The following contains spoilers for Episode 12 of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, "The Witches From Mercury," now streaming on Crunchyroll.
Violence ignites in an unexpectedly gruesome fashion as the terrorist attack on Plant Quetta fills space with shattered mobile suits and human blood. Suletta and Miorine’s school and business ventures seem trivial as Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury falls deep into darker territory. Good-natured duels, internal politics and Suletta’s innocent checklist seem far away as Miorine deals with the bloody side of war and Suletta emerges as a fierce soldier.
New sides of key players emerge as Suletta’s dark side appears, Miorine loses her composure and Nika’s history complicates the story. The shock value of this episode set a new standard for how dark The Witch From Mercury will go with the ever-evolving conflicts. Seeing the charming members of GUND-ARM Inc avoiding death during a vicious and bloody massacre makes the more innocent duels and verbal spats of Asticassia feel like the distant past.
Sophie Pulone and the Dawn of Fold Didn't Hold Back
The attack on Plant Quetta shows how horrendous future battles will be as the Earthian terrorists tear into the plant and pilots alike with no regard for sparing lives. In a calculated and controlled manner, the Dawn of Fold blows up all the Mobile Suits until Gundam Aerial appears. The terrorists use live and dangerous ammunition during their assault, leaving a bloody memory for all the survivors.
Even with her obsession and awkward admiration for Suletta, Sophie immediately engages her in conflict. Her bloodlust and eagerness to test her mettle against Aerial displays a disturbed and aggressive mindset that hints at future fights to the death. Without any regard for her well-being, she embraces the full corruptive powers of the Permet link. Even if she survives her subsequent tussle with Suletta, her psychotic approach to piloting will likely take her life sooner rather than later.
Guel and Nika Have Ties to Both Sides
With Dawn of Fold distracted by the intense battle at Plant Quetta, Guel takes the opportunity to escape in one of their Mobile Suits. While he quickly alludes to the distracted stragglers on Dawn of Fold’s ship, his path to reunite with Suletta goes anything but smoothly as he ends up accidentally slaying his father in self-defense, as neither knows the other is piloting the opposing Mobile Suit. Tragically leaving his past life behind, Guel will join Suletta or become Miorine’s knight.
As GUND-ARM Inc’s Earthian employees barely avoid Dawn of Fold’s haphazard attack, Nika's connections to Earthian powers further expand. She blasts out the sign for the Prince, a mysterious figure revered by Dawn of Fold. With one of her cohorts catching her in the act, her past will catch up with her, causing distress from within GUND-ARM Inc.
Suletta Scares an Already Broken Miorine
Dawn of Fold’s purpose is to eliminate or remove Delling Rembran from Plant Quetta, changing the power structure of the Benerit Group and throwing Spacians into chaos. They successfully injure Delling, rendering him close to death and shocking Miorine as she attempts to save her father. Now that violence has become real, Miorine’s stance on Mobile Suits and war will change.
After her heated battle with Sophie and Dawn of Fold, Suletta races to rescue Miorine. Upon arrival, she smashes a terrorist into a bloody pulp before warmly greeting her friend. This disregard for life and violence is a new side of Suletta and plays into her being a weapon brewed up by Prospera. Suletta’s happiness in deadly combat and unnatural link to Aerial will drive her into conflict with Miorine since the latter’s conscience cannot handle such wanton violence.
Everyone’s loyalties and connections come into question as horrendous violence reveals people’s hidden sides and ties. GUND-ARM Inc will change drastically as Nika and Suletta find themselves at odds with former friends. Now that blood has been shed, the war between various Earthian and Spacians entities will grow with people seeking vengeance, redemption and explanations. The Witch From Mercury has upped the ante on the high stakes of the expanding war.