The Door of Change

The Door to Innovation is the 21st episode of the second season of Mobile Suit Gundam 00.

Plot
In the aftermath of the battle and after Lockon beat him up, Setsuna gets asked by Saji if there was no other way. Setsuna asserts that there wasn’t and that Anew wasn’t herself at that time, and when Saji questions how Setsuna can be sure, Setsuna doesn’t know. The thing he is confident about is that Lyle would have died if he hadn’t shot Anew, and he suspects that it will be the same for Louise - he can sense that she’s being confused by something. That last part prompts Saji to note that something about Setsuna has been strange recently, and he becomes alarmed when he notices a certain glow in Setsuna’s eyes. On the bridge, Feldt reports that an urgent coded message had arrived directing them to the colony Eclipse at Lagrange 5. What they don’t realize is that it’s Hong Long and Wang Liu Mei who are at that place right now, and the latter is hurt. Despite this, both Setsuna and Ian think that they should go, with Ian pointing out that Linda and the others of Celestial Being are there, and he thinks they might have new equipment ready.

Elsewhere on the ship, Allelujah asks Soma to be at the helm of the Ptolemaios while Lasse is out of action. Soma knows that this is to keep her off the battlefield, so Allelujah admits the promise to Sergei, but she still refuses to listen. This leads to Allelujah suggesting that something might happen to her if she continues to fight, however he pauses when he sees that she’s frustrated and tearing up. By now, Setsuna and Saji are ready to head to Lagrange 5 on the 00 Raiser since the Ptolemaios will be taking a detour first. Before leaving, Setsuna runs into Lyle who apologizes. Lyle admits that he got too emotional and declares that he’ll fight, and Setsuna accepts this. Internally, Lyle is resolved to crush the Innovators by his own will, but as Setsuna is moving down the hall, Lyle takes out a gun and points it at Setsuna’s back. After struggling with his conscience though, Lyle finds himself unable to pull the trigger.

Setsuna and Saji thus leave for Lagrange 5 without incident, and the Ptolemaios’ subsequent course change is noticed by the A-LAWS fleet. Arthur orders them to continue pursuing with the intent on beating Celestial Being with overwhelming force. Also still with the A-LAWS fleet are Hiling and Revive, and Hiling is bothered by how even Anew was killed. Revive is troubled by how easily they and Louise were defeated by the 00 Gundam in the previous battle, and the way the Gundam fought makes him think that its pilot is starting to innovate. In short, Revive wonders if Setsuna will become mankind’s first Innovator. Louise meanwhile is desperately taking more pills, and she snaps at Andrei when he comes to check on her. They are interrupted by Mr. Bushido who reveals that he and Louise will be going on a mission. Andrei insists on coming along, but Mr. Bushido doesn’t think Andrei will be able to keep up.

Down on Earth, Shirin finds Klaus injured but still alive, and he explains the plan to head into space with the remnants of the coup d’état faction. Refusing to be pessimistic, Klaus reveals how Marina and the children’s song is spreading across the world, and he thinks that it’s because people want peace. He feels that they’ve lost sight of how people can understand each other, and Shirin recalls how Marina has always believed in what comes after that. Back at Lagrange 5, Hong Long worries if Celestial Being is coming, and Wang Liu Mei thinks that if they don’t, then the world will belong to Ribbons and the Innovators. When Hong Long then wonders when Nena joined the Innovator’s side, Wang Liu Mei tells him to think for himself. She blames him being like that for her having to become the head of the Wang family, leading to her own life being twisted, and that’s why she wanted the world to change. She’d give up her status and fortune for a fresh start in life so that she can obtain her future, and she feels that it’s her brother’s responsibility to stick with her until the end.

The two are interrupted by Nena who had overheard everything and has decided that Wang Liu Mei is indeed an idiot. Since she still hates Wang Liu Mei, Nena shoots her, but Hong Long protects his sister by taking the bullet for her. As Nena continues shooting him in the back, he pushes Wang Liu Mei through a nearby door and then tries to stop Nena, but she just shoots him in the head. Instead of pursuing Wang Liu Mei right away though, Nena turns to Regene who’s there with her, and Regene is happy that his plan is moving forward. The 00 Raiser arrives soon after, and Setsuna sets out alone into the colony. He quickly runs into Wang Liu Mei, and she hands him the location of Veda, urging action since the Innovators might move Veda if they find out about this. Setsuna offers to help her escape, but she turns him down because she feels that she can’t go with him. What she doesn’t tell him is that it’s because they’re after different things.

Unfortunately, when Setsuna returns to the 00 Raiser, he finds it being held hostage by Mr. Bushido and the updated Masurao, the Susanoo. Mr. Bushido has removed his mask, causing Setsuna to recognize him as Graham, and what Graham wants is a serious duel between them. Based on everything that Setsuna has done to him, Graham feels that this is past love and hate - it became fate. Setsuna ultimately agrees to the duel, so Graham lets him board the 00 Raiser, and the two get started. While this is going on, Wang Liu Mei tries to escape the colony in a shuttle, but she gets stopped by Nena and the Throne Drei. Since Wang Liu Mei’s role in all this is over, Nena summarily executes her by blowing up the shuttle, and she laughs with glee afterward. Nena feels that this is punishment for Wang Liu Mei treating people like things. For the sake of her own happiness and life, Nena is obeying the Innovators, but much to her surprise, Ribbons starts talking to her through her Haro about punishing her.

Ribbons claims that someone will appear to judge her, which causes Nena to think of Ali Al-Saachez, but the one Ribbons is referring to is Louise. Louise quickly recognizes the Throne Drei as the Gundam that killed her parents, and she starts blowing it up piece by piece. Setsuna realizes that Louise is here, but he’s unable to do much because he has his hands full with Graham and the Susanoo. Even though the Throne Drei is soon reduced to nothing more than a cockpit, Nena refuses to die like this, but what pisses Louise off is that her parents didn’t get to say even that much, and she finishes Nena off. Andrei arrives on the scene afterward, and he can hear Louise addressing her parents, telling them that she’s avenged them. Louise’s laughter however soon changes to screams and despair as she asks for her parents to praise her. The 00 Raiser and the Susanoo meanwhile continue their fight, and Graham relishes the battle that he’s been waiting for. He had lived for this, even if he had been reduced to being a puppet for the Innovators in the process.

Both Graham and Setsuna eventually activate their respective Trans-Am systems, and it leads to Graham awakening in the dream-like world. Setsuna is there as well, and he explains that it’s actually a place where the quantum concentrates. What’s more, Setsuna claims to understand the reason that Aeolia Schenberg created the GN Drives, and he thinks that all the military intervention was in preparation for this. Aeolia Schenberg’s goal was to guide humanity to innovation, and - eyes glowing - Setsuna declares that he has been trying to change.