# Crimson Tide (Gundam Seed 33)  No-one is as awesome as you, Flay. Much of this episode felt like a mix of marking time and recap, which I guess makes sense for a tribunal. (Perhaps luckily, it comes just when I'd taken a bit of a break from this project, so the recap is no bad thing). The clash between Badriguel and Ramius' command styles seems like it should come to a head, with Ramius outright admitting that she is (by her own standards) unfit for command - unfortunately this is one of those episodes that's robbed of its tension by my having seen the series before. I'm genuinely unsure what a realistic outcome looks like here. Ramius has overseen a series of shocking breakdowns in military discipline, mistreatment of a prisoner (a genuine war crime) being only the most recent and most obviously avoidable example. At the same time, her ship has won repeatedly against impossible odds; had Archangel successfully delivered the Strike to Alaska, I suspect that success would have outweighed any failure to follow procedures. But with the Strike lost, all Ramius has actually achieved is staying alive, preserving the archangel, and rescuing a few Orb civilians. In theory this last should be a diplomatic coup - particularly since those same civilians witnessed the destruction of their home colony at ZAFT hands - but with the EDF's own hands being dirty, it's hard to capitalise. Ramius is a skilled or lucky commander - either way, the EDF can ill afford to lose her - but she doesn't have a record of victories to point to. Surprisingly enough, this episode has made me care about the outcome of this tribunal - remarkable given how much was talking and recap, and how little we know of the officers on the other side of the table. At least it felt like progress was being made, and the tribunal reached some kind of confusion. Less can be said for Milly and Best Girl, who seem stuck in a holding pattern this week. Milly is incoherent, alternately angry and weepy - not an unreasonable way for someone who's just lost her lover to behave, but Flay is rightfully angry that the crew is being sympathetic to Milly and not to her.  Deakka's behaviour is confusing here - he seems to regret having provoked Milly, but wasn't that exactly what he was trying to do? Perhaps to him this is a prank gone too far, but he seems remarkably willing to accept execution at her hands if that's what she wants. It's possible there's a really interesting character inside his head - but if so, the show hasn't shown us it, so instead he just comes across as inconsistent. Once again, the series' fundamental flaw is simply trying to bring in too many characters with not enough screentime to develop them all. And worst of all, our main character - the one who should be carrying the characterization side of things - is sitting on the sidelines. I'm no great fan of Kira, but with so few primary characters, the show can't afford to be without him (especially having lost Cagalli, and with Athrun also being away from the Archangel's plotline).  NO IT WOULDN'T LACUS, THAT WOULD BE THE WORST THING THIS SHOW COULD DO. [Home](/) <div id="disqus_thread"></div> comments powered by Disqus