Heero, Distracted by Defeat is the tenth episode of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing. It first aired in Japan on June 9, 1995 and in North America on March 17, 2000.
Synopsis[]
Treize arrives at the OZ headquarters. He sees the Tallgeese outside, along with a small group of Aries mobile suits. He claims Zechs is the only one who can pilot the Tallgeese. Lady Une thinks Treize shouldn't give Zechs too much power, but Treize isn't concerned. They meet Noin and Zechs in Treize's office. Lady Une, in charge of their next operation, says she's giving strategy instructions at 1600, and they are to come. Noin goes with her, but Treize requests that Zechs stay.
Zechs and Treize talk. Zechs requests to continue serving Treize, and Treize consents. He wonders why Zechs hasn't removed his mask yet; Zechs says he'll still wear it as a mark of distinction. Before Zechs leaves, Treize calls him Milliardo Peacecraft, a name Zechs despises to hear. That night in the headquarters' war room, Lady Une announces a plan to move the Taurus mobile suits to the OZ base in Siberia in order to install battle data in them. While transferring them there, there will also be a false transport. Une wants the Gundams to arrive so they can be annihilated. She then proceeds to give strategies on how to defeat each individual Gundam, while also giving each one a number-based name for distinction (Zero-One through Zero-Five, as their actual names are unknown to OZ).
Heero is working on his computer in his dorm room when he gets contacted by Dr. J, who orders him to destroy the Tauruses at Siberia. Duo has bad feelings about this mission; he elects to take the land route while Heero takes the air. Meanwhile, both Trowa and Quatre get ready to go to Siberia as well. Wufei is also notified of the mission, but refuses to go as he still feels he is unworthy to pilot his Gundam anymore. Back at OZ headquarters, Lady Une finishes giving instructions. She then asks Zechs to fight Gundam Zero-One with the Tallgeese one-on-one, due to his previous encounter with the Gundam, and orders Noin to assist her in the headquarters. Noin thinks the real reason Une is having Zechs fight Zero-One alone is so all the blame for a failure can be put on him.
The next day, Relena finds out from classmates that Heero and Duo have left. That night, Lady Une and Noin arrive at the OZ headquarters' observation room. Une refuses to reveal the true transport route when Noin asks. In Siberia, the Magunac Core fights Arieses and find the land transporter. Sandrock fights off Leos and attempts to destroy the train, but is blasted and falls on the track. Luckily, Deathscythe arrives just in time and knocks the train off the track. Duo comes to the conclusion that this is the decoy, and suddenly a large group of Leos climb out of the train to engage him and Quatre.
In the air, Heavyarms emerges from its transport and attacks multiple Arieses. Zechs is soon after notified that Zero-One is approaching the base, and he heads out to intercept. Wing Gundam in Bird Mode is shot down, but transforms into its mobile suit form and blasts all the enemy suits around it. Heero then sees the Tallgeese approaching, but Wing's search eye is unable to match it with any of OZ's latest models. He aims Wing's buster rifle at it and fires again, but misses. Zechs counters with the Tallgeese's dober gun, but only causes minimal damage. Zechs then insists they duel honorably; Heero reluctantly complies. They both discard their suits' long-range weapons and draw their beam sabers. As the duel commences, Zechs comes to believe he can win without using the Tallgeese's full abilities, while Heero is notified by Wing's search eye that his new enemy is a prototype Leo. Trowa takes notice of their ongoing duel, while continuing his own assault. In the headquarters, Noin is informed that the Taurus carriers are ready to take off, and is about to give the order when Lady Une stops her.
Lady Une announces to the Gundam pilots that if they do not surrender and hand over their Gundams, she will launch missiles at the colonies from space fortress Barge. Duo, Trowa and Quatre immediately halt their actions upon hearing this, while Zechs ceases his duel with Heero and contacts Une. He says this isn't what Treize wants, but Une refuses to listen and slaps Noin when she claims Zechs is right. When none of the Gundam pilots make an intent to give in to her demands, Une orders Barge to fire the missiles. Suddenly, Dr. J comes on all the monitors in the headquarters and the Gundams, claiming that the colonies are not involved and this is his own personal battle with OZ. He then agrees to surrender.
Heero emerges from his Gundam's cockpit following this, and Zechs is shocked to see that he's just a boy. Dr. J repeats that he'll surrender but adds he will not hand over the Gundams, and Heero then activates a device that self-detonates Wing Gundam. His body flies from the explosion and crashes nearby, while Wing's trashed frame collapses to the ground. Everyone is shocked that Heero sacrificed his life for the colonies. Heavyarms picks up Heero's body, and Zechs lets them retreat along with the other two Gundams. Lady Une is notified by Noin that Treize is indeed disappointed with her recent tactics. Trowa drives off in his truck while Heero remains in Heavyarms' hand.
Staff[]
- Script: Katsuhiko Chiba
- Unit Director: Nana Harada
- Animation Director: Shinichi Sakuma, Hitoshi Waraya