Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn episode EX2: Return of the Lion is a manga adaptation of the audio drama of the same name by Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn writer Harutoshi Fukui. It was illustrated by Hiroyuki Tamakoshi. The manga was first teased in Gundam Ace's 2019 December issue, began serialization in the 2020 January issue and concluded in the 2020 July issue. On July 22, 2020, it was released as a single Tankōbon volume.
Detailed Plot Summary[]
Scene 1[]
Mineva Lao Zabi's opening of the Laplace's Box causes upheavals around the Earth Sphere. The Earth Federation government continues to deny the existence of the true Universal Century charter and arrested members of the Vist Foundation responsible for the hijacking of signals. Protests calling for the Federation to admit the existence of Newtypes and adopt Spacenoid First policies erupt. Meanwhile, a talk show guest claims that figures like Amuro Ray and Kamille Bidan were just ace pilots, and were far from the Newtypes defined by Zeon Zum Deikun. Finally, a news report states Earth Federation Space Force halted their joint exercise with the Republic of Zeon Military "Valiant Ace", which was believed to be due to the Republic of Zeon being seen as a bastion of anti-government activities.
Near the border of the Republic of Zeon, the General Revil sent out two mobile suit teams, Alpha Team and Bravo Team, on a patrol mission. One of the pilots, Lieutenant Serino, told the rest of the team that even though the Magallanica, the base of Mineva's faction, was said to have escaped to the Jupiter sphere, everyone knows that they were actually hiding in the Republic of Zeon, which was why they cancelled the joint exercise and why they sent out the fleet flagship for patrol.
Selino's exposition was interrupted by Bravo Leader Iago Haakana in a RGM-89S Stark Jegan, who told him that due to low Minovsky particle density in the area, the Republic Defense Force could hear him if he spoke so loud. Selino apologized, but noticed the latest member of the team, who was piloting the RGZ-95C ReZEL Type-C (Defenser a-Unit) (GR) that his RGM-89A2 Jegan Type-A2 (GR) was currently riding on, had his comm channel set to open, and used contact channel to tell him to switch to individual channel. However, the new pilot did not respond.
As the team neared the Republic's territory lines, Iago told them that they must be careful not to cross them, as doing so would cause an international incident. Suddenly, the new member transformed his ReZEL Type-C to mobile suit mode, throwing off Selino, befor transforming back into Waverider mode and heading straight for Republic territory.
After being informed of the rookie's action, Iago immediately ordered the rest of the team to pursue him. He called the rookie and ordered him to turn back immediately, or he would be attacked by the Republic of Zeon Defense Force. At this point, the rookie pilot was revealed to be Riddhe Marcenas.
Riddhe has a flashback to the immediate aftermath of the Laplace Incident. After the Magallanica detached from Industrial 7, he tried to follow it, but Mineva told him that returning to the Nahel Argama was the best choice for him. Otto Mitas also told him to return, saying that the Federation would seriously be left in an awkward position if they lose even him.
Looking at the General Revil's mobile suit team, which had all been disabled, Riddhe wondered if this was really the doing of the Unicorn and if Banagher was still there.
Scene 2[]
While being pursued by Iago and the rest of the team, Riddhe experienced another flashback. At Naval Air Station Atlanta, Vice Admiral Mauri informed him that he had been promoted to Lieutenant due to single handedly engaging the Unicorn Gundam in combat and bringing back the Unit 2 safely.
Mauri asked Riddhe if he knew what would happen if he failed to bring back Unit 2. Riddhe asked him what he meant, to which he replied that in the past, Earth was split into the east and the west, and the only thing that stopped total war was the fear of nuclear weapons. However, their conversation was interrupted when Riddhe's sister, Cynthia, arrived to pick him up in a limousine.
In the limousine, Cynthia complained that Riddhe was being angry for no reason. Riddhe replied that he was handcuffed and being interrogated by the Intelligence Agency not long ago, but was suddenly released and became a Lieutenant. Cynthia asked him what was bad about being promoted, to which he replied that he became a pilot to avoid such things, and that even though he was grateful that his father asked the General Staff Office to clear the Nahel Argama's suspected treason, he hated how he was promoted because of his father, because it meant nothing really changed.
Cynthia replied that he really was still just a child, and that the most their father could do was get him released, implying that his promotion was for completely different reasons. She told Riddhe that he was an important chip on a political balance sheet, and questioned just what was the Unicorn.
In the present, Iago's team was still unable to catch up to Riddhe. As he neared the territory lines, Iago ordered the team to fire, but told them to avoid direct hits. Riddhe managed to avoid the beams and fired back with his missiles. The team dispersed and tried to destroy the missiles, but one missile hit Selino, revealing it to be a flare.
Angered, Iago fired a bazooka round at Riddhe, which exploded near his ReZEL Type-C, showering it with shrapnels. Riddhe complained that the ReZEL was nothing like the Banshee after all. He experiences another flashback, when he was talking to his father Ronan Marcenas at the Marcenas Estate.
Ronan informed Riddhe that the Unicorn Gundam was labelled by some as "Singularity One", a technological singularity capable of fundamentally changing human civilization. He said that while blocking the colony laser, the Unicorn Gundam was in a state that could not be explained by science, just like the Axis Shock. He then showed Riddhe an image of one of the mobile suit reactors affected by the unknown pulse released by the Unicorn, saying that it was neither destroyed nor disintegrated, but restored to the state before they were even activated.
While Riddhe was silent, Ronan explained that the Unicorn was not only the key to the Laplace's Box, but also opened the gate to something far greater. He then explained that the Psycho-Frame, including its predecessor technology, had properties that not even its developers realized: the ability to accumulate the will of people and convert them into physical energy. Previously, it demonstrated the power to push back the Axis and block a colony laser, but this time, it demonstrated the ability to turn back time, which would have unimaginable consequences when used for war.
Riddhe told his father that it was all over, and the Unicorn turned back eventually, meaning such things would never happen again. However, Ronan asked him if he actually saw if Banagher Links restored himself, and that according to official Federation information, there was never any confirmation that Banagher actually returned from the Unicorn, much to Riddhe's shock.
Scene 3[]
Ronan told Riddhe that the situation had been tense ever since the Laplace Declaration, and while there were those who called for the active use of Psycho-Frame weapons as a deterrence to war, it was simply far too dangerous to be used by the military-industrial complex as a money making tool. He said that both the Federation and Mineva agreed that mobile suits like the Unicorn must not ever be used again.
Riddhe was shocked, and Ronan explained that in the last half year, both the Unicorn and the Banshee were disassembled in the presence of inspectors, a deal that was only possible because he brought back the Unit 2. He then explained that the production, research, and development of Psycho-Frame was completely banned, despite the objection of some, something that was necessary for the government to overcome the fear of the "Unicorn Shock". Realizing that they could not have reached an agreement with Mineva if the Magallanica had disappeared into the Jupiter sphere, as was rumored, Riddhe asked just where is it now.