Re: [gundam] Gundam 00 Episode 12 Random Comments *Spoilers*

[Joseph Riggs]

While it isn't stated, I'm guessing that the export of oil was restricted because the UN wanted to encourage people to switch over to the green solar power system and abandon fossil fuels.  There are quite a few people even today who would be quite willing to do that if a viable alternative energy source could be harnessed..  For instance, if the solar power elevators were completed tomorrow, do you think Al Gore would hesitate for more than half a second before calling for the banning of all fossil fuels?  If you don't need them because you've suddenly got all of this clean energy, then why not ban them and protect the environment?   Presumeably the UN can't interfere within a country unless invited, so it can't keep the countries from using their own fossil fuels.  But it can interfere between two different nations, and put an effective export ban in place.   And it would probably be in the interests of the three superpowers to support that ban, as that means that the nations that relied on fossil fuels are forced to turn to the super powers for their source of energy.   Setsuna isjust illustrating a very simple idea that's often ignored in mecha anime - hotshot mecha pilots don't necessarily make good covert agents, no matter how good they are in the cockpit.   :P   Actually, the only reason for Setsuna's "screw-ups" in this episode is his impulsiveness in the earlier episodes when he opened his cockpit, and when he taunted Marina.  He's still a kid, and he's acting like one.  Albeit, a kid that's been scarred after murdering his own family, seeing his friends killed, watching his country razed around him, and becoming disillusioned about the possibility of the existance of God.  But he's still just a kid.  I would say that the screw-ups aren't really in this episode.  This episode only shows the results of his earlier screw-ups.  Also, I don't remember him revealing anything to Graham.  Anything that Graham realized about him was most likely as the result of some fairly logical observations about who would be poking around the site.  The guys who blew up the facility wouldn't need to send someone to check out the location where the missiles were launched.  The government would send a! n official team to investigate.  Graham already knows who the Union sent, since he's on the team.  And who else would know exactly where the attack was launched from, and might be interested in learning more about it?   The subtitle I saw had Graham stating that PMC reported the mobile suit as stolen.  It's entirely possible that's what happened.  We know that Ali has some connections to PMC, because they're the ones that recalled him from the mission we first saw him on (i.e. investing the location of a CB attack).  But the fact that Ali knew about the terrorist bombings around the world before they took place (he states that something is about to happen right before the bombs start going off) suggests to me that he has multiple masters.  PMC did complain about the fact that his unit obviously skimped on combat when CB attacked.  It's possible that Ali decided to leave PMC's employ, and took the new mobile suit with him.  And when Graham's wingmen got a partial id on the suit, the Union may have been able to track it back to PMC.   With regards to Ali attempting to start something with just one mobile suit -   During the initial outbreak of fighting, Marina's advisor mentions that the entire thing appears to have been planned in advance.  At least a few people within Azadistan made sure that "ultraconservatives" ended up in key locations, and that at least some of those ultraconservatives had secret orders to start something when the proper excuse presented itself.  Also, it's entirely possible that Ali's only important objective was the solar power facility.  That's the only thing he attacked the entire time.  And that suggests that if he was in the employ of outsiders, those outsiders had their own reasons for wanting to see the solar facility gone.   My guess is that Ali only participated for three reasons.   1.)  He was to be the match that lit the powderkeg 2.)  He was to destroy the solar facility 3.)  He was to hold the conservative leader safe and unharmed until something happened.  The leader wasn't killed, and the only threat to his health may have been his apparent protest fast.  So someone wanted that leader kept alive for a while for reasons we don't know.   Two of the goals were accomplished (the end of the episode states that the fighting continued even after the joint statement).  What we still don't know is who put Ali up to it, and what was to happen to the conservative leader?  And why was destroying the solar facility so important?     junior ---------[ Received Mail Content ]---------- Subject : Re: [gundam] Gundam 00 Episode 12 Random Comments *Spoilers* Date : Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:25:07 -0500 From : "Dr. Core" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To : list@gundam.com A few random thoughts: Ok, "between Caspian and Gulf", that's real life Iran. Not that subtle. Why did U.N. restrict oil export from Middle East nations? In real life there's at least some allegations of WMD or something. But in G00 there's no justification at all. In view of this, I am highly sympathetic to Rassa's fraction for opposing Marina's inviting U.N. and then Union into the country. U.N. was the root source of Azadistan economic difficulty, and now they came all high and mighty saying things like "you are so lucky we've come to give you aid" and then "inviting" the princess to visit the sites that's just perhaps too dangerous for U.N. technicians. Setsuna has got to be one of the worst field agents ever. In very brief encounters with Marina, Ali and Graham, he's already revealed important details about his background and identity to each and every one of them. Just a matter of time before even Saji (not the brightest pupil around) figure him out. He got caught not only by Graham but by some traffic cop and spent precious time vexing philosophic about history, war and CB with a princess while a bunch of no-name beat cops take care of his mission (apprehending a bomber). How come only Tieria realize Setsuna is a liability? Ok, if Graham can figure out PMC's involvement, it can't be that big a secret. Makes Marina recent tour of begging in AEU almost treasonous. I can sympathize with the fraction that wants her killed. Also it should generate some tension between Union and AEU. Overall, I want to like this Azadistan mini-arc. The writers tried to be very thoughtful and level-headed about a sensitive and emotional issue. Look it's pretty hard to make me sympathetic to the religious fraction against the fraction that's associated with technological progress. But it still seem a bit loosey-goosey to my liking. E.g., surrounded by all the firepower of Azadistan fractions, Union force and CB (don't tell me he didn't see it coming). Ali tried to conduct a high profile kidnapping, bomb a power facility and incite civil war with just one single MS?

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