REVIEW: ‘Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury,’ Episode 21 — “What We Can Do Now”

After a brutal fight, Suletta Mercury and her friends are left to clean up the messes made by those who were supposed to be responsible. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Episode 21 is a bit of calm before the final storm, but that doesn’t stop it from having a massive impact on what will happen next.

Things start off in The Witch From Mercury Episode 21 with Suletta surveying the aftermath of the attack on Asticassia. When Suletta is asked why she is walking around looking for people to help, she replies that it’s because she can move around. For her, the idea of being physically able to help people and not doing it is unfathomable. It’s a small moment that gives such a great look at her character and her drive to help people no matter what. The episode title “What We Can Do Now” is a perfect encapsulation of her character because all she is focused on is doing whatever she can now to help.

Miorine Rembran is back from her ill-fated trip to Earth and comes face to face with Shaddiq Zenelli after he was defeated and captured by Guel Jeturk. Shaddiq asks Miorine if she despises him for what he’s done, but she doesn’t. She thinks of herself as just as guilty as he is since she wasn’t able to stop what happened on Earth or at the school. She is not the only one who holds herself responsible, either.

The Space Assembly League, a political body that exists to keep the peace between the different factions, has declared Benerit Group guilty and is setting out to take them down. There is a moment where Shaddiq’s father, Sarius Zanelli, offers up Grassley house as a sacrifice to save the Benerit Group from shouldering all the blame, but Miorine refuses to sacrifice anyone else. She is now responsible for handling the situation and won’t put it on anyone but herself.

In the meantime, Suletta is interrogated by an inspector from the Space Assembly League as well as Belmeria. They tell Suletta about her mom’s plans with the Quiet Zero program and ask Suletta to help convince her mom, Prospera Mercury, to back down before the League and Benerit Group are able to fight. Suletta says that “reasoning with Mom is probably impossible,” which also leads her to reveal her own past to her friends. The only alternative then is for Suletta to pilot a Gundam called Calibarn, but since it has no protection against the data storm, it is likely she will die in the process.

I knew Suletta would be forced into the fight sooner or later, and the fact that she is willing to sacrifice herself to save everyone else is not surprising, given what we have seen from her so far. She talks about how when she was handing out tomatoes to the victims, she realized that even if she didn’t gain anything, she had to do whatever she could. Suletta is completely selfless, and the thought of not helping others when she has the chance to do so never crosses her mind. She doesn’t have an odd sense of wanting to be a hero instead just sees people in need and never considers any option other than to drop everything and help.

Of course, being a Gundam episode, The Witch From Mercury Episode 21 would be nothing if it didn’t give viewers a taste of the fight to come. The Space Assembly League comes face-to-face with Prospera and the ominous Quiet Zero fortress. Aeriel and the unmanned Gundnode drones absolutely obliterate the manned Space Assembly League forces, and the entire League fleet is wiped out. It’s a fascinating battle to watch, and it is also incredibly brutal. It shows just how challenging Prospera is going to be to defeat but also pushes Chuchu Panlunch and the members of Earth House to stand by Suletta as she takes on the impossible task of defeating her mother and saving everyone.

The Witch From Mercury Episode 21 is a perfect combination of dramatic setup and intense fighting. The stage is officially set for the showdown between Suletta and Prospera, and the fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance. It’s an impossible task for Suletta, but I have a feeling she will be up for it.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Episode 21 is available to stream on Crunchyroll. New episodes premiere on Sundays.