Sorrow and Hatred

Synopsis
White Base is headed west towards Ukraine for Odessa Day as Ramba Ral's corps of men continues to pursue them. Hamon wishes to avenge Ramba, but knows she can't count on M'Quve for help. She'll have to use whatever supplies she's still got: one worn out Zaku II and four Magella attack turrets. Hamon takes a shower and suits up, and then discusses battle plans with a subordinate and his recon team. They note that White Base is still damaged from the last attack and that it has its back up against some mountains. Because of this, attacking at that moment would be favorable.

Back at White Base, the crew is frantically making repairs. Hayato complains about the lack of supplies and is admonished by Bright, who says that they'll have to get by on wits and ingenuity. Hayato starts to make a comment about Amuro, but Bright cuts him off. Down in the infirmary, Ryu is laying in bed trying to recover from his gunshot wounds. Fraw Bow steps into his room to ask him how he's doing and if he needs anything. He tells her to tell everyone he'll be okay and then asks her if Bright put Amuro into solitary again. Fraw says yeah, but has no reply when asked if Amuro gave Bright attitude.

At the Gallop, Hamon is addressing Ramba Ral's men. She says that even though they set foot on Earth as Garma's revenge unit, they still haven't fulfilled their duty, and that the upcoming operation may look small but requires going up against the most advanced Federation warship and mobile suit to date. Hamon then states that those who wish to opt out may do so, and that she won't hold it against them. Of course, nobody does. They are all Ramba Ral's men, and wish to die avenging him. Hamon then gives each man a handshake and some parting words of encouragement.

Back on White Base, Ryu walks onto the bridge and surprises Bright, who clearly thinks that he should not be up and moving around. Ryu talks to Bright about Amuro, questioning his discipline methods. He says that simply leaving Amuro locked up in solitary to try and straighten himself out may not be the best way to handle him, as Amuro may not be able to realize on his own why it is he can't maintain his current self-centered attitude. Bright considers this, and has Mirai call for medical personnel to take Ryu back to sick bay.

Elsewhere, Hamon approaches. She is thinking of her encounter with Amuro in the desert bar. In solitary, Amuro is dreaming about Matilda. He is suddenly awakened by a knock at the door to his cell. It's Ryu. He asks if Amuro's mad about Bright putting him into solitary, and Amuro says no. Ryu then tells Amuro that Bright's afraid of him, which surprises him. Ryu prepares to leave, and as he does he tells Amuro that he's placing his hopes on him. He shuffles down the hallway and runs into Sayla, who gets Fraw to assist her in getting Ryu back to bed.

As Hamon continues to approach, she mentally reviews the attack strategy that she and her men will use on White Base. Meanwhile, the lone Zaku approaches the base from behind and starts firing, surprising the crew. Kai rushes to intercept it as they all scramble. Hayato is in the Guntank with Job John as the machine starts having mechanical issues. Elsewhere, Ryu tells Fraw and Sayla to go get Amuro out of solitary. Sayla does, but has to get the code from Bright. She placates him by agreeing to share the blame. Amuro runs off to go suit up.

Outside, the Gallop has finally reached White Base. Hamon attacks fiercely. Bright orders Mirai to launch the Base despite the fact that not all the engines are working. From the catapult deck, Amuro informs Sayla that the Gundam is under repairs and that he'll be launching in a Core Fighter for now. She tells Bright, who OK's the move. Amuro launches in a Core Fighter and starts to back up Kai, who is still fighting the Zaku. In the infirmary, Fraw is with Ryu, who tells her to go take up a position on one of the machine guns to help out. Once she leaves, Ryu uses the monitor by his bed to assess the situation, which is desperate. He gets out of bed and leaves the infirmary as well, despite the protests of a fellow patient. He drives off into the fray to attempt to help the Guntank.

Elsewhere, Amuro receives word that the Gundam parts are about to be launched. He combines with them to form the Gundam and then spies the Zaku, which has managed to climb onto White Base and start attacking it with its heat hawk. Amuro can't shoot it without damaging the base. However, he is about to attack it hand-to-hand when he is shot at by the Gallop. He is about to shoot it when he realizes that it may be packed full of explosives and on a suicide run. Amuro manages to stop the Gallop's momentum through sheer brute force, but Hamon detaches from the top in her Magella turret and orders her subordinate to attack it from behind. The Zaku comes rushing over and chops into the waist of the Gundam, diverting Amuro's attention as he attempts to stave off the Zaku's attacks. A Magella bears down on the Gundam, guns blazing, but Amuro ingeniously manages to get the Zaku and the Magella to destroy each other.

Just then, Hamon appears. As Amuro goes back to struggling with the Gallop, Hamon positions her Magella turret directly behind the Gundam's cockpit so that when she opens fire, she will obliterate Amuro and blow up the Gallop, as well as White Base. However, the Gundam's shield, which is on its back, has thicker armor than she anticipated, and her shot merely damages the Gundam rather than destroys it. Before she can fire another shot, she is obliterated by a kamikaze-ing Core Fighter, seemingly from out of nowhere. White Base's crew is shocked, although there are some among them who have already begun to realize who was in the fighter. Amuro, for his part, does not know, but uses the time bought by the Core Fighter to push the Gallop far away from the base and destroy it. As Amuro returns to the base, he is told that the pilot of the kamikaze Core Fighter was Ryu.

The crew grieve miserably as they survey the wreckage of the Core Fighter and remember the moments that they had with Ryu just prior to his death. As various crew members attempt to take the blame, Bright declares that it was no one person but rather everyone's inexperience that ultimately led to Ryu's death, and to the deaths of all their teammates up to that point. Sayla suggests that there's nothing for them to do now but to overthrow the Zeon and end the war. Amuro agrees.

Important Events

 * Characters Introduced: none.


 * Mecha Introduced: none.


 * Ships Introduced: none.


 * This episode marks the deaths of both Crowley Hamon and Ryu Jose.