Well, so long that Prospera’s Tempest didn’t turn into Titus Androcus and Delling didn’t go “A Horse for my Kingdom!”. I don’t mind. I mean, i survived 2nd season of OO and Seed. And they almost had nothing original in them worth expecting.

        G Bits is a newtype based weapon system using the idea of Flash system, exclusive in Gundam X series. In simple words: imagine Nu Gundam controlling mobile suits platoon as its fin funnel weapon.

        The EMP could be whatever Shaddiq used in previous episode during his duel or the one ZAFT used in Panama as countermeasure against OMNI’s mass deployment of Strike Dagger.

        Leopard Gundam from Gundam X. just think of Heavy Arms from Wing
        AirMaster Gundam also from Gundam X. Transformable mobile suit like Murasame from Seed Destiny.

        The tripartite negotiation between Axis, AEUG and Titans happened in Gundam Zeta prior to the decisive battle during Operation Maelstorm. The main idea was trying to get Axis to either pick the side of AEUG or Titans as allies. Seeing both Titans had lost political and financial support from EFSF after Char’s speech in Dakkar and AEUG feeling restless after Green Noah’s Gryps had turned into Colony Laser (a better improvement of Gihren’s Solar Ray Project) , they turned to Axis (Asteroid mining platform used as base for former Zabi sympathizer and Zeon’s army including those Marines from Granada and Kycilla’s forces One Year War Veteran from Luna II) and negotiated for military assistance. In the end however, Haman skillfully used both party as her convenience and used the opportunity to propel her own Neo Zeon movement. Jamitov was betrayed during the confusion after failed negotiation, Gate of Zedan (Former A Bao A Qu and Titans stronghold and space fortress) smashed in two , AEUG left in tatter with Quattro himself MIA at the end of Gryps War.

        Shrike Team is League Militaire’s mostly female elite pilots division under Oliver. Notable for piloting Gun-EZ, Gunblastor and V-Hexa series.they hold notorius reputation with all member (or almost everyone …maybe one survive) killed in the most gruesome end possible in history of gundam…. so far. Astray Girls from Seed only three so… who cares? (Kinda cute though).

        Porn
        1. Prospera’s name might be invoking Tempest directly… Prospero was wizard, she is a witch.
          Who is the Kaliban then? just kidding… anyway she meeting Delling seems EXTREMELY suspicious. She might be in league with Earth guerillas, or she might end up as spanner in their works. Shaddiq himself seems to have multiple clashing loyalties – to his Earth orphanage/guerilla base and his foster parent… what will happen when those loyalties will clash?
          This is very multipolar [pwer game of chess/poker with many players ready to change the rules at that precise moment… and even pawns having own agendas.

          ewok40k
  2. You know, given Delling Rembran’s response to Miorine while Suletta was unexpectedly on trial, I am starting to wonder if Delling was forced to outlaw GUND-ARM tech during the prequel. Since many big corp fat cats hold political power and no real government entity exists. What better way to allow one CEO to unit all corporations than to force the CEO to agree to snuffing out a competition.

    The scene where Delling is teaching his kid how to run a start up and think like a CEO leads me to think, maybe daddy is gonna die before buying his pumpkin a unicorn?—–A Gundam Unicorn (…Hehehe––sorry.)

    Renasayers
    1. Delling being forced into it would be an interesting twist, but I think it’ll wind up being more of Delling having regrets than actually being pro-Gundam. He’s been set up too much as an antagonist to get the full redemption story.

  3. Didn’t know Delling’s death is really preconceived.
    It also showed Prospera has a hand.

    It will not be those fancy schmancy Gundam duel but a full-out Gundam war!

    Way to start season 2, *ehem*, I mean end the first cour!

    Not KoG
  4. Known unknowns ATM:
    who is supplying from the shadows Prospera with money and Tech? Earth? Delling? Another faction yet unknown?
    what is her true agenda?
    what is Delling’s true agenda – was he roped into anti-gundam crusade or is he true believer? Why is he meeting with Prospera?
    Shaddiq, what is his true loyalty? Father, Earth guerillas, or only himself? What is his agenda , and use for Gundams?
    Guel – was he there by accident or intentionally? And what are his plans?

    ewok40k
    1. Shaddiq is easy, his loyalty is to himself. He wants to supplant his father, his mercs are tools to use, and Gundams serve as the means to establish his rule.

      As for Guel that too is deliberate setup. Not by his father, but by the writers; have to give him a chance to return and salve his wounded pride.

      1. I see Shaddiq as the antagonist of the story rather than Prospera.

        I will bet Shaddiq will be wearing a mask at the start of the next season.

        Right now he has a psychological mask. He would wear a Char mask once he goes on Predator mode.

        Not KoG
  5. The moment everyone kept mentioning Plant Quetta, I knew this was going for a very explosive finale. All threads converging on the same point.

    Also, the Lelouch vibes Shaddiq gave me? Increased even more after hearing his declaration that he’d break the Benerit Group.

    Interestingly, I’m less worried about that fallout, and more about Suletta’s and Miorine’s relationship. As slimey as Elan 2.0 (3.0?) is, he did force Suletta to face the issue: what does she expect of her relationship? She’s never talked much with Miorine about it. And sadly, Miorine is her father’s daughter; whatever their good intentions they might be, they appear harsh, cold and aloof. The scene where Miorine turns off the lights without caring to check if Suletta was staying behind is a good metaphor of their current issues.

    Mistic
    1. What Minorne did is what Delling did in the past. They are thinking corporation is more important and that they can throw money on every problem they had.

      These are the accountant types. It is hard to get a feeling from them and they prioritize efficiency. Suletta’s heart must have been cut in half at that episode.

      Not KoG
    2. Funnily enough I don’t see too much trouble between Miorine and Suletta. There will be the episode devoted to them hashing it out (before or after Elan attempts seducing her again), but they should make up pretty easy once Miorine learns about speaking her thoughts out loud. Suletta doesn’t have the temperament to give up on her, which alone should ensure any conflict between them is short-lived at best.

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