From Losers to Glory-A Gundam Wing Special-Part 4

Previously:

The Gundam Pilots were tricked into attacking a peace conference while OZ began a worldwide takeover.  In the chaos, Heero accidentally killed Relena’s father…well that’s a sudden change for sure.  So what’s next for our quintet of Gundam Backstreet Boys?  From Losers to Glory continues with Volume 4 of the new Gundam Wing Manga.

Vol.4 (Episodes 9-10)

In the Anime:
Following the commencement of Operation Daybreak, the Gundams and the pilots find their actions severely limited.  With Earth firmly under their control, OZ turns its attention to the Space Colonies.  Heero, Duo, Trowa and Quatre attempt to stop the delivery of Taurus Mobile Suits, outfitted with a new artificial intelligence piloting program (the Mobile Doll system), to space.  However, Lady Une has the newly seized Alliance Space Fortress Barge target the Colonies with missiles.  Doctor J speaks to Lady Une and signals his surrender.  However, he boldly declares he will not hand over his Gundam, prompting Heero to break off a duel with Zechs and defiantly self destructs the Wing Gundam.

In the Manga: 

• Trowa is contacted by the Barton Foundation, who are aware of who he is.  They claim to have captured Doctor S.
• Heero and Duo attend the same school for a new cover.  They have a fencing match against one another.  Earlier in the Anime, Heero has a fencing match with a fellow classmate of Relena’s and defeats him easily.
•  OZ stages an attack on Fortress Barge where future White Fang member Sedici acts as an OZ mole, sabotaging Barge’s main cannon.
• Relena confronts Heero at his new school.  He confirms his part in her father’s death.  An observing Duo gives them both guns and tells them to settle this matter already.  Much like in Endless Waltz with Mariemea, Heero lets Relena live but warns her never to face him again.  Much of this scene plays out similar to Heeros confrontation with Sylvia Noventa in the Anime, when he goes to her for judgement over killing her Grandfather, Field Marshall Noventa.
• During the attack on the Taurus transport, several Mobile Suits are shown using new equipment such as a jet pack for Heavyarms and Tallgeese using a jousting lance when battling Heero.
•  Heero manages to destroy the right arm of the Tallgeese during his duel with Zechs.

I really like how the first couple of volumes have focused on the relationship between Heero and Duo, even introducing Duo to the story before Heero himself.  In the Anime, Duo is the closest thing Heero has to a best friend and is usually there as a sarcastic and funny counterbalance to Heero’s super seriousness.  Here though, he plays an integral part of settling an important matter between Heero and Relena, a moment that plays out so much like Heeros confrontation with Sylvia Noventa that I wonder if we’ll see Sylvia again beyond her brief appearance so far.  Of course, the outcome of this only strengthens Relena’s resolve to be a strong as Heero.  And thus, we’ve got a better foothold in building the two biggest relationships in Heero’s life over the course of the story.  Meanwhile, the rest of events unfold about the same as the Anime, just a little expanded with the Barge take over and Heero and Zechs having more of a duel than the Anime allowed.  Once again though, The Barton Foundation reels its head.  This is something that should have been going on all throughout the original Anime.  Though I’m sure they ended up being creating during the planning stages of Endless Waltz, making sure the former masterminds behind Operation Meteor weren’t staying quiet during this whole ordeal would’ve been essential when they took centerstage in the sequel OVA.  There’s one instance where the Barton Foundation could’ve come into play in the overall story…but I’ll wait to talk about that further down the line (hint though, it has something to do with replacing a certain shoe horned in faction in the last act of the TV Anime).

As to what comes next…well From Losers to Glory is going on a little hiatus.  When I had originally planned this feature, it was going to run uninterrupted to it’s conclusion at the beginning of July.  The month of March was initially going to the event starting next Friday…and then Square Enix pushed Final Fantasy VII Remake back a month and I had to adjust according.  So, Next Friday begins my Final Fantasy Friday Retrospective, going through the complete history of the Final Fantasy franchise.  From Losers to Glory: A Gundam Wing Special will return on May 1^st and continue until its end at Volume 14.  I hope you’re enjoying the feature so far and look forward to its return.