Gundam AGE - 07

Almost nothing actually happened in this episode, other than plot device (read: AGE Builder) to the rescue... kind of.

The Gundam is wounded. You can tell because it's clutching its arm for no reason.

After being arrested, Flit is taken to the leader of the Zalam faction, last week's mafia-guy.

Thank you for surrendering.  We couldn't capture you any other way

Grodek claims him as one of his pilots, and are treated to a nice meal.  Mafia-guy says he wants to buy the Gundam, Flit refuses, and he says that Flit and Grodek are also fighting battles from the past.

Because fighting aliens is just like fighting a war that ended years ago.

Elsewhere, Vargas and Emily borrow a truck from the slum guy from last week, and while driving through down, discover that his adoptive daughter (carrying Haro... were they just going to forget about it otherwise?) snuck onto the truck bed.  A bunch of other slum kids  notice her and decide to join in.

Mobile preschool, now enrolling

Back in the mafia-guy's mansion, Grodek informs Flit of his plan to attack the UE base.  They are then distracted by the arrival of the mobile preschool, and Emily yelling at mafia-guy to release Flit.  A few seconds later, the Euba faction launches its own attack on the mansion, mafia-guy goes out to fight, and Flit and Grodek escape.

He might have Turn-A's face, but I just see a Gouf and two Zakus here.

The factions begin to fight, and the truck almost gets hit by a MS-scale grenade, only for it to be blocked by the Gundam at the last second.  Vargas drives the truck away, while everyone fights more.  Flit gets in the way and stops them, just before the UE show up again.  The fat unit (Baqto) from last week goes after the truck, while two Zafran go after the Gundam and colony MS. Grodeck tells the Diva to deploy the Diva's lone Genoace (with upgraded armor, but still no useful weapons), and after being told to butt out by both the Euba and Zalam pilots, goes after the Baqto.

Look at me run!

The Baqto is somehow unable to shoot a relatively slow truck with its beam machine gun (just step on it already), allowing the Gundam to catch up and tackle it.  The DOTS rifle still can't hurt it, so Flit throws it away, charges with the beam knife, and is cleanly countered. He then goes back to pure defense until the others escape and Largan arrives in his (still useless) Genoace to buy time for Flit to grab the latest upgrade from the AGE Builder.  The two Zafrans, meanwhile, take out 90% of the Zalam and Euba MS (and considering we only saw ten of them on screen, there's only one left now?).

It cuts straight through the shoulder armor, but doesn't damage the joint. Go figure.

Largan gets smacked around for a while, and is saved at the last second by the Gundam, which proceeds to punch the Baqto in the face, strike a cool pose, and.... episode end.

My weapons won't hurt you, so I'll just punch you and win.

*sigh* I don't have much to say, mostly because NOTHING HAPPENED this episode.
I will however, note that the AGE System is exactly the sort of deus ex machina that many were fearing it would be.  The DOTS Rifle could be handwaved away since it was built after a Zafran was killed by the beam knife.  This time?  All we know about the Baqto is that the DOTS rifle doesn't work on it... so how did it come up with the TITUS armor?  Or maybe "absolute brute force" was its next solution after a beam rifle didn't do anything?
And the Genoace... Why do they even bother?  It's still made of paper, and still has no weapons that work on the UE.