Black Tri-Star

Synopsis
The episode opens with Kycilia Zabi reprimanding her commanders and ordering them to transfer some close combat MS's to Char, down on Earth. The men are told that the suits must make it down before Char joins up with the Mad Angler flotilla. She then asks if the Black Tri-Stars have received their Doms and is told that they have. As Kycilia and her forces are occupying the Moon, they cannot join M'Quve themselves, and so she has sent the Tri-Stars as reinforcements for M'Quve instead. They descend from satellite orbit to Earth.

Back on White Base, Amuro is organizing supplies for the Gundam when Matilda stops by to greet him. She happens to mention that she's going up to the bridge, and Amuro offers to escort her. They pass through different sections of the ship on their way to greet the captain and happen to pass by Kai Shiden, who is extolling Matilda's virtues to another crew member, unaware that she is there behind him. She makes a comment and embarasses Kai, who attempts to save face by asking for a picture with her. She agrees, and an impromptu photo session occurs in which a group of crew members pose around Matilda and have their picture taken. Afterward, Amuro finishes escorting Matilda to Captain Bright's quarters, and then reveals that he's got a copy of the picture.

Elsewhere, General Revil is in a meeting with his men when he receives word that the Black Tri-Stars have reached M'Quve and are in new MS's. He is well aware that this could mean trouble, as the Tri-Stars were the ones that had captured him and taken him prisoner. They are a formidable force, and their presence causes Revil to declare that Operation Odessa must be expedited. Elron hedges a bit, but is ultimately forced to comply. He steps outside the briefing room and tells Judoch to alert M'Quve that Operation Odessa will begin soon.

M'Quve, meanwhile, is being introduced to the Black Tri-Stars and their new Doms, and is being assured by Gaia that they will succeed where Char had failed in beating the white Federation suit. Night falls, and the Tri-Stars begin to search for White Base in their darkly-colored Doms, blending in almost perfectly with the darkness and scooting along almost silently on cushions of air. However, the White Base's crew had planted sensors in a perimeter around the base earlier and are alerted to the enemies' arrival. The crew scramble for sortie. Mirai takes the helm, and to her surprise is informed that Sayla will be flying the G-Armor and that Fraw Bow will be taking her place at the radio. Amuro is briefed on the new mecha as Sayla takes her place in the cockpit. Amuro takes his place, and Matilda blows him a kiss before he takes off.

Outside, the Guntank's engaged in battle with one of the Doms and is having a horrible time trying to hit it. Up on the bridge, Mirai tells Matilda that she's having trouble getting White Base to take off, as the main engine output won't rise. Sayla's having trouble figuring out the Gundam docking procedure, but is told to launch anyway. Kai is also attempting to engage a Dom, but can't see it well enough in the darkness to land a hit. The G-Armor finally launches, but has drawbacks of its own - although its beam cannon is three times more powerful than the Gundam's, its maneuverability is poor. Despite this, Amuro and Sayla still manage to land some near-hits on Gaia, who is somewhat impressed.

Up on the bridge, Mirai is informed that the G-Armor is having difficulty in battle and that the Guncannon and Guntank are falling back. Matilda volunteers to sortie in her Medea and has Fraw Bow call Lt. Seki to tell him. Outside, meanwhile, the battle rages on. One of the Dom's shots hits the side of the G-Armor, and this prompts Amuro to have Sayla perform the procedure that will drop the Gundam from inside the G-Armor and have the remaining parts of the G-Armor dock to form the G-Fighter. Sayla's not sure she can do it, but Amuro reassures her she can.

Amuro drops out of the G-Armor and heads back toward White Base in the Gundam. As he goes, he sees a flaming Medea and wonders if it's Matilda's. Meanwhile, Matilda is on the bridge communicating with the engineers who are trying to get the engines to work. Just then, they are rocked by a series of blasts. The Doms have reached the ship. Mirai orders the main guns to fire their bow missiles horizontally. Amuro, for his part, is in pursuit of the Doms and gets Gaia in his sights. The two of them clash in a dogfight, although Amuro can't help but notice that the other two Doms have made it to White Base and are attacking. Matilda races out of the base to her Medea in order to launch and assist in defending it.

Gaia is beginning to realize just how formidable an opponent the Gundam is, and orders Ortega and Mash to fall into line behind him in order to perform their Jet Stream Attack. The attack catches Amuro off guard the first time, and he barely manages to evade it. However, he now realizes their trick. A Medea comes flying up behind the Gundam, guns blazing, as the Tri-Stars prepare to make their second pass. Gaia, the leader in line, attempts to blind Amuro, which causes him to panic and leap into the air to avoid the oncoming Doms. This causes a break in formation as the second-in-line, Mash, leaps into the air in an attempt to shoot the Gundam. The Gundam uses Gaia's Dom's head as a catapult of sorts to assist in its lunge toward Mash's Dom, in order to stab it with the beam saber. Meanwhile, Ortega's Dom, which was last in line, has also leapt into the air, vaulting over the ensuing skirmish in an attempt to come down onto the Gundam from above. However, its attempt is thwarted by the Medea, which is being piloted by Matilda. Ortega smashes the Medea's cockpit in a fit of rage, killing her and causing the plane to crash.

Amuro has managed to destroy Mash's Dom, and the other two retreat. Back at the Big Tray, General Revil receives the news that White Base has managed to repel the Black Tri-Stars and make it to the front, and he declares that Operation Odessa will start that day at 0600 hours - much to Elron's disappointment. As the sun comes up, White Base holds a memorial service to honor all of those killed in action in the Medea transport squadron, particularly Matilda's unit. Amuro remembers the time that Matilda blew him a kiss, and cries out her name in grief.

Important Events
Characters Introduced: Gaia, Ortega, Mash (Black Tri-Stars)

Mecha Introduced: Dom, G-Armor

Ships Introduced: None.


 * This episode marks the death of Matilda Ajan.


 * The Gundam uses the G-Fighter as the G-Armor for the first time.


 * Sayla is officially made a pilot.