What is Merribit even doing in this anime anymore other than the far far probability of stabbing Orga out of some weird impotent misdirected hate. I get that she's supposed to be some pillar of reason in a senseless war being unable to do anything to help, but all the same I don't even think the viewers needed her perspective. It's obvious enough that shit has gone sideways without her.
Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans (G-Tekketsu) |OT| The Iron Flower We Saw That Day
- Thread starter yami4ct
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MetroidPrimeRib
Banned
She's the voice of reason. She's the only one who doesn't understand that Tekkadan threw away any other option a long time ago.
Basileus777
Member
They're just too on the nose with Merribit. She has an important thematic purpose in all this, but it'd work a whole lot better if they had just been a little more lowkey with her.
Merribit's problem is that she's a crappy female character trope. It's so artificial. It's impossible to see her as a responsible adult in the situation rationally expressing her views. All I see is the "motherly" character whose feminine side overpowers her to say stupid shit no one wants to hear. This is no different from the token girlfriend characters which tough guy characters tend to have, holding them back the night before they go for the "final showdown" telling them that they don't have to go, and that it doesn't have to be this way. It's weak writing that feels the need to telegraph stuff in obvious ways in case the audience doesn't get it.
It does have yakuza movie themes.
Shouta
Member
Man, that episode was great but poor Lafter, Azee, and Shino. I hope they make it out but it's looking unlikely. =( I really wanted them to explore the girls and the Turbines in general since they're essentially another form of the Tekkadan.
Merribit's stuff works in the show but she's not compelling. That's my only real issue with her being there. She needed to get in on that train way earlier to make her stuff in the last few episodes resonate more.
Merribit's stuff works in the show but she's not compelling. That's my only real issue with her being there. She needed to get in on that train way earlier to make her stuff in the last few episodes resonate more.
You're not wrong. And her characterization doesn't fit perfectly with how she was behaving towards Orga early on. But I guess I'm glad that someone on their side is raising these issues at all.
I don't think she really saw the reality of things until they got to Earth. They really haven't built on her character though, so all we can see her as is someone that maybe remained ignorant. It's like if you stuck one of us in Africa with actual child soldiers. We'd have a hard time accepting that reality, even if we know such things happen. Reading about it isn't the same. So you either accept that reality in front of you or you deny it.
Principate
Saint Titanfall
The fact she's a walking trope is very bad but what I find most annoying is that during all that whining she never bothered to come up with or attempt to telegraph any other solution, it's all well and and good to say what they're doing is wrong but she's not offering any solutions at all contrary to watch their actually doing. Their currently in a tough situation and managed to piss off of the most powerful organisations. Moaning this is wrong isn't helpful beyond actually giving advice which be even slightly convincing since it required some level of thought..
The fact she even tried invoke Fumitan was especially egregious since she didn't even properly know the women and hell Fumitan's original plan was to betray Kudelia. Merrybit was going about terribly while also being a walking talking character archetype.
I really don't see why anyone thinks Merribit's point of view makes sense or is necessary in this particular setting. We're talking about a mercenary force made up of child soldiers who were experimented on and abused by adults, before they overthrew them and took over. We're not even talking about something like forced enlistment or patriotic zeal here. We're talking about a bunch of people who have been fucked up since they were born, following a leader who sees putting themselves in danger to prove their worth to the world as mercenaries as the only option forward.
We don't need someone to tell us it's fucked up, we know it's fucked up. But it's also a reality of the world. I'm not sure how anyone who is willing working with them can honestly say "no you don't have to do this" at -this- point, without having a solution. It's not like they can pack up and go home at this point. If they stop, they'll be hunted down and killed anyway.
We don't need someone to tell us it's fucked up, we know it's fucked up. But it's also a reality of the world. I'm not sure how anyone who is willing working with them can honestly say "no you don't have to do this" at -this- point, without having a solution. It's not like they can pack up and go home at this point. If they stop, they'll be hunted down and killed anyway.
Principate
Saint Titanfall
Yeah that's the worst thing about it there's a reason Orga and the group as a whole keep harping on about only being able to move forward. It's because it's either that or live life as a fugitive which isn't all that much safer than what they were originally doing.
If they ditched this whole Kudelia business back when they joined Teiwaz maybe they would have gotten away with it but that window has long since closed. The whining isn't even slightly productive. Mikazuki maybe be insane but there's a consistent thought process to his goals. Gjallahorn isn't going to leave them alone. It's either they deal with them (snowball chance in hell paved in blood) or Gjallahorn deals with them.
Yeah I think if they wanted to use this counterpoint, they should have developed Merribit back when they just joined Teiwaz, and she could have provided an alternative path, which Orga rejects for whatever reason. But trying to pull that shit now is totally pointless.
Shouta
Member
That's actually sort of in the direction I was thinking.
We don't know what she's seen or what she thinks beyond the basic "It ain't right!" Her stuff would be more watchable if we understand where she's coming from and the nuance in her position. It would better define the conflict she and Orga are supposed to have and to give more weight to what's going on. If we understood that, for example, she was someone that was OK with who the Tekkadan members were and that they had to fight to continue surviving but drew the line at sacrificing lives or going mad with revenge, then it'd be a stronger look overall. I think this is situation they meant but it feels week because it's sudden and didn't have the development it should have had.
It's not like they needed to add extra scenes either, they could have used all the scenes she had with Orga to develop this so I definitely feel like they dropped the ball on that front.
Listen but have we really considered every option? We've tried violence, but have we considered MORE violence?
1. I actually thought that Merribit might finally understand the situation during Orga's speech when he said, "We've been fighting to survive from the start, for money" or something along those lines referring to child labour and how they're now choosing to fight to survive instead.
2. There are too many Charcolate Man haters in here. I think his plan was always to destroy Gjallahorn because the organisation itself is beyond saving. Hence prodding Carta and Gali Gali, and turning Ein into what he has become. He knew that merely 'reforming' Gjallahorn wouldn't be possible, and the only way to fix it would be to break it apart completely and start from scratch.
3. I'm not entirely sure Gali Gali knows that it's McGillis in that mobile suit yet, I think it's likely that Charcolate Man was merely talking out loud in the confines of his mobile suit. I can't wait to see what happens between these two though.
4. I don't think McGillis would have put himself in a position to get smashed by Gali Gali and Ein, so I'm assuming he knows that he can defeat Gali Gali or at least bring him onboard with the plan. Although, it would be pretty funny if he was scrub-tier all along.
2. There are too many Charcolate Man haters in here. I think his plan was always to destroy Gjallahorn because the organisation itself is beyond saving. Hence prodding Carta and Gali Gali, and turning Ein into what he has become. He knew that merely 'reforming' Gjallahorn wouldn't be possible, and the only way to fix it would be to break it apart completely and start from scratch.
3. I'm not entirely sure Gali Gali knows that it's McGillis in that mobile suit yet, I think it's likely that Charcolate Man was merely talking out loud in the confines of his mobile suit. I can't wait to see what happens between these two though.
4. I don't think McGillis would have put himself in a position to get smashed by Gali Gali and Ein, so I'm assuming he knows that he can defeat Gali Gali or at least bring him onboard with the plan. Although, it would be pretty funny if he was scrub-tier all along.
Watch Da Birdie
I buy cakes for myself on my birthday it's not weird lots of people do it I bet
I was spoiled about three named deaths (?) in this episode, so when Eugene, Dante, and Chad popped up my heart seriously skipped a beat because I surely thought they were gonna be culled. Don't scare my like that, Gundam.
He's a much better Char than the majority of other Char clones. Though we really haven't seen him in action much, he's been very effective at manipulating everyone. How he has been manipulating Carta and Gaelio remind me of Char manipulating Garma. McGillis's wig is super dumb though. He would look so much better with just the mask.
Why do we even need a char clone every gundam series? Yea he is pulling a char with Gaelio but why him? He is none corrupt and was a legit friend from childhood to adulthood. Carta I understand.
MetroidPrimeRib
Banned
cuz Gundam is waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too attached to its tropes
I agree that the need to have a Char clone in every series is annoying. As for why he is manipulating Gaelio, I'm not really sure. Maybe he never thought of Gaelio as a friend or more likely it was just to get him to make Cyber-Ein. McGillis revealing himself at the end of the last episode makes no sense though.
He didn't reveal himself. He just took that headgear off because he actually need to see shit this time. Looked like a "time for business"-move to me.
Successor of a prominent, old blood family
oh true. I am going to miss the kimaris.
pelicansurf
Needs a Holiday on Gallifrey
Gali Gali was way too involved for that to happen, I think. Borderline obsessed even, but obviously he could've paid off the scientists. I think Ein is bonafide insane, especially now that he's full robo.
Unmasked Ferret
Member
He just has a big self destruct switch.
I doubt Gali Gali has the techical knowhow to be able to tell that Ein was fucked with.
Yeah Ein is clearly off the deep end. Did you see the part where he held up the busted Ryosei Go and was all "I got your suit back Krank", even his big robot eye moves around like he's insane.
JoeyJungle
Banned
Jesus christ, just watched the latest episode. Is the next episode the last one, or are there 26?
Next one is the last one. Sunrise animators are all dead.
JoeyJungle
Banned
I wonder if she's there to serve as a mouth piece for parents / protestors in Japan regarding the violence the children experience. Maybe if you have one character denouncing the violence in the show, people outside of the show are less likely to make a big stink of it... kind of far fetched, I guess.
Explains why the majority of the next ep preview were still shots!
I don't think it is anything like that. She is a voice of reason in the group like Biscuit, but one step removed. Biscuit was questioning Orga's insane and emotional actions from the beginning, but was too close to the group to really push back hard enough. Merribit has the opposite problem. She's too removed from the group to have her protests mean anything, especially after Biscuit's death and Tekkadan's increased zealotry. Everything she's said in the past two episodes have been on point, but has come far too late to mean anything. It especially doesn't help that the writers kept her in the background every since she was introduced. She really needed to start speaking up against Orga much sooner for her actions in the past two episodes to hold any weight in the narrative and to the audience. I think a lot of the confusion around Merribit's role in this thread shows that.
Hey look, there was a REALLY cool effects cut with Graze Ein! Someone animated that!
Finally caught the last couple episodes. Awesome stuff all around. The battle in episode 24 had a real weight and stakes to it that Gundam shows usually don't carry. A lot of that is due to the show actually bothering to spend time with its characters, especially the grunts, outside of battle. That work definitely paid off for me here.
Mika is still a frightening and kind of awful human being, but it also feels like he comes to that from a much more natural place than it did for someone like Heero. Overall he's been a compelling character to watch.
This battle also gave me a real appreciation for them deciding to base the shows weaponry on physical objects rather than beam spam. It gives the fights an extra hard edge and makes the kills feel visceral and frightening. It also is just a nice change from our usual fights purely from a choreography standpoint. The way KImaris Trooper and Barbatos move because of how they have to fight is really interesting and fun to watch.
I can't wait to see where they go from here. IBO definitely slumped there in the middle. but to me these last few episodes have been completely worth it.
Mika is still a frightening and kind of awful human being, but it also feels like he comes to that from a much more natural place than it did for someone like Heero. Overall he's been a compelling character to watch.
This battle also gave me a real appreciation for them deciding to base the shows weaponry on physical objects rather than beam spam. It gives the fights an extra hard edge and makes the kills feel visceral and frightening. It also is just a nice change from our usual fights purely from a choreography standpoint. The way KImaris Trooper and Barbatos move because of how they have to fight is really interesting and fun to watch.
I can't wait to see where they go from here. IBO definitely slumped there in the middle. but to me these last few episodes have been completely worth it.
Lamiafusion
Member
I wonder about Mika taking on Ein. While Ein is fused completely, Mika has spent a long time connected to Barbatos. It also clicked with me as to why he kept talking to his Gundam finally. It seems like the suit might actually have a soul of it's own (in a way.) I am sure Akihiro will show to either save Mika and die or double team this murder robot.
This is turning out to be my favorite Gundam hands down
This is turning out to be my favorite Gundam hands down
Unmasked Ferret
Member
It's not a soul, just remnants of the personality of the last brain in a jar to pilot the Gundam.
I'm fine with the wig personally, it looks suitably fake. The mask confuses me though. Like why do the eye lids open and close? Does he have some sort of VR interface inside or are there tiny slits of light to let him see outside? But I agree 100% he's a great Char clone; probably my favorite yet since Char.
I agree with everything you wrote and personally I think her character makes sense. But I feel there is a broader question of why she is there at all? If not to give a voice to those who detest violence, maybe it's a setup for next season? She could learn from this conflict and change her methods / have some character growth?
Lamiafusion
Member
I've always seen her as a potential love interest for Orga even though the huge age gap. And yeah...her part was a critical role for the "audience voice". We know that what Orga is doing is wrong but we can't help but root for them.
I'm not sure there is a huge age gap.
Jack Remington
Banned
TheRealTalker
Banned
Current Tekkaiden may likely later split up into warring splinter groups
I have a feeling Mika will ironically eventually oppose Tekkaiden and see that the current path they're taking is wrong (maybe the group will become uber powerful like the new Earth defense group we saw in Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Season 2)
Similarly like Gundam 00 some people go super revenge crazy like that
who in 00
but in season 2
For all we know the Earth unions will join Tekkaidens side and turn it from a small group into a massive super army like Gjallarhorn (which could be ironic since I feel Gjallarhorn likely had a similar past like Tekkaiden)
And then we'll get Gjallarhorn vs Earth while Mika later joins up in a third group that will try to stop it all. Hopefully though Kudella (as she is now) will be on the wrong side aka the mega Tekkaiden, ruthless super army.
I have a feeling Mika will ironically eventually oppose Tekkaiden and see that the current path they're taking is wrong (maybe the group will become uber powerful like the new Earth defense group we saw in Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Season 2)
Similarly like Gundam 00 some people go super revenge crazy like that
blonde girl
was a civilian
became a pilot on meds (due to a illness) but also was vengeance obsessed.
For all we know the Earth unions will join Tekkaidens side and turn it from a small group into a massive super army like Gjallarhorn (which could be ironic since I feel Gjallarhorn likely had a similar past like Tekkaiden)
And then we'll get Gjallarhorn vs Earth while Mika later joins up in a third group that will try to stop it all. Hopefully though Kudella (as she is now) will be on the wrong side aka the mega Tekkaiden, ruthless super army.
Dedication Through Light
Member
I dont want to believe 
please be alive.
please be alive.
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