Sayla's Agony

Infobox Gundam Episode (MSG)


Title=Sayla's Agony
episode_no= 16
prod_code=
airdateJ

airdateUS= August 10, 2001
Episode -2=Time, Be Still
Episode -1=Cucuruz Doan's Island
Current Episode="'Sayla's Agony
Episode +1= Amuro Deserts
Episode +2= Zeon's Secret Mine

"Sayla's Agony" is the sixteenth episode [http://www.mahq.net/animation/gundam/series/msgep16.htm] of Mobile Suit Gundam.

Plot summary

White Base flies over an arid desert in Central Asia, unable to contact Federation HQ. They are supposed to rendezvous with Federation forces, and almost everyone is on the bridge, searching. The cook for the ship comes in and tells Bright that they are running out of salt, but Bright has little time to think about this. Sayla sees someone approaching through her binoculars and Bright, Ryu, and Amuro go out to investigate.

What they find is a jeep with a wounded Federation soldier. After he exchanges code with Bright, he is taken in and tells the crew that they are to continue moving west. There, they will join in with the Federation forces for an offensive against a number of militarily important mines held by Kycilia's underling M'Quve. The offensive is named "Odessa Day". Sayla expresses that she doesn't think the soldier is going to make it.

Now that things have calmed down somewhat, the salt shortage comes up again. Mirai tells Bright of a saltwater lake nearby that they can extract salt from. Searching the lake out is agreed upon, and White Base speeds off.

However, Ramba Ral and his men are watching, and prepare to intercept them. Ramba speaks about his plan with one of M'Quve's subordinates. He, in turn, tells M'Quve, who is happy that both White Base and Ramba are now turning away from their current course. He hopes Ramba will destroy White Base and leave, before he finds out what's really going on in the mines and tells Dozle.

Ramba breaks off from the others and goes to follow White Base. White Base finds the lake, but it is no longer there. Further research shows that the lake moves every thousand years. The cook grieves about how he's now led everyone way off course, but things get worse as Ramba shows up on the radar, mobilizing White Base.

Amuro prepares to take Gundam out, but finds it has already been activated. A nearby soldier tells Amuro that Sayla told him there were special orders, and is in the cockpit. She launches out in Gundam, the G-forces having adverse effect on her. Guncannon and Guntank are sent out to help.

Sayla walks right into Ramba's trap, as he bursts out in attack. He almost deals the killing blow, but Amuro counters in the Guncannon. Sayla tries to attack, not knowing how powerful the Gouf is, but is quickly taken down.

Ramba and Amuro begin a fight of their own. Kozzun comes in to attack Sayla, but she is able to hold him off. Suddenly he manages to get around behind her and starts ripping Gundam's head off. Akos breaks into the fight between Ramba and Amuro, but runs out of ammo, and is killed by a shot from Guncannon. Ramba orders Kozzun to retreat, but Amuro in Guncannon blocks his path, and delivers some powerful blows.

The Zanzibar comes and picks Ramba back. On the bridge, a soldier laments the fact that they can't fully use the Zanzibar because it's experimental. Amuro drags Kozzun's Zaku back to White Base. A humiliated Sayla is also picked up. She meets Bright on the bridge, and receives a punishment of three days in the brig. Sayla makes it there as Fraw prepares to deliver Kozzun's meal. Sayla volunteers to do it, and as she does so, she asks him about Char's whereabouts, the real reason she went out to "confront" the Zeon soldiers. He tells her that Char was sent back home after failing to save Garma.

She is then put in her own cell, and begins to cry. She says to herself, "Char's my brother, and he's alive."

The White Base crew finally finds the lake, and approaches it.

Important Events:
*The connection between Sayla and Char is finally revealed to the audience.
*Kozzun is taken hostage on White Base.

References

* http://www.mahq.net/animation/gundam/series/msgep16.htm MAHQ episode site