In Azadistan, Rasa Massoud Rachmadi, leader of Kingdom's Conservative faction, is captured by mysterious armed men.
Once news of Rasa's kidnapping spreads, riots break out throughout Azadistan, as the Conservatives believe that Marina's Reformist faction was responsible. Ironically, Marina and Rasa are friends and Rasa became leader of the Conservatives in part to prevent the radical Conservatives from responding to Marina's reforms with violence. Shirin informs Marina that the Reformists in the Assembly have asked the Union to provide military support to prevent a civil war, a move that will upset the Conservatives even more. Wang tells Setsuna and Lockon that Celestial Being may be able to prevent the civil war if they can rescue Rasa.
Azadistan traitors attack an Azadistan military base with stolen mobile suits. Graham and his Flag Fighters intervene, as does Lockon. Ali, the leader of the kidnappers, launches several missiles from his Enact. Lockon just barely manages to shoot all of them down.
Graham sends Howard and Daryl after the one who launched the missiles while he fights Lockon. The two pilots are evenly matched, but the fight is interrupted when both pilots receive word that rogue Azadistan soldiers have stolen mobile suits and are headed for the palace to pull a coup d'etat on Marina. Setsuna manages to defeat the rogue soldiers before they can reach the palace.
Wang tells Setsuna about some more rogue soldiers. Setsuna tracks the other rogue soldiers to a ruined city similiar to the one where he was saved by the 0 Gundam six years before. He sees child soldiers attempting to fight the rogue mobile suits. Setsuna destroys the enemy suits, but he's too late to save the child soldiers.
The Union sends troops to Azadistan in response to the attempted coup d'etat. Lockon finds Setsuna in the ruined city. Setsuna says that he cannot become Gundam.
Tropes used in this episode:
- Friendly Enemy: Marina and Rasa strongly disagree on which direction Azadistan should take, but are still good friends.
- Macross Missile Massacre: Ali unleashes one against the Azadistan military base.
- Qurac: Justified. According to the narrator, the collapse of the petroleum industry led to many border changes in the Middle East
