Part 184: Post-Mission 50 Intermission (Includes Unit Analysis #23 - "Pink Battleship" Edition) and Mission 51 (Plant Route) - At The End of The Path Traveled - Part 1
There’s no prologue to this mission, so let’s go through the intermission and jump right in!No need to check our Top Aces as Kazuma is so far ahead of Kouji and Heero that it’s not even funny.
BP Upgrades:
Lacus has FINALLY joined and we build her just like any other battleship commander: Shooting, Defense and Accuracy (only a bit).
Skill Parts:
For lack of a better option, Tetsuya takes both Starting Morale+2 and Infight+1.
Kira nabs Support Request+1.
Unit Upgrades:
Seeing as how we’ll be jumping into the SEED finale next, we would do well do deploy Muu – as such, Cagalli’s Strike Rouge gets a boost to Mobility and Weapons so it’s at the same level as the normal Strike.
Wing Zero also gets a boost to Mobility and Weapons.
Just a wee bit of extra power to the Archangel.
Mazinkaiser nabs upgrades on HP, EN and Weapons.
Finally, the Eternal takes a boost in everything important and the last bit of cash boosts Re-Home’s HP and EN.
Quickly now, let’s take a look at our new ship:
The famous Pink Battleship of Death is a support ship just like Re-Home and carries the same deficiencies: low attack power (could’ve been compensate by that 2L size but nope) and defenses; still, it has both a repair and resupply module and two pilots.
If you wish it to attack, it’d be smart to leave it out of harm’s way and near a sniper that it can support attack.
Lacus and Waltfeld are the real reasons why you’d deploy this ship, though – first, their spirit commands:
Lacus’ Spirits:
- Cheer
- Bless
- Daunt/Exhaust
- Love
- Zeal
- Renew
Lacus’ Skills:
- Coordinator
- Support Attack L3
- Commander L3
Waltfeld’s Spirits:
- Invincible
- Accelerate
- Strike
- Valor
- Iron Wall
- Rouse
Conclusion: The Eternal is stuck being compared to the Re-Home and, while it is sturdier and stronger than it, the only real reason to deploy either of these ships is to use as a support unit and it just can’t compete against Re-Home’ four pilots.
Mind you, Lacus is a WAY better pilot than Professor, so you pick what you’d rather have: a good support ship that can fire back decently or a GREAT support ship that can’t hit for shit.
With that done, let’s get to it:
Mission 51 (Plant Route) - At the End of the Path Traveled
Shiho asks Yzak if Patrick is likely to decline the Federation's overtures for peace talks.
With his trademark scowl, he asks why else they would have been assembled into a strike force to guard Genesis.
Miguel finds idiotic the news that Federation special forces, piloted by Naturals, would be so stupid as to neutralize their own main army.
Shiho has heard that Neo-Wärter isn’t precisely part of the Federation army as such, but Miguel doesn’t see any difference: whether they are Feds or not, they are still Naturals.
Yzak isn't so sure, recalling that Dearka is among the Neo-Wärter; he still can't figure out the reason for Dearka's betrayal of Plant, but that won't prevent him from carrying out his mission.
As for "Doctor" Mikhail's opinion, everyone knows that Jachin Due is the last line of defense for Plant - and he has no problem with manning it.
The large-scale deathweapon they're guarding, on the other hand, presents an ugly moral quandary.
How could it be that the Coordinators, of superior stock to the Naturals, must stoop to the same dirty methods they accuse the Naturals of?
Miguel snorts, having figured Mikhail would call the Naturals the universe's "cancer cells" or something.
Mikhail tells him, however, that in the grand scheme of the cosmos, both Natural and Coordinators are basically the same thing.
At least, they're similar enough to the Radam and Eviluders that they’ve set both races in their crosshairs.
The conversation is interrupted by Neo-Wärter’s arrival.
Secret Alert! Make sure to deploy Lowe in the Powered Red!
Murrue quickly opens communications with Jachin due, identifying herself, and stating that she comes as a representative of the UN to request a ceasefire with Plant.
Her request is quickly met with Patrick yelling to his “Brave Soldiers of Zaft” about how the violent Naturals are losing their will to fight - making this the perfect time to lower the Hammer of Justice with their Genesis!
Aria is struggling mightily to understand why Earthlings are fighting each other, and with such ghastly weapons too.
Regulate can say nothing more than that this is human nature.
Patrick continues, claiming that the gamma rays of Genesis are the revolutionary light that’ll mark the beginning of a new age – the age of the Coordinators!
George Glenn is rather disappointed that the Coordinators' mentality hasn't evolved any in a century but, since he's technically already dead, he can't see fit to pass judgment on his creations.
That will have to fall to our people.
Lacus requests that Waltfeld opens communications with the Zaft troops, so she can talk to them.
Lacus quickly declares that our hostility is based on the different vision of the future that we and Patrick desire – however, she wishes that the Coordinators would consider whom their real enemy at the moment.
Patrick responds by having Creuset move to take out Lacus and he has just the right person for the job: he orders Ash to handle it.
Ash is actually quite glad, seeing how his original mission had always been to find and kill Lacus.
Mikhail (who was also part of that mission, remember?) doesn’t do this with Ash’s glee but, considering the situation, he’ll follow Patrick’s orders and will give her a public execution.
With that, the battle will begin in earnest; Shiho seems hesitant but Yzak says that they have their orders and must comply (Dearka wondering what the hell his old friend is thinking).
Lacus laments that we all, humans, are beings who could possibly live without fighting.
Still, we keep fighting and she wonders: now that the battle has begun, what will it bring? Who, or what, will it protect? Themselves? The future?
Even without melody, Lacus' words are a song, carrying her thoughts clearly to all who listen: What will each of them do in this future, only winnable by striking others down? And why?
And how shall the victors face that future, without the defeated?
She pauses, and Kira tells her that our people will finish that song for her.
Though we’ll have to, unfortunately, use more violent methods – none of us like causing destruction but there are some things that can't be undone if we don’t take action.
Even Athrun is fully committed, seeing it as his personal duty to stop his father.
As Murrue gives the order to attack, Ash is quite eager to hear Lacus' pretty voice contorted in a tortured scream.
Waltfeld warns that Ash is already targeting the Eternal but Lowe asks that they leave Ash to him – he’ll pummel that rascal within an inch of his life!
Meanwhile, Muu notices that Creuset isn’t taking part of the battle and wonders what he could be planning...
It’s a mixed troupe of CGUEs, GINNs and GuAIZs so we shouldn’t have much trouble clearing it out; keep in mind that most of them are sitting on asteroid fields, gaining a boost to accuracy, defense and evasion.
I was hoping for a critical but fine…
Athrun takes the kill and gets said critical hit.
All other troops are too far away to do anything, so they just move up.
Enemy Phase!
The GINN ignores all others and picks one of the few units that can hit back.
Blah.
Couple of CGUEs gang up on Tetsuya, who takes both hits on the chin.
Oh no, you didn’t!
That’ll learn yer.
Athrun gets pestered by a GINN and responds appropriately.
Here comes Ash.
Of course he hits with 26% hit rate…
Player Phase!
Gai starts working one a GuAIZ.
Leaving it prepped for Lowe to finish the job.
I still don’t know how he twirls that sword around like a baton.
Heero takes down Hayato’s GINN and Duo is right behind him to attack a CGUE.
Keep building morale – we’ll need it when we go against Ash.
Good man.
Wufei and Hayato make short work of another GINN.
Prayer sticks with his ASTRAY buddies, taking aim at a fresh CGUE.
Aye, that works.
Athrun will wrap things up.
He’s almost activating SEED.
Golion and Kira each pick a GuAIZ and wound them nicely.
My plan is for these to suicide themselves against any of units in that SEED pack.
That is, until Kazuma got a crit and vaporized the GuAIZ (blame that Kaname’s Paper Fan that I gave him, I guess).
Enemy Phase!
One of the Nazca Ships and a GuAIZ snipe at Tetsuya but he shrugs it off.
Golion doesn’t put up with that, though.
Golion also gets attacked by a pair of weakened GuAIZ and a CGUE but he takes piddly damage from all attacks – only the CGUE survives.
Murrue is pestered by a couple of GuAIZ but they’re too dodgy for her to get a reliable hit rate – best to simply defend.
Maybe some of Lowe’s luck has rubbed off on his crewmates?
Yeah!
Professor also manages to tag a CGUE.
Secret Alert!Did you fight and convince Yzak with Dearka on mission 43 (moon route)? If so, to complete this secret, you need to keep Yzak alive.
I’m not pursuing that secret but I’ll still let Yzak live; of course, nothing’s stopping us from using him as a punching bag to build morale.
Good show.
Shiho and Miguel each pick a target and do almost nothing.
Of note is that Miguel actually tripped Valzacard’s shield and I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen it happen.
Ash has his eyes on the prize.
Damn Mirage Colloid…
Player Phase!
I half expected Dearka to have something to say to Yzak.
Turns out he didn’t (maybe if I had kept the moon route? Hmm…).
Cagalli takes an assist from Kouji and destroys another GuAIZ.
Duo starts working on the next.
It’s weakened enough that Ryouma should have no problem dispatching it.
Good man.
Athrun gets his serious face on.
Tetsuya makes quick work of a CGUE and activates both his and Kouji’s Mazin Power.
We should also get the Zero System running ASAP.
That’ll do.
Now, just because we can’t kill Yzak, doesn’t mean that we can’t kill everyone else around him!
No need to use Valor, of course.
First one to go down is Miguel, taking Prayer’s Pristis and a support from Athrun.
: Ergh! Even the Magic Bullet of Dusk can't stand up to them!: Miguel Aiman retreating! It's up to you now!
Quickly, I have Re-Home repair the Eternal and George learns Renew!
Shiho needs to be weakened a bit before we move in for the kill.
That’s good enough.
Kira takes the kill.
: Hahnenfuss retreating! It's up to you!
Next, Athrun takes a potshot at Mikhail.
Do it, Lowe.
Victory!
: Which side on this battlefield is the diseased one?: History will decide... if humanity lives to have a history, that is. Retreating.
Now, while we waste time clearing the remaining mooks, it’d be a good idea to melt Ash’s weapons – don’t forget that nasty MAP that he has.
This here’s the last GuAIZ.
Boom.
Wufei weakens the last full-HP CGUE and it should die to a counterattack.
Enemy Phase!
Oh, yeah. The Nazca ships have a MAP.
It’s very weak and can’t hit for shit; both ships use it and the only unit that gets hit is Golion.
Here we go.
Only one mook left.
Yzak wastes his time attacking people that can dodge.
How very predictable.
AHAHAHA!
Player Phase!
We can’t reduce Ash’s armor since Kouji is too far but we can certainly keep his weapons melted.
Very good.
Dearka quickly dispatches the last CGUE.
This finally activates Kira’s SEED.
With that, he can hit Ash nicely.
: Don't bother me! I'm hunting my target, Lacus Clyne!
: You... you're trying to kill Lacus for fun?: Don't judge what I do to enjoy myself. Don't forget you guys are out here fighting too!: What... what we're doing is different!
Damn it, Murrue.
Show her how it’s done, Kouji.
Good man.
Tetsuya pulls a Double Mazinger Blade to keep the pain rolling.
Show me some luck, Gai.
: Some of us fight because we have to, some because they love to.: You got a problem? Some people love eating, I love destroying and slaughtering!: Then you'll understand if I enjoy myself cutting you down!
Ha! I didn’t think it’d actually hit.
Prayer is too close to use his DRAGOONs, so he’s stuck with the Pristis Reamers.
: Why don't you see how precious each life is?!: Oh, I know. That's why it's so great to crush them.: Though I'll take yours anyway, since I'm here.: You're not... you're a monster!
We’re slowly getting there.
Muu nabs an assist from Athrun and puts Ash right where I want.
Secret Alert! You did deploy Lowe in the Powered Red, yes? Then let him kill this sumbitch!
Do it, Lowe.
: You again! But you're not going to stop me doing my mission this time!
: Don't give me that mission crap! You're only here because you like killing people!: I can't let you do that! I'm taking you down!
Boosh.
: Come on! I'm not finished with you yet!
: He's tough...: Let me finish him!: What are you gonna do? You're just a junkman!: I can't let you go. You don't create anything, all you do is destroy!
: Wha... what's got you so mad?!: Before I take you out, I think there's something you should know. When I beat you, it won't be because I have a secret weapon or piece of tech.: I've got something you'll never understand, because you only know how to destroy.: It's the care of everyone whose sweat and grit went into this machine!: Care...
: So that's what gives Lowe strength!: Jean Carrey, who came up with the Power Cylinders...: The mechanic team who designed, developed, and installed them...: All my teammates of Neo-Wärter, who fought with me all this time...: This is the Powered Red they gave to me, and this is...: Whoa!: MY RED STRIKE!: Whaaaaaaaa?! He hit my machine's weakest points!: Amazing! He defeated a Mobile Suit with an unarmed mech!: Every material has a breaking point...: If you just crack that, the machine's internals aren't going to be much stronger!: So you need careful piloting and construction to cover those gaps!: Graaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!
: Looks like he ejected. Maybe floating around in space will cool him down.: That was awesome, Lowe! You're the best junkman in the universe!
Patrick is quite surprised that we managed to defeat the Regenerate but Creuset sniffs that Ash was a sacrificial pawn meant to disrupt our people, and nothing more.
He then leaves, having decided to take to the battlefield with that.
Mirialia detects a number of approaching units but not from Zaft or the Federations: it’s a bunch of Eviluders.
We are receiving reports of huge amounts of them: it seems that their fleet has finally arrived at the Solar System and our people are understandably upset at their awful timing.
The Eviluders start wreaking havoc on the battle, opening fire on both Neo-Wärter and Zaft – it seems like they’ve come to destroy Plant.
This is interrupted as Muu gets his “newtype flash” going and he knows that Creuset is coming!
He launches in a whole new Gundam, equipped with the same DRAGOON System as the Dreadnought – it was made from data collected from the Mobile Suit before it was given to Prayer/Malchio by Siegel.
Creuset starts laughing manically, gloating about how the gods of Fate have truly turned their back on mankind.
Thanks to his previous "key to victory” not getting to the Feds, the Feds actually developed even more fearsome weapons than the nukes, the Fermion Missiles, that they were hoping to use; and when we stopped those, the Eviluder fleet showed up en masse to destroy humanity!
If that's not some kind of sign, he doesn't know what is.
Athrun gets pissed that it was Creuset behind all this – he’s the man orchestrating this war!
Creuset, however, says that Patrick has wanted this war all along and wonders if Athrun is trying to clean his father’s name with his own life.
Cagalli tells Athrun not to listen to the guy’s bullshit but Creuset isn’t done ranting.
Justice, peace and love…they’re all banners that humanity uses to justify the conflicts that they create.
Right now, this world is beset with several different conflicts: human on human, human versus aliens, aliens versus aliens and, eventually, Creuset has come to a realization.
Creuset's convinced that mankind was destined for destruction, with or without him giving a "little" push from behind the scenes.
It’s the path people like Kira have led us down; he says people have faith in justice and hide from problems they don’t understand.
They never learn and never bother to ask why – death is all that awaits at the end!
Humans will become extinct and they SHOULD!
As Kira starts to hesitate, Kazuma steps in telling him that that was his cue to do rebuff Creuset’s argument; we didn’t come over here to cower at the crazy speech of the mastermind – he is a small obstacle in our path to put an end to this war!
Creuset’s power is puny when compared to the power that we wield: the belief in the individuals who, together, can change the world.
Prayer says that they don’t expect someone like Creuset, who gave up on other people from the very beginning, to understand this power.
Creuset recognizes Prayer as someone like him, borne from the same cloning program (Al da Flaga’s).
Indeed, but Prayer did not give in to despair because the people around him allowed Prayer to see beyond his preconceptions.
Creuset states that reality isn’t so idyllic; the current state-of-affairs compels people to kill one another.
Why, this war has even brought former friends to fight against each other (this strikes a sour note for Yzak and Dearka)!
Humanity’s sole belief is in power and we’re lying to ourselves if we think differently.
Kazuma tells the scoundrel to shut up and to take a look at Kira and Athrun.
Despite the all the adversity, they’ve recovered their friendship and stand as the embodiment of our hope for what humanity can yet accomplish.
And they’re not the only ones: throughout our battles, we’ve seen various people gain or restore their friendships, and they all wish to protect this world together.
Creuset proclaims that our musings are hardly enough to protect this world – what can we do against a huge threat of near unlimited power like the Eviluders?!
This is when Ed and Natarle interrupt, proclaiming they’ll add their power to our pile!
They’ve returned when they heard the news of the approaching Eviluder fleet and have brought a huge amount of troops to hold the main force at bay while we concentrate on the foes at hand.
It just goes to show that the entirety of the Federation army hadn't knuckled under to the Blue Cosmos just yet.
Morgan is with them and has gathered as many like-minded men he could find!
Even Jean, now part of a parallel special team to the Neo-Wärter, is on the scene.
He’s gathered several Naturals AND Coordinators to form this group, all to create a militia that will hold their ground against the numerous extraterrestrial threats.
They even got some extra assistance from the Ame-no-Mihashira colony who sent not only their entire force but also the newly rebuilt Gold Frame - Wufei and Heero realize that Mina Sahaku has decided to help.
Jean and the crew will keep most of the Eviluders from heading to Plant and wish us good luck.
This has Yzak thinking about what he really ought to be protecting, when Naturals and Coordinators are working together while he wastes his time here.
They DO have their orders but Yzak says “screw those orders” and gives his eager team the go-ahead to withdraw from this fight and instead focus on taking out those Eviluders.
He does add a warning that if our people insist on attacking Plant, he'll be right there to stop us.
After Yzak and Dearka quickly exchange friendly wishes of good luck, Yzak leaves.
If you've done the secret, Yzak will rejoin you at the next intermission.
This is the power of human feelings, and mostly what it does to Creuset is piss him off even further.
Regardless of our “ridiculous beliefs”, Creuset says that the world is still bound for destruction and it’ll be brought upon by Athrun’s own father!
Inside Jachin Due, Zaft officials are insisting they assist Neo-Wärter against the Eviluders but Patrick, blinded by hate, orders them to ignore the Eviluder threat entirely in the interest of wiping out the Naturals.
He orders Genesis’ Neutron Jammer Cancellers activated, proclaiming that we will not stop the Coordinator’s revolutionary light!
Carret detects the activation, as Genesis starts preparing for another shot.
Regulate says we've got three turns, and in them we need to take out Creuset to allow people to break into the control room.
As Lacus says that she will not stand for humanity’s future to be stolen like this, Creuset says that he didn't mind her singing just now - but he'd rather it be a requiem for this world!
Kira steels himself to battle his nemesis…
Well, at least Creuset is by himself – we should be able to kill all Eviluders before running out of time to deal with him, though.
Next time, we’ll put out giant collective foot up his ass and move on to more important stuff than Creuset’s ranting.
By the by, this page is already QUITE big; could I ask ya'll to
so we can grab a fresh one?See you all soon!