REVIEW: ‘Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury,’ Episode 15 – “Father and Child”

After dropping a massive reveal on viewers, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Episode 15 shifts the focus back to Guel Jeturk and the larger conflict between the Spacians and the Dawn of Fold group holed up on Earth. Given how the last few episodes have dealt with the emotional ramifications of the massive raid on Planet Quetta, it was about time we got a glimpse of how it affected Guel. He did, after all, accidentally kill his father in the process. His first appearance is as a prisoner of the Dawn of Fold where he is refusing to eat and is clearly visibly broken. Seeing a mammering Guel being force-fed by his captors is a great reminder of just how brutal all of the fighting has been and how badly it has damaged so many characters.

Guel, in particular, has had a rough go of things in Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury. His first appearance made him seem like a villain, but he has grown into an extremely sympathetic character as the show progresses. The weight of killing his own father has left him utterly broken to the point where even those who should be his enemies have sympathy for him. It takes a special level of brokenness to get to that point, and Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Episode 15 displays that quite well.

The larger conflict isn’t ignored here either, with the Benerit Group launching a counteroffensive on the Dawn of Fold. The refugees are evacuating Earth in the midst of an incoming attack from the Benerit Group forces, and Guel is set to be killed for his role in the war. He is saved, however, by two children named Sedo and Seethia. Seethia had lost her father in the raid on Planet Quetta as well, so her humanity is on full display here. She had no need to show grace to Guel, given her own pain, but she does anyway. They both share similar pain given that they lost their fathers in the same battle, which makes their relationship here all the more intriguing.

It is that compassion that really helps Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Episode 15 strike such a chord. There are countless children caught up in this horrific war both on the front lines and in the background, but they are constantly put in the position to make the mature choices that could lead to a peaceful future. It is a burden that should never be placed on people so young, but the adults are so focused on their own personal gain that they lose sight of the toll war takes on humans. I appreciate that it is the kids that recognize it and it is the kids that force some of the adults to recognize it as well.

Unfortunately for Guel, the effects of war do not stop crushing him. There is no happy ending for him, and there may never be. The hits he takes in Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Episode 15 are especially brutal, and I am curious to see how he moves forward from here. He clearly won’t stay on the sidelines, but what role he will play going forward is going to be interesting to see.

The battle going on in the background of all this is as brutal as I expected. Sunrise knows how to nail the mecha fight animation sequences, so even when they aren’t the main focus they still look as great as ever. It helps the feeling of war’s devastation really sink in too when it is on display in such an exceptional way.

The Quite Zero plot that played such an important part in last week’s episode doesn’t get ignored here either. Miorine learns the truth behind not only the program but her own family as well. I was worried that the series was making a mistake by veering off for an episode to focus on a character that isn’t directly involved with Suletta, Miorine, and friends at the moment, but the way Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Episode 15 ends was reassuring.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Episode 15 is an emotionally crushing detour to revisit a side character in Guel, but hints at a potentially larger role for him going forward. The weight of war can be overwhelming, and the heroes of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury are going to have to carry that load in order to see the world become a better place.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Episode 15 is available to stream on Crunchyroll. New episodes premiere on Sundays.