The legendary ‘Real Robot’ mecha franchise, Gundam, returns to the spotlight with a brand-new Netflix anime series that offers a new perspective on the iconic ‘One Year War,’ as viewers are introduced to the conflict from the point of view of the spacenoids of the Principality of Zeon in their battle against the Earth Federation Forces. In doing so, a totally contrasting worldview compared to the original series, Mobile Suit Gundam, is presented, which makes for a really engaging experience for longtime series fans. While adding a new twist, the anime stays true to the legacy of one of the most influential pop culture franchises by highlighting the themes of the horrors and futility of war, loss of innocence, and high ideals and their place in an unforgiving world. The ending of the six-episode anime was as emotional, poignant, and eventful as any Gundam fan would expect, and it leaves room for exploring established concepts in a new light.
Spoilers Ahead
Was Captain Solari Able to Save Her New Squadron?
The first season of Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance showcased the iconic Mobile Suit Gundam of Earth Federation in an antagonistic role, although there is no defined binary between good and evil in any war, especially when it comes to this particular franchise where motivations, actions, and decisions are too nuanced to be judged through, a simplistic understanding of morality. As the One-Year war between the oppressive Earth Federation and its space colony, the Principality of Zeon, reached its last leg during November of the Universal Century year 0079, Captain Iria Solari of the Mobile Suit Zaku II ‘Red Wolf’ unit of Zeon forces in the Europe division faced immense crisis at the hands of a solitary, unspecified Gundam unit. After losing her entire Zaku II squadron at the hands of the Gundam, Iria decided to make a last stand by giving the surviving Zeon forces a chance to safely escape from Earth while she, along with other Midnighter Zaku units, engaged with the Federation’s forces.
While one of the escape crafts, HVL-9, was shot down by the Federation, HLV-8, the one which key characters like Heaton, Arhun, Alfee, and Major Ronet were on board, remains intact until the craft reaches the safety of space, all thanks to Solari keeping the Gundam unit busy and the Midnighters engaging with the Federation forces. The Zeon forces lost the battle, but being able to save lives, which is the primary duty of a soldier, Solari was probably able to find a sense of closure. Solari remained on Earth, helping Zeon forces in Africa, and in doing so, she chose to remain separated from her son back in their space colony. In the upcoming continuation, Solari and her son’s future will gain major focus, along with the fates of her surviving Zeon comrades.
Who Is The Gundam Pilot?
As an anti-war narrative, the Gundam franchise shows the true horrid face of warfare by making young kids pilot the advanced Mobile Suit Gundam units, being forced to act as unstoppable killing machines. The tragic loss of innocence and terrible end of childhood gain focus in Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance as well, as Captain Solari learns the Gundam pilot, who has been indiscriminately exterminating Zeon forces, to be a mere kid, who is almost the same age as her own son. Unlike her comrades, Solari had maintained her composure, never turning vengeful—aware of the fact that soldiers on the other side are following their duties just like they are, and now knowing that their worst enemy is just a child who has been indoctrinated by the opposing forces to fight a war—she feels guilty even being a part of the ongoing conflict. While facing the Gundam in her Zaku unit for a final showdown, the mother inside Solari overcomes her instincts of a soldier, and she tries to save the kid by talking him out of the conflict. Unfortunately, the very moment the kid seems to be listening to reason and lets the Gundam in a defensive position, one of the Midnighter Zaku neutralizes the Gundam by stabbing it from behind. Solari breaks down in agony, and the fate of the kid remains unknown, although it is implied that he might have passed away.
The real identity of the kid remains a mystery, and I cannot help but speculate whether the kid is related to the first Gundam pilot, Amuro Ray himself, given the timeline the series is set in. The kid might be Amuro himself, as his name never gets mentioned through the series, keeping his identity a secret quite deliberately. In the second season, more focus might be placed on the kid’s perspective and past, bringing Earth Federation’s stake in the question.
Newtype Ability
The concept of Newtype Ability, the unique clairvoyance trait of spacenoids created as an evolutionary advantage over humans, which seemingly grants a better sense of causality to the ones possessing the skill, is an important theory in the Gundam series. In Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance, Iria Solari is revealed to possess this ability, and the kid is hinted to have it as well, which opens up scope for exploring various human subspecies like X-Rounder, Coordinator, Innovators, etc. This concept is kind of similar to the Force sensitivity in the Star Wars saga, (or Spidey-sense of you may) the psychically enhanced chosen ones, who are exploited by different sides of cosmic warring factions. In the upcoming season, Newtype Ability might add new dynamics to the war between Defenders and Zeon forces. It should be mentioned at this point that Amuro Ray had the ability as well, which hints at the possibility of the kid indeed being the first Gundam pilot.