Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Ep 15

The tension and rise of conflict is at the boiling point, and calls for desperate acts. Biscuit’s brother was hoping to find Kudelia and exchange her to Ghjallarhorn in hopes that they can suppress the inevitable riot, now that the union leaders and the people have been delivered weapons by Kudelia’s Sponsor, Gordon. All he was trying to do was prevent what he knew was going to happen with someone didn’t do something to address the building tensions. But the even if they had given Kudelia over to Ghjallarhorn, it probably would have produced the same results. Fury from the people of Kudelia’s capture, and Ghjallarhorn would still send in their troops to suppress the riot by massacring basically everyone in the slums or from any locations related to the resistance.

It broke my heart that Biscuit had to reunite with his brothers and such circumstances. It was sad to watch Biscuit have to say his farewell to his brother, who may not even make it out alive after this riot. He proudly announced Tekkadan as his family, but it broke his heart to basically cut ties with his brother, after he had disappointed him with his course of actions. Perhaps the saddest part was that Sawawin was so focused on trying to prevent a disaster, he didn’t ask about their sisters, grandmother and how Biscuit has been over the years. While their reunion was not as brutal as Akihito, it was still tragic in its own way. In fact it makes me nervous to think what could have happened if Atra didn’t speak out and claim herself as Kudelia- and perhaps that was one of the reasons why she did so, besides trying to protect Kudelia’s whereabouts.

Atra had ended up joining Biscuit when he met his brother, so she was caught up in the capture as well, but then took it a step further in advantage to protect Kudelia. Within a heartbeat, she boldly announced herself as Kudelia, convincingly so because Ghjallarhorn and the others fell for it. You have to hand it to her for her guts and courage to do that. She was absolutely fearless, and even when she was beaten she remained the tough face, refusing to say anything, telling them she had nothing to say. Eventually Biscuit admits that Atra is not Kudelia, so he is able to spare her from being dragged off to be tortured for information. When Mika sees her beaten, he is pretty livid about it. Fortunately, she manages to him calm before he sets off on a rampage.

Orga and the others are taken into shelter by the Union Leader Navona, who is is familiar with Biscuit’s brother Sawawin, but appeared to have no idea he was trying to protect him from his high position. Navona explains how he is barely keeping the other unions from acting rashly, and asks Orga if they could support them since they are amateur fights, but Orga declines. But seeking shelter with the union leader was no all in vain. It is thanks to them that they were tipped off about Atra’s and Biscuit’s capture, and Orga was able to contact Mika to inform him of the situation. Once they rescued them, they had hoped to meet Kudelia back at the hotel and get the hell out of Dort 3 before everything blows up- but she was gone.

Kudelia ends up leaving the hotel after Fareed-In-a-Mask shows up and tells her to evacuate the area, and  drops the truth bomb regarding both her Sponsor being responsible for supplying weapons and Fumitan for being a mole and not someone she could actually trust- oh and he says he won’t kill her because she is supposed to be the Maiden of Revolution. Fumitan then leaves her, basically Fareed-In-a-Mask hands, but Kudelia basically said screw that shit and went after Fumitan after she had left her, not realizing that Gordon is looking to kill her, and now knows she is on Dort 3. Either the assassin has changed location, or he will hope she will get killed in the upcoming fight.

Overall this episode was nothing more than a stepping stone for what is about to detonate. I expect things to blow up next week, but I wouldn’t be entirely surprised if they hold it back a tad longer, perhaps only starting mid-way or in the later half of the episode. Either way hell is going to break loose and it is going to be an ugly and likely one-sided bloodbath. I’m hoping Kudelia will be able to get out alive, I fear for her safety in such volatile situation. As for Fareed-In-a-Mask, besides the obvious (to rebel against the life he was living, he is going to do it in style), we still don’t fully understand his motives and intentions, and what role he intends to play with his Masked Persona.