Gundam Ep. 7: The Core Fighter’s Escape

The White Base continues to fly over the United States and make repairs. Sayla and Ryu help watch over some of the old people in the infirmary while Haro tries to cheer them up. Bright has yet another problem with Reed because he wants to keep moving, and Reed wants to drop off the refugees from Side 7. Kai thinks they should dump the refugees because they don’t fight, and Bright tells him to shut up. Amuro explains to Bright his plan to use the ship’s center catapult to launch a Core Fighter into orbital trajectory so that they can contact the EFF and get help. It’s risky because the force of launch creates many Gs of force, so Amuro volunteers to do it himself. Garma examines the data gathered on the Gundam and realizes how powerful it is, despite the fact that their info is based only on estimates. He sees now what sort of enemy that Char had to fight. An alarm goes off, and Ryu calls to say that the refugees have taken Fraw and the kids as hostages. Amuro prepares to launch, and Hayato is mad that he doesn’t show any concern over Fraw. Amuro says he has a job to do and trusts Bright and Sayla to deal with the problem. The Core Fighter is launched, and a Luggun recon plane picks it up on its radar. Char and Dren immediately launch in the Komusai to intercept the Core Fighter. Garma orders a Gaw carrier to launch and cover Char. Bright, Sayla, Ryu and Hayato show up in the infirmary with guns. Bright talks to the old people, and they say they only want to get off the ship. They admit they don’t need hostages and simply wanted to talk. Bright assures them he will let them off as soon as possible. Mirai calls him and reports that contact has been lost and the Zeon are approaching the Core Fighter. She tries to call Amuro, but he has blacked out. Kai snickers and wonders if Amuro was shot down by the enemy.

The Core Fighter comes under attack, and Amuro finally wakes up. Bright orders missiles to be fired at the Komusai, and Char assures Dren that they’re just decoys. Amuro realizes that Char’s Komusai is not meant for aerial combat and is able to damage it. However, the nearby Gaw carrier launches a squad of Dopps which attack Amuro. Bright orders him to return to the ship immediately. Kai makes a smart ass remark about the mission failing, and Bright punches him and threatens to throw him off the ship. Sayla tells Amuro that upon return the Core Fighter will be transformed into the Gundam for a midair battle. Amuro says he can’t fight with the Gundam in freefall, and Sayla tells him the Gundam can fight for a minute. He says he can’t possibly fight in the air again, and she tells him he has a lot of skill. Kai tries to fire missiles at the Dopps, but they are in the same line of fire as the Core Fighter. The Core Fighter lands inside the ship and is quickly converted into the Gundam. Char has Dren bring the Komusai in closer, and when he sees the Gundam he launches in his Zaku. Amuro destroys several Dopps in the air and switches his focus to Char. Both Amuro and Char find that it is difficult to fight in freefall. The old people come to the bridge and refuse to leave until Bright lets them off the ship. Amuro depletes his beam rifle’s energy, and Bright tells him to return to the ship. Char lands on the ground and is told by Garma they have to rethink their strategy because of the Gundam’s modular construction; Char wonders how they can even fight something like that. The old people complain about being on the ship, and Amuro accuses them of being selfish and acting like children. Bright assures the citizens that they’ll land soon. Fraw returns to the bridge with the kids and tells Amuro she was worried about him.