Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn/Headscratchers

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


WARNING! There are unmarked Spoilers ahead. Beware.

Episode 1 Spoilers

  • Hmmm... Isn't Daguza Mackle's firing a net bazooka to a Marida's Kshatriya somehow connected to Seiji Hama's firing of a RPG to a tower where Mina Tepes was standing in a Dance in the Vampire Bund? The situation seems eerily similar, as well as the men themselves, who both were experienced soldiers delivering a last "Fuck You!" gesture to a female opponent after losing a battle. Which one was out earlier?
    • "My mobile suit is disabled so I'm going to climb out and empty whatever weapon I happen to have at the enemy" is actually a really common response for defeated soldiers in Gundam. Hell, Dozle Zabi from Mobile Suit Gundam does something similar with a machine gun, and there might be an even earlier example. And how would Daguza even know the Kshatriya was piloted by a female in the first place?
  • Why did people think Full Frontal was going to turn out to be the "real" Char?
    • The idea that there was a Char Aznable separate from Casval Deikun was introduced in Gundam: The Origin.
      • Which is an Alternate Continuity retelling of Mobile Suit Gundam, that has absolutely no bearing on the animated canon.
        • If, of course, you ignore the fact that it is going to be animated. Time will tell whether that element will be kept in.
    • Keep in mind, Char disappeared under very mysterious circumstances in Chars Counterattack, it's highly possible that both he and Amuro survived. Not to mention his personal and physical resemblance to Char probably only helped establish in people's minds that perhaps he was Char Aznable.
  • Does anyone find out WHY THE HELL ARE THE SPACE COLONIES' SECURITY AND MILITARY ARE SO NON-EXISTENT? In Episode 1, we have the EFSF deploying so many troops and mech suits to fight only one Kshatriya, I did hear one line about the military has been mobilized, but I don't see any military! No tanks? no mecha? no security? Where the hell are they?
  • Why did the Stark Jegan pilot in the prologue fight with Kshatriya not flee when he expended all his missiles and firepower?
    • Because he knew his only chance of winning or even surviving was to engage in close combat. At that range, the Kshatriya can't effectively use its funnels and mega particle cannons, and if he tried to flee he would just be chased and shot down. Besides, Rule of Cool.
  • So... is Unicorn Gundam the key or the box? This is confusing!
    • It's called the key, but it's actually more like a guide: The Unicorn Gundam will show the way to Laplace's Box. Anyone can open it; they just have to be led to it by the Unicorn first.
  • Good job fighting in a space colony mobile suit pilots... causing so much collateral damage... can't you take your fights in space?
    • Alright, and how exactly were they supposed to get back outside without wrecking the colony in the first place? The real question you should be asking is why they didn't stay in space.
      • So... Why didn't they stay in space?
        • It was a case of both lack of common sense on all parties and being in the middle of a desperate and confusing situation. Londo Bell merely investigated the loss of the team that the Kshatriya wiped out at the beginning of the series, which brought them to the colony on suspicion that there were Sleeves in the area. The Kshatriya, in turn, was sent in to rescue the captain when it began to appear that the deal with the Vist Foundation either fell through or was a setup in the first place. Londo Bell then followed the Kshatriya into the colony. They were more than content to keep the fight in space, but once Kshatriya went inside the colony they followed. We all know what happened after that, and for the duration of the fight inside the colony they were clearly trying to keep the collateral damage to a minimum.
  • How could Banagher not recognize his father the first time? He clearly remembers him from the flashback and he pretty much looks the same as when Banagher was young.
    • Repressed memories, I guess?
  • Why did they hide some of the thrusters in Destroy Mode? I don't see the point of doing this.
    • They're not hidden in Destroy Mode, they're hidden in Unicorn Mode. Other than the extra thrusters suddenly popping out giving the Unicorn the element of surprise when the NT-D activates, it also reduces the overall G-forces the pilot is exposed to and conserves fuel it'll need in NT-D mode.

Episode 3 Spoilers

  • Why did the Sleeves not sent backup for Marida when she was clearly getting her mobile suit trashed by Unicorn Gundam?
    • Because she was being used as bait to activate the NT-D system so the recording device installed in the Unicorn would give the Sleeves information about Laplace's box.
      • Why didn't the Sleeves install an "off-switch" to shut down Unicorn Gundam then?
        • Because if the Unicorn is shut down the NT-D, and by extension the Laplace Program, is as well, meaning the seals are prevented from being broken. It would be counterproductive.
  • Why did the Earth Federation Londo Bell's forces did not keep track of Riddhe Marcenas's Delta Plus when he escaped with Audrey Burne / Mineva Lao Zabi?
  • Delta Plus was given so little screen-time, why is that so? It seems like a pretty nice new mobile suit to be passed over for action moments.
    • There wasn't really much for it to do: Its pilot was on a personal mission that had literally nothing to do with the battle. All he needed was clear a path to Earth, which Banagher mostly took care of. On the bright side, it will most likely get more screen-time in later episodes.
  • Can anyone explain why no one, not even the Federation Military, noticed the battle raging above Earth?
    • The battle ~200km off the ground? The battle where Federation Military personnel were already present? Looking up at it from Earth, there wasn't much that could distinguish it from a "regular" cleanup operation; operations which are already highly classified before ECOAS gets involved.
  • Why is Minerva Lao Zabi going to the Earth Federation when she has no power over the Sleeves whatsoever?
  • How in the world is the Mega Corp Anaheim Electronics able to slip in agents and mechanics in the Earth Federation without any knowledge?
    • They didn't; they're in plain sight. Anaheim can get away with this for now because it has a monopoly on the Newtype-related technology (like the psycho-frame) in high-demand by both the Federation and the Sleeves.
  • WHY OH WHY, did Daguza Mackle not jump out of the way when he fired a bazooka at the Sinanju?
    • Part Rule of Drama, part Death By Pragmatism, and part Reality Ensues. Daguza didn't destroy the Sinanju's sensors completely, the wreckage was falling apart, and there was no way he could run away from a mobile suit about to attack him. He knew he had no chance.
      • Why did he fire a bazooka at Sinanju in the first place?
        • He was trying to destroy Full Frontal's main camera to give Banagher an advantage against a far superior pilot.
  • Why did Gilboa block Unicorn's attack for Full Frontal?
    • Uhh... because Frontal is his commander and The Messiah of the entire Sleeve population? Shouldn't this one be obvious?
  • How can Marida effortlessly hold her breath like it was nothing? Similarly how did Riddhe Marcenas open his cockpit safely in space without oxygen getting sucked out?
    • In any Gundam Show the cockpit sometimes open in space without oxygen getting sucked out
      • So its a case of Batman Can Breathe in Space then? It just seems jarring when the show were pretty accurate with the space physic. I would have assumed Marida be suffocated from the sudden oxygen pressure drop.
        • Decompression to vacuum isn't enough to suck the air out of your lungs. That corridor would have taken a while to be completely drained of oxygen. Plus, Marida's a Cyber-Newtype designed from the ground-up, as the episode mentioned; she's probably had some... improvements.
  • When the Sinanju's face got half destroyed, its green sensor turns off and then a red sensor shows up. I notice the green goes on and off before going off and then a red one just shows up.
    • ... What exactly bugs you about this?
    • This troper's friend mentioned that it could be the Sinanju's "angry face" when it got hit by the rocket fired by Daguza, somewhat like a Berserk Button.
    • Sinanju actually uses two eyes, which are fed into a sensor that tracks similarly to the original Zeon monoeye. The monoeye is entirely cosmetic - appropriate given its pilot.
    • Like This and the original Sinanju Stein has 2 red eyes [dead link] which makes its green eye a third eye
  • Anyone notice that Unicorn in Destroy Mode, the pilot's thoughts can cause the gundam to fire its weaponry or fight, but near the ending, the Unicorn Gundam draw its Magnum rifle to fire on Sinanju, Banagher was seen pressing the button to fire the Magnum, which was supposed to be impossible due to the fact the controls are retracted and the destroy mode was supposed to allow the pilot to fire its weapon by the power of thought alone...why is it so?
    • If you look closely, there's a second set of control sticks in NT-D mode. As for relying on pushing a button rather than thought: The psycho-frame is ridiculously sensitive and can act out on its own; do you really want something like the beam magnum going off with every random whim or consideration to fire it?
  • Why did the Sleeves not sent backup for Marida when she was clearly getting her mobile suit trashed by Unicorn Gundam?
    • Because she was being used as bait to activate the NT-D system so the recording device installed in the Unicorn would give the Sleeves information about Laplace's box.
      • Why didn't the Sleeves install an "off-switch" to shut down Unicorn Gundam then?
        • Because if the Unicorn is shut down the NT-D, and by extension the Laplace Program, is as well, meaning the seals are prevented from being broken. It would be counterproductive.
  • Why did the Earth Federation Londo Bell's forces did not keep track of Riddhe Marcenas's Delta Plus when he escaped with Audrey Burne / Mineva Lao Zabi?
  • Delta Plus was given so little screen-time, why is that so? It seems like a pretty nice new mobile suit to be passed over for action moments.
    • There wasn't really much for it to do: Its pilot was on a personal mission that had literally nothing to do with the battle. All he needed was clear a path to Earth, which Banagher mostly took care of. On the bright side, it will most likely get more screen-time in later episodes.
  • Can anyone explain why no one, not even the Federation Military, noticed the battle raging above Earth?
    • The battle ~200km off the ground? The battle where Federation Military personnel were already present? Looking up at it from Earth, there wasn't much that could distinguish it from a "regular" cleanup operation; operations which are already highly classified before ECOAS gets involved.
  • Why is Minerva Lao Zabi going to the Earth Federation when she has no power over the Sleeves whatsoever?
  • How in the world is the Mega Corp Anaheim Electronics able to slip in agents and mechanics in the Earth Federation without any knowledge?
    • They didn't; they're in plain sight. Anaheim can get away with this for now because it has a monopoly on the Newtype-related technology (like the psycho-frame) in high-demand by both the Federation and the Sleeves.
  • WHY OH WHY, did Daguza Mackle not jump out of the way when he fired a bazooka at the Sinanju?
    • Part Rule of Drama, part Death By Pragmatism, and part Reality Ensues. Daguza didn't destroy the Sinanju's sensors completely, the wreckage was falling apart, and there was no way he could run away from a mobile suit about to attack him. He knew he had no chance.
      • Why did he fire a bazooka at Sinanju in the first place?
    • He was trying to destroy Full Frontal's main camera to give Banagher an advantage against a far superior pilot.
  • Why did Gilboa block Unicorn's attack for Full Frontal?
    • Uhh... because Frontal is his commander and The Messiah of the entire Sleeve population? Shouldn't this one be obvious?
  • How can Marida effortlessly hold her breath like it was nothing? Similarly how did Riddhe Marcenas open his cockpit safely in space without oxygen getting sucked out?
    • In any Gundam Show the cockpit sometimes open in space without oxygen getting sucked out
      • So its a case of Batman Can Breathe in Space then? It just seems jarring when the show were pretty accurate with the space physic. I would have assumed Marida be suffocated from the sudden oxygen pressure drop.
        • Decompression to vacuum isn't enough to suck the air out of your lungs. That corridor would have taken a while to be completely drained of oxygen. Plus, Marida's a Cyber-Newtype designed from the ground-up, as the episode mentioned; she's probably had some... improvements.
  • When the Sinanju's face got half destroyed, its green sensor turns off and then a red sensor shows up. I notice the green goes on and off before going off and then a red one just shows up.
    • ... What exactly bugs you about this?
    • This troper's friend mentioned that it could be the Sinanju's "angry face" when it got hit by the rocket fired by Daguza, somewhat like a Berserk Button.
    • Sinanju actually uses two eyes, which are fed into a sensor that tracks similarly to the original Zeon monoeye. The monoeye is entirely cosmetic - appropriate given its pilot.
    • Like This and the original Sinanju Stein has 2 red eyes [dead link] which makes its green eye a third eye
  • Anyone notice that Unicorn in Destroy Mode, the pilot's thoughts can cause the gundam to fire its weaponry or fight, but near the ending, the Unicorn Gundam draw its Magnum rifle to fire on Sinanju, Banagher was seen pressing the button to fire the Magnum, which was supposed to be impossible due to the fact the controls are retracted and the destroy mode was supposed to allow the pilot to fire its weapon by the power of thought alone...why is it so?
    • If you look closely, there's a second set of control sticks in NT-D mode. As for relying on pushing a button rather than thought: The psycho-frame is ridiculously sensitive and can act out on its own; do you really want something like the beam magnum going off with every random whim or consideration to fire it?


Episode 4 Spoilers

  • Who was the Byalant Kai pilot?
    • Diez Robin.
      • Pardon my memory, but who is he and which UC Gundam series is he from?
        • He's an original character.
  • Why did the earth Federation did not mobilise their full military might to confront the GODDAMN SHAMBLO when it is clearly destroying their cities?
    • Because at that point of UC history only the Londo Bell remained at least somewhat militarily relevant? And they happened to have only Ra Cailum at the scene. Whose pilots and MS'es (mainly Diez and Riddhe) did a short work with the attackers anyway, and it was Riddhe, who was already officially assigned to Ra Cailum at that point, who finally killed Loni, though I've heard that the scene played differently in the novels. Moreover, the attack on Dakar was just a diversion intended to pin the EF's available forces in the region and cover for the Garencieres's recovery. When the ponderous might of EF's military bureaucracy turned around to call in more forces it was already over.
  • What use is Minerva Lao Zabi to the Mega Corp Anaheim Electronics? A Bargaining Chip or something?
    • First, it's officially Mineva. Then, Anaheim Electronics is the largest military-industrial conglomerate in the Earth Sphere, they get most of their income from selling weapons around, and this goes for decades already — their involvement with the EF started back in Fifties at the very least. So naturally their chief modus operandi has long became to be the "War for Fun and Profit", and their biggest fear is the Why We're Bummed Communism Fell situations, which they try to avoid at all costs. The Laplace Box and Mineva's involvement with it threatens the balance of power in the Earth Sphere, so they try to minimize her influence.
  • Why did Unicorn did not transform back to Unicorn Mode when red Psycho-frame vanish after the battle with Shamblo?
    • If I remember right, it's due to Banagher's despair. Unicorn is incredibly sensitive to its pilot's emotions. He'd gone up against everyone and everything that was on his side to save this girl, and then one of his friends shoots her with his own gun. He is basically so broken by this action that he just collapses, and the Unicorn, rather than reverting to its passive state of Unicorn Mode, simply loses all strength - its Psycoframe deactivates and leaves it in an inert Destroy Mode.
  • Why does the Zeon remnants on Earth still acknowledge Char (or at least his lookalike) as their leader? Even though they don't take orders from him directly, they still report to him like you would a superior. Wouldn't they at least doubt him, considering he tried to drop a freakin' asteroid on their heads?!
    • It was most likely to show how hopelessly ingrained Zeon's ideology was among the Zeon Remnants. Despite everything Char did, the fact that he's essentially the face of Zeon means he has their unswerving loyalty, even if he indirectly orders them to their deaths, which was exactly what he did when he sent them to Torrington.
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