Intergalactic Intrigue: Unraveling the Family Drama of Gundam's Witch from Mercury

Love has the power to drive people to extreme measures, both in fiction and in reality. In Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, we witness how love compels a young boy to confront supernatural entities and save his sibling, and how it drives a man to publicly assault another man. However, the most tragic manifestation of love in this story is a mourning mother who commits unspeakable acts in the name of granting freedom to her deceased daughter. While many villains exist in Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, it is the destructive force of maternal love that has caused the most catastrophic events. Furthermore, the bonds between siblings also become a source of danger, threatening the lives of those around them. Episode 23 serves as the pivotal resolution to all these familial conflicts.

Guel vs Lauda

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As the rightful heir to the Jeturk household, Guel always shone brightly atop the hill. Standing humbly behind him was his younger brother, Lauda. Living in someone else's shadow can be annoying and cause jealousy to many. It became even more difficult for Lauda when people constantly compared the siblings and highlighted his inferiority. It was normal for Lauda to feel frustrated and even resentful towards his brother.

However, Lauda never harbored any anger towards these circumstances. On the contrary, he found solace in standing behind his brother. The reason for this was simply because Lauda genuinely loved and admired his brother. Despite being Guel's half-sibling, Guel was the first person to embrace Lauda and call him his beloved brother. That's why Lauda was thrilled to be his brother's right-hand man. It was also the reason why Lauda's perspective towards his brother became warped.

When Lauda discovers Guel as their father's killer, his sanity crumbles. In his mind, he crafts a delusion wherein Suletta and Miorine are the true villains responsible for inflicting immense sorrow upon their family. These wicked witches have ensnared Lauda's beloved brother and ensorcelled him with their sinister deceit. With unwavering determination, Lauda ascends the partially completed Gundam Schwarzette, soaring towards his relentless pursuit of vengeance against Miorine. He vows to obliterate any obstacle standing in his path, even if it means confronting his own flesh and blood. Love manifests in inexplicable ways.

Suletta vs Ericht and Prospera

Prospera had suffered the painful loss of her only daughter, Ericht, many decades ago. However, she found solace in merging her daughter's essence and awareness with the most advanced technology known to the universe, the Gundam Aerial. Despite Erich's existence being confined to the constrained data stream emitted by the Aerial, Prospera's heart is filled with joy as she is comforted by the presence of her beloved daughter in this realm.

So instead of releasing her, she devised a plan to enable Ericht to swim freely throughout the universe. The fact that her plan would result in genocide on Earth doesn't faze her at all. Prospera is willing to embrace her inner demon if it means liberating her daughter. A mother's love can drive her to do irrational things.

To implement her plan, Prospera made the decision to forsake Suletta. However, Suletta adamantly refuses to abandon her mother and sister. While she understands her mother's motives, she cannot condone Prospera's methods of achieving her objective. Suletta does not want her mother and sister to be responsible for the deaths of countless innocent people on Earth. Therefore, for the first time in her life, she employs another Gundam to combat her sister and Gundam Aerial. Suletta knows she stands little chance against both of them, but she will persist in approaching them until her impassioned plea reaches their hearts.

How To Make Space Opera Relatable

In our previous episode review, we highlighted a distinct difference between Gundam: The Witch from Mercury and other renowned Gundam series within the franchise. While most of the major series focus on plot-driven narratives, this particular installment takes a unique approach by prioritizing a character-driven story. In the original Mobile Suit Gundam from 1979, our attention is drawn to the heroic efforts of the protagonists in their battle against evil. However, in Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, our focus shifts towards an innocent girl's journey to prevent her own mother and sister from perpetrating a catastrophic crime.

Throughout its history, Gundam has always stood as a grand and awe-inspiring Space Opera. The clash between the Earth Federation and the Newly-Independent Colonies, as well as the confrontation between advanced Mobile Suits and highly skilled assassins, creates a compelling backdrop. Nevertheless, the expansive and fantastical nature of these stories often poses a challenge for the audience to establish a personal connection with the characters and empathize with their struggles.

That is why some of the most well-known space opera franchises, such as Star Wars and Guardians of the Galaxy, base their grand narratives on simple family stories. In Star Wars, it is the Skywalker family, while in Guardians of the Galaxy, it is the family formed by the group itself. These stories make it easier for us to connect, as we can always relate to issues within a family.

In an effort to rejuvenate the old franchise, Gundam: The Witch from Mercury takes a similar approach by focusing on character-driven narratives. This new series successfully breathes new life into the franchise.