No big battles this week, just lots of stock-taking and important setup for the next conflict. Just as Lafter, Azee and the rest of the Turbines contingent say farewell to Tekkadan, Iok Kujan launches a major crackdown on Turbines, making the split well-timed. It’s Jasley (hoping to manipulate the “spoiled brat” who tells Iok its the Turbines and not Tekkadan he should go after.
Thus you have the head of one of the illustrious Seven Stars families doing the dirty work for a rogue member of Teiwaz who wants to rise, and for whom Naze is in the way.
Even Iok’s subordinates aren’t quite sure what he’s on about, but Julieta joins the fight for her own reasons: she’s eager to become stronger and a good old-fashioned Gjallarhorn crackdown is as good an opportunity as ever.
After Atra calms down and tells Kudelia what the shopkeeper told her long ago (“babies are like clamps”, keeping men from running off), Kudelia understands Atra’s sudden urgent need for someone to have a baby with Mika. But Kudelia doesn’t see why that someone can’t be Atra herself.
Even after all Atra has done throughout the adventures of Tekkadan, she still thinks she’s “not nearly good enough” for Mika, but she’s wrong. The fact is, she may be the only one for Mika. That being said, she has a long way to go, what with Mika not-quite joking about babies looking tasty.
Before he learns just how fully he’s been backstabbed (be it by Jasley or McMurdo or whoever), Naze has a long talk with Amida, about Lafter likely finding another man, and about how much Tekkadan reminds him of the Turbines when they were just starting out.
It was Naze and former-mercenary Amida who started it, fell in love, then went to work gathering women living and working in horrible conditions and creating a family where all could thrive and protect one another. Change the gender and it is pretty famliar…only the Turbines have since expanded to 50,000 members. Not mentioned: how many of those are Naze’s children.
But Tekkadan is no longer a fledgling; not only does it have its wings and the wind underneath, but something to work towards for themselves: the Kings of Mars. When Naze sees the head of the Gjallarhorn hammer above, coming down upon the Turbines, he insists Orga and Tekkadan stay out of it, even if it’s the exact opposite reflex Orga has.
Naze knows someone in Teiwaz is doing this. Who is irrelevant, it’s why that concerns him: it’s bait to lure Tekkadan to ruin, and Naze won’t let Orga swoop in just as their enemies planned. As much as they’ve done and promised to each other, Naze and Orga aren’t family; Orga and Tekkadan are, and that’s what he must protect from this latest threat.
That’s especially true with Rustal and Vidar still sizable thorns in McGillis’ side. McGillis’ own grand plans are suddenly not only in play but at legitimate threat. “Doing what he can” may not be enough to keep Tekkadan from the rough stuff once they lose the security blanket that was the Turbines.
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I spent the first fifteen minutes assuming the Turbines were all going to die tragically this week. Then the backstory for Naze was cool but hella’ expositiony/lacked flow. Looks like Mika and the Old Man are going to have a conversation about this next episode, while the Turbines put on a surprisingly effective (but possibly tragic?) fight. Oh Gundam IBO
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A lot of people were pretty much expecting the Turbines were going to be killed off the moment they appeared way back in Season 1. But they’ve become interesting side characters in their own right, that I actually dread this now. Considering the time-honored tradition of “Whoever shows up in the OP survives” looks like at least Lafter and Azee will survive (again).. So, I guess it would definitely be Naze who will be offed.
I highly doubt that McMurrdo will turn his back on Naze. He seems to also, like Naze, have a soft spot for Tekkadan as evidenced by him treating Mika (and Orga in the aftermath of the Hashmal incident) more like a grandson than a subordinate.. That could potentially lead him to side the Turbines and could possibly lead to him also be targeted by Jasley in his bid to take larger control of Teiwaz.
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While it did arrest the momentum a bit, I still appreciated the Naze scene, even if it did constitute one big death flag (as if those even mean anything on IBO).
We learn that the Turbines are as much of Amida’s making as Naze’s, how they decided to run a different kind of business, and how both his reliance on women and being labeled McMurdo’s “favorite” made him a target of Jasley and his ilk.
That latter point is why I agree with you that McMurdo won’t betray Naze, and it’s more likely Jasley will try to push McMurdo out of the Teiwaz throne.
Of course, that would require any allies within the organization to overlook the fact he went “outside the family” to Gjallarhorn for help.
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I actually have a feeling that it might be the other way around and that McMurdo might be forced to cut off Naze in order to maintain peace within Teiwaz. They’ve alluded to his ruthlessness for awhile now, and I’m sure Jasley might even push that, by saying that it was Tekkadan who has made trouble for the company and Naze promised to commit suicide if that happened. So, they have to leave him to his fate.
However, Jasley is sadly underestimating what kind of blow this will be to Teiwaz. Not only will they lose Naze, who was one of the best in his field, but without him allying them, they also lose the Turbines, the biggest transport system in the Outer sphere. None of the women in it would want to work with Teiwaz anyway, as it basically betrayed Naze. I think this will also end up galvanizing Orga/Tekkadan.
Naze and Amida going out like this, is not just to say goodbye to two awesome characters, but that their jobs is done. They “raised” the fledgling Tekkadan, and now that it’s nearly a full grown eagle, it’s time for them to leave the nest and soar on their own. Orga/Tekkadan honestly needs to step away from Teiwaz and to become their own fully independent group, where Orga doesn’t have to worry about what McMurdo thinks or has to get permission for what’s best for his own group. I think Orga may end up disgusted by how coldly Teiwaz cuts Naze off and leave Teiwaz, using the convenient excuse of having “caused trouble” once again.
What’s left of the Turbines will probably join up with Tekkadan, as they will now be in need of protection and alliances now, and 50,000 members is nothing to sneeze at.
I was just thinking, Remember that huge docking area that McGillis gave to Tekkadan some episodes ago and Orga was in shock because right now, they only have two ships?
Well, if Tekkadan inherits what remains of the Turbines, I have a feeling that dock is not only going to get filled, but they’re going to need some more room.
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Mmmm…Very good food for thought! Now I feel like it could go either way. Tekkadan needs to SCALE, and quickly; merging with the soon-to-be-Naze-less Turbines seems to be the best way.
Next week should be very interesting…
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