Gundam Thunderbolt Ep. 1

In UC 0079, a Zeon Zaku II and Big Gun emplacement hide amidst the ruins of the space colonies that made up Side 4, Moore. On the Earth Federation Forces transport ship Beehive, Ensign Io Fleming plays chopsticks to a jazz beat inside his GM‘s cockpit while waiting to launch. Mechanic Cornelius Caca tells him to use headphones to listen to his pirate radio, but Io wants to feel the sound himself. He imagines the sounds and movements of the GM as though they were part of the music. From the bridge, Acting Captain Claudia Peer tells the pilots that their mission is to destroy the Zeon snipers hiding in the debris because they’ve already lost 40 allied units in one month. She says that regaining control of the Thunderbolt Sector will help change the tide of the war, now in its final stage. As he prepares to launch, Io tells himself that his birthplace is tying him down again. Io expertly maneuvers through the dense debris field, but the lightning-like Minovsky particle reaction distracts one pilot and causes him to crash into debris. A beam cannon sniper shot destroys the top portion of Io’s GM, but he manages to eject in time. The squad commander is killed, followed by many other pilots. Zaku pilot Daryl Lorenz snipes a GM until his gun’s barrel reaches his limit, so Rick Dom pilot Hoover Aisla keeps firing instead. He gets a warning message that his communications are going down, and suddenly his cockpit manually opens. Io shoots Hoover in the face and tosses his body into space. With communications still open, Io tells the Zeon pilots that their taste in music sucks. He then makes fun of Daryl’s prosthetic legs and boasts that he’s going to cruise back to his ship via their blind spots. Daryl vows to not let him get away next time, and Io mentions that the sound of jazz means he’s coming. Io detaches from the Big Gun and uses his machine gun to destroy it.

A Gattle flies over and docks with Daryl’s Zaku to relieve him. Elsewhere, only a few damaged GMs manage to return to the Beehive, but the crew are surprised to see Io return with a stolen enemy mobile suit. After recovering Hoover’s body, the Gattle returns Daryl and teammates Fisher Ness and Shawn Mitadera to the supply ship Dried Fish. The team is instructed to take Hoover’s body to the lab so that the data in his prosthetic arm can be studied first. Professor Karla Mitchum comes over and cries when she sees Hoover’s body. On the Beehive, Vice Captain Graham informs Claudia that data is being extracted from the Rick Dom, which might include deployment patterns. He also informs her that some mechanics have returned with the test unit, which he figures will go to Io. Claudia summons Io and tells him that he’ll be piloting the prototype mobile suit because everyone ranked above him just died in the last operation. She tries to slap Io, but he stops her and instead kisses her. The bridge crew complain about Claudia and Io being privileged elite, especially since he’s the son of Moore’s former leader. Graham thinks that makes them effective as sacrifices for the Moore Brotherhood because they’re young heroes dying for their ideals. Claudia tells Io that she won’t love him anymore and wishes she could order him to die. Io wants an order to launch because he’s captivated by mobile suits. Karla visits Daryl and asks him to kill Io for her. He asks her for painkillers because he says his prosthetic legs hurt. Io prepares to launch in the Full Armor Gundam on a mission to confirm the Zeon sniper locations extracted from the Rick Dom. Io is amazed by the Gundam’s power and tests its maneuverability and speed in the debris field. He declares that this is the power he’s always wanted and blasts a large piece of debris with his twin beam rifle. Later, Daryl and the other Living Dead Division pilots watch a flight recorder video of a Zaku being destroyed by Io. Captain Burroughs points out that the Gundam destroyed three Zakus and dodged all Big Gun attacks. Shawn mentions to Daryl that jazz music was playing, so Daryl is sure the pilot must be Io.