What an Idiot!/Anime and Manga/Full Metal Panic!

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
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Full Metal Panic! has some idiot moments:

  • In the third season, Mithril's intelligence department put down a report stating that Sousuke is being wasted as Kaname's bodyguard, causing the South Pacific fleet commander to order captain Testarossa to recall him to full service as the Arbalest's pilot.
    • You'd Expect: Mithril to consider the fact that Sousuke has spent the last six months integrated into civilian society and has been solely responsible for a VIP's well-being, and include forewarning and a sensible recall schedule followed by a thorough psychological debriefing and a monitored return to active service to ensure he doesn't break down from the ensuing stress.
    • Instead: Over the course of the next 24 hours, Sousuke is promptly ordered out of the mission and permanently banned from contacting Kaname. Once back in Mithril's fold, his CO proceeds to verbally lambaste him because she's jealous and he is assigned a new superior officer who further belittles him and uses Training from Hell to retrain him, followed by immediate deployment into an active terrorist attack without any kind of follow-up. To the shock and awe of no one watching, Sousuke suffers a Heroic BSOD shortly after from the resulting stress. What's worse is that The Lambda Drive is dependent on the user's emotional and mental stability to even work, and since this is precisely what Sousuke was recalled for...
    • In the novels following End Of Day By Day (TSR), it's revealed that the chief of the Intelligence Department was in fact an agent of Amalgam. It's strongly implied that Sousuke's abrupt removal was in fact his idea, intended to leave Kaname alone and vulnerable, under the "protection" of an agent like Wraith, who preferred to not get involved, and who bore a personal grudge against Sousuke. It was probably meant to clear the way for Leonard Testarossa. Until Gauron's pupils got in the way. Once you start adding all this together, it's clear that the odds are being deliberately stacked against Sousuke, no matter how much Tessa might think it was only her decision. Oh, and in case you missed this, the Amalgam agent mentioned is the general Sousuke smacks down at the end of TSR. (He is finally discovered and captured in the "Dancing A Very Merry Christmas" novel.)
  • The first series also has a grand example of this kind of mistake. After participating in a massive joint military operation to capture Gauron, the team proceeds to imprison him aboard their high-tech super submarine.
    • You'd Expect: Since Mithril is explicitly stated to be a mercenary organization, the two individuals who should have guarded this man would be the only two who wouldn't be motivated by anything other than personal vendetta or duty, particularly Sosuke and either Kalinin or Kurz, whose partner was just injured in battle against him. As long-time members of the organization, it is likely they could be trusted to, at the very least, not help Gauron in any way.
    • Instead: Sousuke is not put on duty guarding this guy, and instead the job is relegated to two nameless guards who, surprise, surprise, work for the very financially well off Gauron. Because they're mercenaries.
    • In the novels, it's explicitly mentioned that Gauron was being watched by members of both the PRT and the SRT, in "quick one hour shifts". Lian and Dunningan were the second shift — that's why Gauron didn't escape sooner, because he didn't know who the traitors were or when they would make an appearance. So, while it was possible for Sousuke and/or Kurz to end up guarding Gauron sooner or later, I truly doubt Kalinin would let Sousuke in there, knowing full well their history. Kurz, on the other hand, is surprisingly described in the novels as a much more cool-headed guy, who couldn't be nettled easily. Or at all. It's all part of being a good sniper, apparently.
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