Gundam 00 Episode 16

[masamuneehs]

i know exactly what you're talking about. I was thinking about that also. I remember once the OP changed, i was like huh?!

I'm kind of skeptical of the throne brothers, although the gundam with the "dragoon system" was freaking sweet. Nonetheless, however sweet that gundam weapon was, the "fangs" seem too overpowered.

The girl he chased in the first OP is, unless I was totally out of it, Marina Ismail, the queen of Azadistan, and the girl he went to visit (also a real fail realism scene) in the episode right before the desert ambush started (at the end of episode 14). She's still in the OP, looking just as angsty as ever.

I have always had a real hard time figuring out my feelings towards the bits/funnels/DRAGOON systems. I really don't like them when they give an already super powerful side a greater advantage. I mean, it's like fighting half a dozen very small, very hard to hit mobile suits that are perfectly coordinated and can take you out with one hit... It's my least favorite weapon behind energy shields...

i disagree with you on the idea that the pilots have "no talents/skills". I think we've already seen where they're strong and where they're weak. But I'd still like to have more character development... I understand the half-satisfied feel

[Ryllharu]

With the raw for 17 out, I succumbed and watched Shitsens for 16.

A Rie Kugimiya character that isn't a loli? BLASPHEMY!

It should be pretty clear that the Throne trio will become the villains. They call themselves "Throne" first off. "Celestial Being" as a name brings the idea that they come from above to intervene where they need to, and try not to interfere too much with the daily lives of people. Just like Louise proved in this episode. Saji stayed up all night watching the news, and what are "normal" people like Louise worried about? A test tomorrow.

But "Throne" implies they intend to use the power of their Gundams to rule, dominate, and control. Interfering as much as possible, and as harshly as possible. Ali-Serges is an asshole, relishing in the chaos of war, but he has no aspirations for control. He abandoned Setsuna and the rest of the Kurds when he felt like it years ago, and he'll probably do the same to the AEU (he already has to a point).

And Alejandro is totally evil. He kept pushing for the Thrones to be accepted into CB, I lost count of how many times he said it. He seems heavily involved with them, and the smirk at the end after CB accepted them gave it all away. Hopefully the boyslut he keeps will assassinate him.

What was the deal with Sumeragi? It's like she expected them to all die. Maybe it was just a prediction by Veda that didn't account for the Thrones, but her reaction was very odd. Perhaps she did turn traitor.

@masa:

I've got to say, I love the idea that the evil, already overpowered new Gundams have the bits/DRAGOON, superior rate of fire on the sniper rifle, and an overwhelming spread on the GN particles. For once (from the ones I've watched anyway) the "heroes," in this case CB and the actually "good" people like Graham, will be dramatically overpowered, but will somehow have to end up victorious.

That means that Setsuna and the rest of the not-so-skilled Meistars along with the superiorly skilled likes of Graham and hopefully Soma will have to train up to Graham's level of piloting skill. They've have to use skill and strategy instead of the technological high ground to defeat their enemies. It'll probably be a really nasty fight, which should be a good treat for the viewers.

@Gunslinger_BlaQ:

I agree with where you went with Graham and Patrick, Patrick was always a joke and there's a good possibility that Graham will ally with the core of CB.

But I think it's also quite likely for Soma. There was the one line where she wondered why Allelujah attacked the Super Solider facility, killing all of her comrades. On the one side, she was angry that people like her are now all dead, and I don't believe that she knows that Allelujah is a former Super Solider as well. Sergei may, but Soma was clearly not told yet. If she had, her line would not have been in a question. She would have known why someone like her would feel that way. I don't quite think she will ally as readily with the core of CB against Throne, but she will probably soon find some common ground with Allelujah and fight them.

I just hope she survives...
Soma has always been one of the "good" guys. She obeys orders, has a strong sense of what is right and wrong, which comes from her deep respect for Sergei who shares that same ideals and patriotic duty. Both serve their nation, but obviously don't hesitate to do the right thing (like with the space station section, and the corrupt scientist).

[Gunslinger_BlaQ]

i suppose, Ryllharu, when debated in those terms, it's a bit more believable that Soma may end up allying herself with Celestial Being (as well as, perhaps, Sergei-- unless it is his death at the hands of the Thrones that instigates her joining CB... which as it just hit me right now, seems like an amazingly feasible possibility)

--

as for the discussion as to the further over-powering of the Gundams with the introduction of the Thrones. given a quick breakdown, here we go...

Throne Eins: amazingly overpowered, ridiculous Virtue/Dynames energy cannons. these weapons are clearly powered by its GN Drive in the same way Virtue's cannons are, but with the amount of obscenely long range demonstrated by Dynames.

Throne Zwei: has a huge beam edge/solid edge "buster sword" ala Cloud (FFVII), as well as the "Fangs", of which there are six, which double as melee or ranged orbit weapons. they do not, thus far, seem to have the uber-overpowered "energy shield" ability like the Dragoons in SEED: Destiny.

Throne Drei: according to the specs breakdown, the fastest Gundam built to date, this one seems to be designed for Stealth, deploying the insanely huge "GN Blanket" effect, which can cover not only the Drei itself, but entire combat areas around it... beyond that... seems to have only basic weaponry... from standard beam sabers to to its arm rifle.
--

granted, this seems like monstrous overkill...

but there are some huge variables.

consider Virtue's "Nadleeh" capabilities, which we don't even know the full capacity of. it's very possible that that additional unit is as amazingly overpowered as the Throne Gundams, only restrained by Tieria's apparent refusal to bust that mother out in battles such as this one, resulting in the unit's near capture.

and even more so, consider the design shots we've seen in posts here about the "GN Arms" unit for Exia, which seems to be a melee-based equivalent to a METEOR unit...

in the end, everyone will probably get their upgrades right before the end of season one, and we'll see some battle lines drawn, as well as some deaths amid the "core" cast, resulting in new allegiances and whatnot... it's all to be expected at this point in the series...

then again...

maybe the Thrones, in their overconfidence, are going to get pounded by the more gritty-seeming CB Meisters... it's not beyond the realm of possibility...

(edited to fix typos and grammar. ugh)

[animus]

I was confused with the ep, why was that AEU dude calling for Throne to be accepted? Aren't they fighting them? Does it mean to acknowledge that these 3 new suits are equal threats as the 4 original are?

[poopdeville]

I was confused with the ep, why was that AEU dude calling for Throne to be accepted? Aren't they fighting them? Does it mean to acknowledge that these 3 new suits are equal threats as the 4 original are?

That dude isn't from the AEU. He's from the UN, and until this episode, I thought he was Veda.

[Ryllharu]

Alejandro was a shadow member of CB, stationed in the UN, and only described himself as an "Observer." We found out now how many observers there really are, and that he's deeply connected with the Thrones. Right now we don't know how much, but he may be their controller like Luimei is to the other four Meistars.

[Buffalobiian]

Well, at long last, Menclave releases their version. Was anybody waiting for this, or had they all given in?

720p
SD

edit: I'll assume menclave has the best translations, so to me, the correct translation from Alejandro was "Do we, the Surveyors, acknowledge or deny these three Gundams?" All that sounds like to me, is whether the Surveyors recognize their existence, though whether as part of CB or not, they didn't say. One of the better recap eps I've seen, and hopefully, next ep reveals more.