Episodes 14-24
Things Go More Slowly
Episode 14: I'm sure I'll rant at length about this episode on the 'ole podcast but holy crap this episode irks the crap out of me. I think I've found a new addition to the Top 5 Worst Episodes of Gundam list. Now I'll have to check but I honestly think this episode is 1/3 flashbacks! And the wedding! It's just.... sooooooo cliche. Are Fukuda and Morosawa fans of Final Fantasy or something? Dammit Cagalli, where is your spine?! I'm starting to believe those stories that what happened to Cagalli in Destiny is because of the supposed fighting between Morosawa and Naomi Shindo. And wow, is Yuna a coward or what? He is exactly what I think Lynn Kaifun would be if he wasn't a pacifist.
Episode 15: I'm actually up to episode 23 at the moment and 15 illustrates a point about a pattern I've been seeing in Destiny ever since 14: Have an action episode, then a non-action one. Maybe two non-action eps, or an ep where the action just gets started but then we have to wait until next week for the meat and potatoes. Also, Rey playing the piano: single biggest character moment he's had in 15 episodes. What is even the point of him? Also, I'm not overfond of this harem that's developing around Athrun. I used to think it was kind of a joke but now...
Episode 16: Not much here. Shinn mouths off as usual and our heroes (at least for now) mix it up with the Extendeds again.
Episode 17: You know, for the work they did on the SEED remaster, some of these Destiny episodes are still REALLY wasteful of time. This episode has a ton of recap at the start, so much so that the REAL episode doesn't start until 4:20!! DA FRAK?!
I feel like at this point the writers weren't sure what to do with the Archangel, besides not wanting it to move away from Athrun and the Minerva characters. Shouldn't they be trying to figure out where those ASSH suits came from and/or smuggling Cagalli back into Orb or something?
Episode 18: This was actually a really good episode surprisingly. The last good episode of Destiny perhaps? Almost like the Star Wars: A New Hope of Gundam. The only thing I didn't like was Shinn's attitude. Unfortunately, that's not going away anytime soon, is it?
Episode 19: So yeah, once again an action episode is followed up by sittin' down to dinner. I love how Durandal throws out LOGOS here... and the Minerva crew promptly forgets about it until Durandal makes the announcement. Heine shows up here but is silent; I guess they couldn't get T.M. Revolution into the recording booth that day.
Episode 20: I skipped this one since it's a clipshow.
Episode 21: More slowdown with Athrun getting an eyeful of Meer's nipples (when you guys mentioned that i thought you meant kinda sorta nipples, not the actual thing! 0__o Don't the Japanese censors usually say no to this stuff?), Luna getting mad etc. See, this is why i don't like this kinda sorta harem developing around Athrun. Maybe I'm crazy, but I find I don't much care for Heine. I relly don't care much for characters that just show up out of the blue, offer wisdom to the established characters and crap. That and I know he's gonna die in a few eps and they wasted budget on hiring some celebrity.
Shinn meets Stella and I can't say I care overmuch for her. I don't dislike her, I just don't care. I have plenty of sympathy for what she went through at Lodonia but... Four Murasame could actually hold a conversation. I really can't tell if there is supposed to be a romantic attraction there or if he's using her as a substitute for his sister...
Episode 22: Can we get going here? Now we have set up for the battle and oh boy, here comes Kira and the Super Friends. I really have to wonder if anybody died when Kira blew up the Tannhauser?
Episode 23: Aahaha Heine died. Man, the Gouf is doomed no matter what! At least we get Andy in his Murasame. So Kira cripples the Minerva and Cagalli tries to stop the ORB forces... although its kinda late for that. All the dramatic tension goes out the window as the Freedom lays waste to everyone. You know, if you really wanted the ORB forces to stop fighting, Kira should have gone after the ships and disabled ALL of the M1s and Murasames. And Cagalli does... absolutely nothing, despite the Strike Rouge being retconned the Ootori pack. Rassa frassa...
And now that we've spent three episodes (and a clipshow, technically) building up to this battle and now it's time to slow things down again. *sigh* Oh and who here is absolutely sick and tired of seeing Uzumi burning in the fires of his ideals? I'm gonna have a rant about that later on.
Episode 24 AKA The Archangel Has An Onsen: No seriously, whiskey tango foxtrot? I'm sorry but this is just patently ridiculous; I view this as being one of the prime representations of everything that is wrong with Destiny. The Archangel is a WARSHIP. Not the bloody Enterprise-D! If they absolutely must have an Onsen, take a cue from Full Metal Panic and just have it be a converted cleaning tub. Oh and more added fan service where Fukuda finally says "screw it" and shows Lacus naked. From behind but still naked with no Naked Space™ shenanigans. *bangs head on wall several times* I mean, for frak's sake, not even the Freeden, a ship run entirely by mercs, had luxuries like this. Maybe they should rename the Archangel, the Hall of Justice?
Anyway, Athrun meets Miriallia and gets in touch with the Super Friends, oh wait, before that. We see several bodies being carted away from the ZAFT base and Minerva, including Heine's. I wonder if some of those guys might have been killed on the Minerva? Would make Lord Yamato a little hypocritical, wouldn't it?
Lunamaria is following Athrun. Sent on a mission or just blowing off her responsibilities? Naw, I'm kidding, I know Talia sent her.
And I'm kinda getting even more annoyed with Shinn. Chris was right, he might be a trained, enlisted pilot, but he acts more like the Accidental Teenage Pilot™. He and Rey find the Lodonia lab and Rey actually has another moment of character development. Not much of one but hey, this guy seems to have to take what he can get.
Next up will be episodes 25-28 and 30 and that'll be through the 2nd cour of the series and into the third.
