Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury - Episode Seven: Shall We Gundam?
Written by: Kō Yoneyama
Directed by: Shunichi Yoshizawa
Storyboarded by: Masahiko Ōkura
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury - Episode Seven: Shall We Gundam? (シャル・ウィ・ガンダム?, Sharu Ui Gandamu?) is the seventh episode of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury.
In a private meeting, Peil's CEOs admit to Vim and Sarius that the Pharact is a Gundam. Vim criticizes their flagrant violation of the Cathedra agreement to ban all Gundams, concerns which the CEOs dismiss as hypocritical. Sarius proposes they take an opportunity to uncover some of Delling's secrets.
At Miorine's greenhouse, Suletta is distracted worrying about Elan to Miorine's annoyance, when they both receive invitations to a corporate incubation party. Miorine brushes it off, noting that the Holder would be compelled to give a speech, but Suletta excitedly points out that Elan might be there as well.
The day of the party arrives with Suletta and Miorine in attendance, along with Nika and Martin as their guests. Miorine explains to them how new start-up companies are funded at the engagement: prospective entrepreneurs make presentations to the attendees who can then opt to invest, and if interest hits a target amount, the start-up will be funded and begin operations. As the group wander about the party, the real Elan observes them through security footage along with Peil's CEOs, whining about having to clean up the mess his fourth body double left behind.
Suletta and Miorine run into Shaddiq, who reveals that he and Miorine have a long history of attending such events, and later Lady Prospera. Suletta is elated to see her mother again and formally introduces Miorine to her; Propera thanks Miorine for her role in securing Aerial's existence, jokingly mimicking the outburst she directed at her father at the inquisition. Sending Suletta away to get her a drink, Prospera speaks with Miorine privately, musing about Delling being responsible for the massacre of the Vanadis Institute 21 years ago; an event to which is he publicly lauded as a hero, while the truth secretly motivates her desire for revenge. After Miorine talks about how he has dictated her life, Prospera mocks her for holding such hatred towards her father whilst still benefiting from the privilege of being his daughter. As another proposal begins, Prospera advises Miorine to "throw away [her] adorable pride".
Meanwhile, Nika is offered some dinner by Shaddiq, who hints at them having prior dealings with each other, while Suletta crosses paths with Elan after spilling the drink she had gotten for her mother. Miorine tries to find her fiancée when a new presentation begins, headed by Peil's CEOs, who introduce Elan and Suletta as speakers. Together, Elan and the CEOs maneuver Suletta into inadvertently confirming Aerial as a Gundam despite her protests. With help from Vim in the audience, they pin the blame for their own Gundam Pharact on rogue developers, stating they will dissolve the team and have Pharact scrapped; Vim follows up by suggesting Shin Sei should do the same with Aerial. While they offer a chance for Prospera to come forward to explain their side of things, Vim has had Lauda detain her.
Before Delling can pass judgement on Suletta, Miorine barges onto the stage, interrupting the presentation. Citing Aerial as a superior machine which beat those from Jeturk and Peil, she proposes a new company which would absorb Peil and Shin Sei's Gundam developments, GUND-ARM Inc., to oversee the elimination of the issues related to GUND-Format technology, setting a funding target of 240 billion - twice what she calculates Peil would lose in just dissolving their development team. However, no one offers up any investments, with Delling dismissing his daughter's proposal as without merit, as she lacks any credibility to see it through. Refusing to give up, Miorine runs through the crowd and up to her father, sincerely requesting that she borrow his credibility as President, taking Prospera's earlier advice to heart. Delling reluctantly agrees, warning her of the Gundam's heavy curse as he leaves her with 3% capital. The show of support flips investor interest, and her start-up quickly hits its 75% funding goal.
As the party winds down, Martin wonders over the new company as Prospera thanks Miorine for her support, knowing her daughter and her Gundam are in good hands. When Suletta questions her mother over everyone now labeling Aerial a Gundam, Prospera admits to having previously lied to her about her classification, leaving her daughter in shock.
Demizu Posuka's (end card illustrator)'s official Twitter
Shall We Gundam? provides examples of:
- A-Cup Angst: Miorine lends Suletta a dress, which Suletta mentions is a bit tight around her bust. Miorine seemed a little annoyed by the implication.
- Big Damn Heroes: Just as the truth about Aerial is revealed to the world and Suletta is cornered, Miorine barges into the presentation to propose a new company which would take responsibility for them both.
- Broken Pedestal: Suletta is shocked to find out her mother was lying to her about Aerial not being a Gundam, having trusted her fully before.
- Call-Back: Miorine slaps Suletta on her backside to get her to stand up straight similar to when she slapped Guel on his backside when she got him to stop him from ruining Miorine's greenhouse.
- Character Development: Shaddiq lampshades that Miorine doing something for someone else's sake is something he had never seen her do before and comments on how much she has changed. Going further into the episode, when she realizes she can't save Suletta and Aerial alone this time, she swallows her pride and begs her father for help, in spite of how much she hates him, which is the same as admitting Suletta is more important to her than her pride.
- Creator Cameo: A Demi Trainer is shown off with the markings of the band YOASOBI, who sings the series' first theme "The Blessing".
- Dead Person Impersonation: To his annoyance, the real Elan Ceres must fill in for Enhanced Person Number Four at the party as Enhanced Person Number Five is still a work in progress. He explains Elan's absence as having been summoned to attend Peil company business somewhere with bad reception. Suletta notices that Elan smiles more than he used to, but thinks he's just started to open up.
- Evolving Credits: The Lfrith Ur and Thorn appear as silhouettes in the opening titles starting this episode.
- Fatal Flaw: Lady Prospera points out to Miorine that her 'Pride' is this for her. Miorine attempts to overcome this when she swallows her pride and speaks with her father in helping get her business proposition off the ground.
- Irony: The real Elan Ceres has to impersonate his own Body Double. It is not lost on him.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Her less than nice way of delivering it aside, Lady Prospera isn't wrong when she points out a lot of flaws in Miorine's logic and actions which Miorine takes to heart.
- Missing Mom: Miorine's mother is indicated to have died when she was young. Part of the reason she despises her father is that he seemingly showed no sympathy over her mother's death.
- Mythology Gag: Suletta ends up going to a big corporate party in a dress, gets prompted to stand up straight with a hit to the back, meets up with a boy and is monitored by her best friend, just like Loran Cehack.
- Pet the Dog: Despite being against Gundams as a whole, Delling gives 3% of the funding needed to start up his daughter's proposal for a new company, prompting majority of the investors to do likewise. He also warns her of the dangers of such a technology.Delling: The Gundam's curse is a heavier burden than you think.
- Refuge in Audacity: Miorine's gambit in response to Aerial being outed as a Gundam, and under the threat of being scrapped, is to propose a new company that will not only inherit both Aerial and Pharact's development teams, but pledges to address the bioethical implications of the GUND Format, called GUND-ARMS, Inc. She follows this up by reluctantly asking for Delling's help in starting the company, which actually works.
- Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!: Peil’s approach to the Cathedra agreement, which amounts to admitting they broke it and saying they won’t do it again… after using their admission to insinuate that Aerial is a Gundam.
- Sexy Backless Outfit: Miorine sports one at the party.
- Taking You with Me: What Peil Technologies' gambit ultimately amounts to: By confessing they have been developing a Gundam, they promise to take full responsibility by scrapping the Pharact and dissolving the GUND-ARM development team. But because of Cathedra's laws, Shin Sei will have to do the same with Aerial. Only difference is that Peil would only be minorly inconvenienced whereas Shin Sei would be ruined.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: After admitting the Pharact is a Gundam, Peil Technologies vows to have it scrapped and the entire group who developed it fired — as long as their competitor, Shin Sei Development Company, does the same with the Aerial.
