Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury - Episode Sixteen: Cycle of Sin
Written by: Ichirō Ōkouchi
Directed by: Shouji Ikeno
Storyboarded by: Tomoki Kyoda and Hiromitsu Kanazawa
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury - Episode Sixteen: Cycle of Sin (罪過の輪; Zaika no Wa)
Continuing their conversation about Aerial and the data storms, Prospera tells Belmeria how she discovered Ericht's biometrics perfectly synced with the data storm produced by the prototype Lfrith during the Vanadis Incident. But as a child, Ericht's body was ultimately unable to handle the conditions of space, leading Prospera to keep her alive using the Lfrith as her new body, refitting it as Aerial, with her synchronized biometric code preserved as Permet particles, retaining Ericht's consciousness within the data storm. While presently unable to exist outside Aerial, Prospera claims that raising Quiet Zero's parameters to Permet Score Eight would allow Ericht to "live in freedom." Belmeria rejects Prospera's request for her help, claiming that her plans go against Vanadis' principles; Prospera throws these claims back at her by bringing up Belmeria's Enhanced Human project, which was originally rejected by Dr. Cardo, causing Belmeria to break down, begging her to stop.
Members of the Space Assembly League and the Benerit Group watch news broadcasts reviewing the attacks on Asticassia and Plant Quetta, as well as the kidnapping of Sarius Zenelli and increased anti-Spacian riots on Earth in response to the Group's actions taken against Dawn of Fold. Shaddiq denies any knowledge as to his father's whereabouts, while Nugen suggests that, with Delling still incapacitated, they may need to elect a new president. Shaddiq discusses his plans to run for the presidency with his teammates, denying any intent to ally with Miorine after musing she could win the election with if supported by one of the Three Branches. Elsewhere, Miorine meets with Lauda, who returns her belongings to her following GUND-Arm Inc. being cleared of any involvement with Dawn of Fold, allowing her to return to Asticassia.
The school is under a state of emergency following the attack; Front Security patrols the grounds in mobile suits, extracurricular activities are limited, and many students have left entirely. Secelia and Rouji discuss the state of things, with Secelia telling him she intends to remain at the school as Duel Committee representative until Miorine's upcoming birthday, to see the final result of the marriage game. Meanwhile, Earth House faces constant harassment from other students who blame them for the attack by association. After an argument with a group vandalizing their dorm's exterior results in Martin being hit in the head with a spray can, Miorine appears and scares the vandals off, having filmed the altercation.
At Grassley's dorm, Sabina treats Nika's injuries, extending her an offer to join their group. Rejecting the offer, Nika deduces that Sabina is an Earthian too; Sabina tells her that ideals alone can't change reality, but that she and Shaddiq will bridge the gap between Earth and Space. Secretly taking a call from the Peil CEOs inside the Pharact's cockpit, Elan is ordered to acquire Aerial immediately if he wants to live, disregarding his prior directive to try and win Suletta over. As Shaddiq discusses the emergent presidential race with his associates at Benerit Group HQ, Guel arrives, reuniting with Lauda and Petra, the former fainting from relief at his brother's return.
Feng Jun reveals to Miorine that Front Security was not involved in Nika's arrest, leaving her whereabouts unknown. In return for continuing her investigation, she requests that Miorine allow her to freely come and go and look into GUND-Arm Inc., particularly their acquisition Shin Sei. Miorine agrees on the condition she is kept informed of her findings. Sharing her discovery with the rest of Earth House, Chuchu thanks Miorine for her efforts before they move on to presenting Miorine with the business that had piled up while she was held at Benerit HQ. Suletta (with Till's help) interrupts to ask Miorine to come and inspect the greenhouse with her. On their way out, they encounter Prospera, who has arrived at Asticassia.
In an impound hangar, Elan attempts to hijack Aerial, only to be forcefully drawn into her data storm, encountering visions of numerous Erichts, which subsequently force him out. Meeting with Belmeria on the overlooking railings, he requests her assistance in seizing Aerial, which she rebuffs before trying to justify her helping Peil so as to continue her GUND research. Elan lashes out at her, angrily pointing out she only wants to ensure her own survival, her actions speaking to a comparative lack of care as to the fates of him or his predecessors. Taking his leave, he states his intent to report her to the CEOs.
At Miorine's greenhouse, she and Suletta awkwardly discuss the incident at Plant Quetta, with Miorine initially apologizing for her reaction to Suletta's violent rescue of her and her father. Disturbed by Suletta's continued light-heartedness when talking about it, and recognizing the disproportionate influence her mother holds over her, Miorine flees to confront Prospera. When she demands that Prospera stop using Suletta as her puppet, Prospera reveals the truth to Miorine: that she has spent decades plotting vengeance against her father Delling for his ordering the deaths of Prospera's husband, comrades, and mentor. Prospera tentatively agrees to keep Suletta out of her plotting, if Miorine agrees to assist her by winning the presidency of the Benerit Group so Quiet Zero can proceed unimpeded.
Kei Mochizuki's (end card illustrator)’s official Twitter
Cycle of Sin provides examples of:
- Armor-Piercing Question: Miorine gives a few of these to Suletta to make her realize how much she had been indoctrinated by her mother throughout her life. Suletta grows visibly uncomfortable as she recognizes what Miorine's driving at, and reluctantly answers that she would do almost anything that her mother asks of her, such as giving up on creating a school in Mercury or killing others, but as with Suletta's past crises it only ends in her reaffirming that her mother knows best. Miorine's the one whose armor ends up shattered instead, and she immediately leaves to confront Prospera.
- Blind Obedience: Miorine asks Suletta if she would do anything her mother asks of her. Suletta says that she might not do anything, but when Miorine poses the question if she would give up her dreams or murder someone at her mother's orders, Suletta says that she would, because her mother is always right.
- Brain Uploading: What Prospera did to Eri gets elaborated on: Prospera somehow used a data storm to transfer her "biometric code" into the Lfrith, creating the Aerial. Right now, she's nothing more than a collection of Permet particles. Prospera doesn't mention what happened to Eri's original body after this was accomplished.
- The Cameo: While Secelia is pondering who Miorine's groom will be, the scene cuts to Felsi looking at the wreck of Lauda's Dilanza. She otherwise does not appear in the episode at all.
- The Dead Have Names: It is revealed the previously unnamed student Norea killed two episodes ago was Jubeju, and his fellow classmates are vandalizing Earth House out of revenge for their friend.
- Didn't See That Coming: Elan figures that he can just take control of the Aerial like his predecessor did way back when. Not only does Aerial not respond to his student ID, but he is then confronted by Ericht Samaya who gives him a Mind Rape Datastorm and tells him to get out.
- Dramatic Irony: Explaining what Lauda's been through to Guel, Petra tentatively brings up the subject of Vim Jeturk's death, afraid he might not have learned of it yet.
- Faint in Shock: Upon seeing Guel return from his self-imposed exile, Lauda promptly faints from a mixture of relief and exhaustion. Played more severely than most examples, as he's subsequently seen recovering in a hospital bed.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: If one looks closely at the messages on Secelia's phone, one can catch the memetic phrase "IMMA HEAD OUT!".
- I Did What I Had to Do: Prospera claims that her reason for transforming Eri into the Aerial was to save her life, as a young child unprepared for the harsh conditions of space. To be fair, she herself views this as imprisonment, and her goal with Quiet Zero is to bring about a world where Eri can live freely again. She contrasts herself with Bel, who's been performing human experimentation on Peil's payroll just to save her own hide.
- I Have Your Wife: After Miorine realizes how firmly Suletta is held under her mother's thumb, Prospera says she'll only let her go if Miorine becomes Benerit Group president. She spends their conversation showing a detached attitude to her daughter, implying Suletta will be in danger if Miorine refused.
- Internal Reveal: Prospera tells Miorine the truth about the "Vanadis Incident" and her motivation for revenge against Delling, something the audience has been aware of since the prologue.
- Milking the Giant Cow: The normally reserved Lady Prospera reaches into the air with both hands as she describes her ultimate goal of allowing Eri to live freely again.
- "Not So Different" Remark:
- When Bel refuses to work with Prospera on Quiet Zero, citing what she did to Eri, her own child, Prospera points out her experiments using Peil's Enhanced Humans, who are also children.
- After Miorine chews her out for her treatment of Suletta, Prospera prefaces her Motive Rant by questioning the purity of Miorine's own intentions.Miorine: That girl will do anything you tell her to. I won't let you have your way with her any longer!
Prospera: And Then What? Do you want to have your way with her next? Just like your father...
- Only the Chosen May Pilot: Although Elan #4 was previously able to activate Aerial and test her GUND-ARM system himself, Elan #5 is violently rejected when he tries to even turn it on. This may be because Aerial knew the latter was trying to steal Aerial, or because Eri has gained more control and awareness. It is also possible that unlike Elan #4, Elan #5 didn’t have Suletta’s permission to pilot her.
- The Reveal: This episode reveals that Aerial is the Lfrith from Prologue, Eri is (somehow) sealed inside as Permet particles and Prospera's goal is to raise Aerial to Permet Score Eight and then use Quiet Zero to extend the range of the data storm so Eri can “Live in Freedom”.
- Rule of Symbolism: When arguing about Suletta's actions and Prospera's control over her in the greenhouse, Miorine's reflection is shown in a fully ripened tomato, indicating her developed ideals and resolve, while Suletta's reflection is shown in one still only half-ripe, representing her need for growth still.
- Saying Too Much: Miorine becomes completely aware of how much Prospera has been manipulating her daughter when Suletta says that "Mom knew you would understand", about the events of Planet Quetta. Additionally, she may have realized that Prospera was telling her and Suletta different things in Episode 13 as Prospera told her that she apparently 'agreed' that Suletta may have gone too far in saving her. After a few Armor Piercing Questions that make her aware of just how deep Prospera's control of Suletta is, she runs off and immediately confronts the former to stop using her own daughter as a puppet.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: In the aftermath of the Dawn of Fold's attack on Asticassia, many Spacian students have chosen to withdraw from the school altogether.
- Sins of Our Fathers: Prospera makes clear her view that Miorine, who wasn't even born yet, is not innocent in her father's slaughter of the Vanadis institute, calling her Delling's blood-stained daughter.
- What the Hell, Hero?: While Miorine apologises to Suletta for calling her a murderer, having reflected on it and recognising that she and her father would have died if Suletta hadn't killed the terrorist, she calls Suletta out on how carefree she acts about it, pointing out that, regardless of circumstance, she still did kill someone and should therefore feel something about that. Miorine then calls Suletta out on her Blind Obedience to her mother, eventually running away in tears when she discovers just how deep Prospera's control over Suletta runs, admitting that if her mother asked for it, she would kill again.
- When She Smiles: Petra gives a rare genuine smile while welcoming Guel back, compared to her usual mocking grin.
