Last we left off Kira found out about his origin as the ultimate coordinator. Now we pick up with the conclusion of SEED.

The conclusion to SEED is as violent and death prone as the classic that is Zeta Gundam. Nearly ten main characters meet their maker in the final few episodes. In no particular order Mu La Flaga, Natarle, the three bad Gundam pilots, Azrael, Patrick Zala, the annoying Flay and Rau Le Cruset. Not too bad for an alternate universe Gundam series.

The final showdown between the Blue Cosmos led Earth Alliance and ZAFT comes to its end. Rau, feeding his own desire to destroy mankind since he himself has no past nor future, gives the EA the plans to the neutron-jammers. Instead of using this to help the people of Earth they equip a fleet of nuclear armed attack craft and attacks the PLANTs. To counter this ZAFT reveals their GENESIS weapon, a nuclear powered laser weapon. Standing between the two sides is the trio of Orb ships.

The hilights of the block were the showdowns, everything came down between two parties engaged in battle. Archangel versus Dominion, Kira versus Rau, ZAFT versus Blue Cosmos and so on.

After nagging Kira and Athrun for what seems like forever the trio of EA Gundam pilots meet their match in Yzak Joule, he takes out two of the three Gundams through sheer force of will, and a willingness to kill. Mu's death was a classic hero's death, and was a worthy one. Saving the ship and the woman he loved.

Ultimately my favorite part was the ending of ZAFT. A single soldier, standing up for his beliefs and knowing that the path Patrick Zala was on would lead to horrible results takes it into his own hands and shoots Zala, a nice parallel to original Gundam and the fate of Girhen Zabi.

I was ultimately disappointed in Rau's reasoning. He just hated everything. He had no other goal than killing, no desire for power, no nothing. How empty and undeserving of being a Gundam villain.

For a series it was rather successful. Good characters, good story and great battles. For long time Gundam fans its less filling, with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Owing much of its plot elements and story arcs to the original series and Zeta Gundam and doing it with less realism isn't a way to win old fans over. That being said, it was better than ZZ Gundam and gets a final rating of 7 out of 10.

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Phase 46: A three way battle between the Earth Federation, ZAFT and the Three Ships of Peace is waged. Kira is shell shocked by his past and the savagery of war until Flay's voice rings through space and awakens his desire to protect, though too late. Meanwhile a personal dual between Yzak and Dearka plays out.

Phase 47: The ultimate sword falls into the hand of the Earth Federation in the form of the neutron-jammer canceler and they strike the ZAFT Boaz defense asteroid, ultimately destroying it with nuclear weaponry. Knocking on the door of the PLANTs ZAFT reveals their sword, GENESIS. The human race stands on the edge of extinction.

Phase 48: GENSIS strikes and wipes out many of the Earth Federation ships. A lot more character and introspective than the previous phase.

Phase 49: The danger is increased as each side uses its weapons of mass destruction without remorse. The Archangel and Dominion engage in their final showdown, while Natarle realizes what price will ultimately be paid. Mu and Rau engage in their last battle, and Yzak comes into his own. RIP My La Flaga.

Phase 50: Everything comes to ahead in this episode. GENSIS is neutered and the Earth Alliance is left with nothing more to fight with. Something close to peace blooms in the aftermath of the war.