Chapter Summaries

Murrue Ramius considered Inori Yuzuriha’s offer to install an AI on the Archangel, while Inori prepared Cagalli to pilot the Astray with a specialized protective suit. After explaining how the suit compensated for Cagalli’s weaknesses and synchronized her reflexes with the mobile suit, Inori bluntly described her as simple-minded.

• Murrue Ramius warned that relying on Orb’s AI technology could leave the Archangel vulnerable to electronic warfare, while Murrue argued that survival mattered most.
• Inori Yuzuriha fitted Cagalli with a PARA Protective Suit, and Cagalli noticed that it made her feel more comfortable and sharpened her senses.
• Kira admitted to Inori Yuzuriha that he had mistaken Cagalli for a boy and feared she was trying to take advantage of him.
• Inori Yuzuriha had Cagalli run across the deck so the suit could collect data before she piloted the Astray.
• Inori Yuzuriha explained that the suit protected Cagalli from space hazards and used a neural link to synchronize her reflexes with the mobile suit.
• Inori Yuzuriha said the neural link required strong instincts and an uncomplicated mind, prompting the crew to joke that Cagalli was brainless.

Inori Yuzuriha explained how quickly she could upgrade the Archangel’s AI, then prepared Cagalli and Mu’s Astrays for the coming launch. Meanwhile, Athrun discovered upgrade plans for the stolen G units, and Cruze began planning an attack that would avoid the enemy’s surveillance.

• Murrue asked Inori how long an AI upgrade would take, and Inori outlined several options, including a complete overhaul in about six hours.
• Cagalli tested her calibrated P.A.R.A suit and Astray Unit 2 as Inori explained the suit’s mobility and life-support systems.
• Mu praised the Blue Astray’s handling, and Inori said she did not fit the definition of a Coordinator.
• Athrun found plans for further upgrades to all four G units and downloaded them before Miguel urged him to prepare for the attack.
• Cruze suspected the Earth Alliance could monitor activity outside Heliopolis despite electromagnetic interference, and he considered attacking from beyond visual range.

ZAFT destroyed Heliopolis by driving an asteroid into the colony, while the Archangel and Kira’s classmates endured the impact. After the opening theme played, the next scene showed Heliopolis breaking apart in space, leaving the survivors confronting the devastation.

• Cruze ordered ZAFT’s forces to begin the operation, and an asteroid carrying engineering charges moved toward Heliopolis.
• Inori Yuzuriha warned Murrue that the asteroid was approaching with a ZAFT engineering team behind it, and Murrue ordered the Archangel’s crew to brace for impact.
• The charges tore through Heliopolis, and the asteroid struck the colony and split it apart.
• The opening theme played footage of characters including Lacus, Kira’s friends, and Frey before the first chapter ended.
• The next scene showed Heliopolis disintegrating in space as the Archangel shook and Kira’s classmates screamed; afterward, they looked at the monitor in shock.

ZAFT attacked Archangel after destroying Heliopolis, and Cagalli launched the Red Astray to defend the ship. Kira arrived in Strike as Athrun and the other G Series pilots activated AI assistance, leaving the battle between Strike and the four machines evenly matched.

• Heliopolis was destroyed, and Murrue ordered Archangel to move and defend itself as ZAFT forces attacked.
• Cagalli launched the Red Astray and fought Athrun, but Aegis Gundam gained the advantage and cut off her left hand.
• Kira arrived in Strike and interrupted Athrun’s attack, allowing Cagalli to return to Archangel.
• Athrun told the other G Series pilots to activate AI assistance, which improved their awareness and targeting.
• Yzak, Nicol, Dearg, and Athrun surrounded Strike again as Kira faced their improved attacks.

Inori guided Kira through the battle as he connected to Black_Monolith, and the Strike’s erratic movements forced Cruze’s ZAFT team to withdraw. Afterward, Cruze and the pilots recognized the danger of the Alliance’s AI technology and requested reinforcements and a system upgrade.

• Inori reflected on how much she could influence events and considered where she might make a larger change to the Archangel’s course.
• As ZAFT gained the advantage and the Archangel struggled, Inori urged Kira to draw out his potential and offered to connect him to Black_Monolith.
• Kira authorized the connection, and the Strike’s unpredictable movements disabled both arms of Yzak’s Duel and left the Buster badly damaged.
• Cruze ordered the ZAFT team to withdraw after sensing danger, while Mu and the Archangel regained their combat footing.
• Back with the fleet, Athrun and the others suspected the Strike had AI assistance, and Cruze called for reinforcements and a system upgrade.

PLANT officials discussed the captured weapons data as Lacus Clyne learned Heliopolis had collapsed and reacted to Inori Yuzuriha’s music. Meanwhile, Inori helped Murrue prepare an AI conversion plan for the damaged Archangel, which was short on crew.

• Sieghel Klein reviewed intelligence about the Earth Alliance’s mobile suits and learned that Lacus Clyne’s itinerary to Junius 7 had been finalized.
• Lacus learned that Heliopolis had collapsed, sighed with relief when told it had been evacuated, and returned to watching Inori Yuzuriha’s music video.
• Lacus listened to an unfamiliar version of “Aimo,” felt it stir something in her, and wondered who Inori really was.
• After ZAFT withdrew, the Archangel recovered the Strike and Blue Astray and began repairs while Inori Yuzuriha worked with Murrue on converting the ship to AI operation.
• Murrue examined Inori’s detailed conversion plan for the Archangel and was astonished by how well it accounted for the ship’s innovative design.

After the destruction of Heliopolis, the Archangel’s crew coped with their losses while Inori’s upgrades helped the ship run with a smaller crew. Meanwhile, Cruze questioned Rau Le Creuset about the Black Coffin as ZAFT considered its next move, and the Archangel’s crew began discussing what to do next.

• Murrue, Natarle Badgiruel, and Mu each accepted responsibility for letting Inori take control of the Archangel.
• Miriallia, Tolle, Kuzzey, and Sai grieved for Heliopolis and its destruction while a song played aboard the Archangel.
• Madoc oversaw final adjustments to Red Astray Unit 2 as Cagalli practiced with its simulation program.
• Cruze questioned Rau Le Creuset about finding the Black Coffin outside Mendel Colony and wondered why it had been sealed there rather than destroyed.
• Mu warned the Archangel’s crew that ZAFT would send reinforcements after Cruze’s team withdrew, and they began discussing their next move.

Murrue chose to take the Archangel through the dangerous Debris Field, and Cruze inferred that a powerful AI called the Black Coffin might be aboard the ship and decided to pursue them into the wreckage. After the broadcast reached episode three, the Archangel began navigating the debris with AI assistance, but Neumann noticed something unexpected.

• Murrue rejected retreating to the lunar base or seeking shelter at Artemis and proposed taking the Archangel through the Debris Field.
• Inori Yuzuriha overheard Murrue's plan and left, relieved that she would not need to intervene to protect a lifeboat.
• Cruze theorized that the Black Coffin was a prototype AI possibly aboard the Archangel, then ordered his crew to copy the Gs' AI and enter the Debris Field.
• The broadcast ended episode two and showed an ED pairing Inori Yuzuriha with Lacus, prompting Inori to question the decision.
• As episode three began, Neumann guided the Archangel through the debris using AI assistance and reacted to an unexpected alert.

Kira launched Strike without permission to rescue Frey from a stranded escape pod, and Archangel brought her and the other survivors aboard. Frey woke in the infirmary, learned Kira had rescued her, and began asking what had happened to Heliopolis.

• The system detected a distress signal from Escape pod 26, and Murrue Ramius discovered that Kira had taken Strike without authorization.
• Inori Yuzuriha revealed that Kira had rushed to save Frey, whom he had known like an older sister, after the pod became stranded in the Debris Field.
• Murrue gave permission for the rescue, and Kira brought the oxygen-depleted pod back to Archangel.
• Madoc reported that the survivors were stable, and Kira carried the unconscious Frey out of the pod as Inori watched.
• Frey woke in the infirmary, embraced Sai, and learned from him that Kira had rescued her and that the ship belonged to the Earth Alliance.

After Kira left Frey, Inori questioned him about his feelings for her before turning to help the Earth Alliance upgrade its combat capabilities. Inori accepted a paid GBN event where she had to lose creatively, and she considered whether the event could also help the people in her world train.

• Kira thanked Frey, then left the cabin and stared out at the universe as Inori asked whether he liked her.
• Inori told Kira that she was not angry and went to modify the MPF-P03 while Kira stayed behind.
• Inori finished converting Mu's Moebius Zero parts into backup weapons for the Astray and advised Mu to use AI assistance to control the machines.
• Inori received a GBN Version 2.0 event request for a match against champion player Kyujo Kyoya and a player raid battle, with payment for losing artistically.
• Inori asked whether people in her world could use GBN for training, but learned access was limited to crossover events.

Cagalli stopped Orb students from joining the Archangel’s fight, then agreed to ask Murrue whether they could help. As ZAFT’s fleet attacked the Archangel in the Debris Field, Kira launched the Strike Gundam to meet them.

• Cagalli refused to let the Orb students join the Atlantic Federation military, but agreed to ask Murrue about their request to help Kira.
• Tolle reminded Cagalli that she had said the mobile suits belonged to Orb, and an alarm announced ZAFT’s return.
• Viewers discussed GBN 2.0 and Black Ginn’s upcoming match as Gundam SEED’s Popularity Points passed three million.
• Murrue learned that Cruze’s fleet was charging through the Debris Field with two Lohengrin Class ships, a Nazca-class ship, five Gundams, and six Ginns.
• Mu suggested ZAFT might have repaired the Duel with salvaged parts, and Murrue ordered the Archangel to prepare for battle.
• Kira launched the Strike Gundam as ZAFT’s forces closed in from both sides.

The Archangel and its mobile suits fought Cruze’s ZAFT forces amid the hazardous debris field, while Mu recognized Cruze’s bait and struggled to choose where to intervene. As Kira tried to stop Buster from targeting the Archangel, Buster swung its cannon toward Strike.

• Cagalli launched in the Red Astray with the Sword Pack, Mu launched in the Blue Astray, and the Archangel advanced through the debris field as ZAFT came into view.
• Mu realized Cruze had divided his forces and was using a Lohengrin Class ship as bait, but Vesalius ambushed the Archangel with missiles and the four G units entered the battle.
• Kira dodged Aegis and knocked Yzak’s Duel into a meteor with a spinning kick, while Cagalli destroyed one Ginn and then struggled against three more.
• Mu used the Blue Astray’s wire-guided cannon pods to hold off Miguel’s orange Ginn as Blitz and Buster moved to threaten the Archangel’s engines.
• Kira rushed toward Buster to protect the Archangel, dodged missiles aimed at him, and apologized to Inori after yanking her hand on the control stick; Buster then aimed its cannon at Strike.

Inori took control of the Strike long enough to repel the Gundam team's attacks, while Mu and Cagalli joined the fight after disabling a Nazca-class ship. As the Archangel was threatened from below and Cagalli was damaged, Inori proposed using an approaching debris field and asked Murrue to let her command the fleet.

• Inori dodged Dearg's sniper shot and struck Nicol's invisible Blitz Gundam, then Kira regained control of the Strike.
• Yzak damaged the Strike's artillery pack, but Kurenai distracted Athrun and Mu stopped Dearg from firing on the Strike.
• Mu and Cagalli worked together to defeat two Ginns, and Mu guided Murrue's Positron Cannon to disable a Nazca-class ship.
• Cruze's Ginn trapped Cagalli with a cable, but she cut off its arm, while Cruze damaged the Red Astray's hand and main camera.
• Inori warned Kira that a debris field would arrive in thirty-nine seconds and said she needed command of the fleet; Kira asked Murrue to take orders from her.

Inori and Murrue used a daring maneuver to turn the Archangel toward the pursuing ZAFT fleet, while the mobile suit battle continued around them. Kira escaped Athrun’s attack, but Cagalli remained in danger as Aegis turned on Red Astray.

• Inori directed Neumann to perform a steep climb and Circumferential Maneuver with the Archangel, while Murrue ordered the Positron Cannon charged.
• As the Archangel reversed into its spiral dive, Cruze ordered the ZAFT ships to fire, but a massive asteroid rushed toward the awkwardly positioned Lohengrin Class ships.
• Athrun’s team pressed Strike while Miguel kept Mu occupied, and Inori sent Kira to designated coordinates.
• An asteroid fragment struck Dearg’s Storm, disabling its camera, and further debris struck Orro’s Ginn, giving Strike a chance to escape Aegis.
• Cagalli knocked Aegis back with her Beam Rifle, but Aegis then attacked Red Astray, whose shield kept Cagalli alive.

Cagalli and Athrun became entangled as a massive asteroid threatened the battlefield, but they survived its destruction before the Archangel crippled the Lohengrin Class. Inori revealed that she had guided both pilots’ AI prompts, and Kira was left searching for Cagalli after she and Athrun were blown away with the debris.

• Cagalli pinned Aegis with the Red Astray and attacked its PS Armor with her tactical knife while Athrun clamped onto her machine.
• Cruze realized that the Archangel and three G Series units were maneuvering a massive asteroid toward the Lohengrin Class.
• Athrun and Cagalli used Aegis as a buffer as the Lohengrin Class fired on the asteroid, which exploded across the battlefield.
• The Archangel fired its positron cannon and heavily damaged the Lohengrin Class, while Aegis and the Red Astray disappeared among the debris.
• Inori recognized the returning viewers in the Danmaku and admitted she had manually guided Cagalli’s and Athrun’s AI prompts.
• Kira searched for Cagalli and learned that she and Aegis had been pushed away atop the debris.

After the battle, Kira learned Cagalli had survived, while Cagalli and Athrun woke amid the drifting wreckage of their Gundams and confronted each other. Cagalli accused Athrun of destroying Heliopolis, and he defended ZAFT’s attack as necessary to protect PLANT.

• Inori Yuzuriha told Kira that Cagalli had survived, and Kira returned to her room shaken by the battle.
• Frey comforted Kira and told her the loss of the mobile suit was not her fault.
• Cagalli and Athrun regained consciousness in the wreckage, and Cagalli opened the Red Astray’s hatch to face him.
• Athrun disarmed Cagalli, restrained her, and questioned her about her identity and her unfamiliar mobile suit.
• Cagalli accused Athrun of destroying neutral Heliopolis, and Athrun said ZAFT had attacked because Orb secretly helped the Earth Alliance develop a weapon that threatened PLANT.

Athrun and Cagalli were stranded in space after their battle, with damaged machines and limited oxygen, and worked together to signal for help. After Cagalli shared her suit’s oxygen with Athrun, they had enough air to survive for another two or three days.

• Athrun and Cagalli realized their cockpits were leaking air and their long-range communications were damaged.
• Athrun released Cagalli and searched the nearby wreckage for supplies, but found only an empty satellite shell.
• Athrun and Cagalli built a transmission device from the red machine’s parts, though they were unsure whether it would work in the area’s electronic conditions.
• Athrun’s breathing worsened after hours of work, and Cagalli connected her suit’s oxygen supply to his helmet.
• Athrun recovered after resting and estimated they could survive another two or three days if they could avoid further oxygen problems.

With Cagalli and Athrun stranded in drifting wreckage, Kira sought permission to search for them despite the Archangel’s shortages and danger from ZAFT. Inori gained Kira’s authorization to unlock the Black Secret Coffin’s factory and begin mass-producing Funnell probes, leaving the rescue effort underway.

• Athrun explained to Cagalli that the wreckage was drifting through orbit and that finding them could be difficult, while Inori let them continue drifting to give their feelings time to grow.
• Kira asked Murrue and Murrue Ramius to let her search for Cagalli, but learned that the Archangel’s supplies were strained after taking in refugees.
• Inori offered to use the Black Secret Coffin as an automated factory to produce Funnell probes, provided she received authorization and raw materials from the Archangel.
• Kira decided to find Cagalli without burdening the Archangel and accepted responsibility for unlocking the factory’s unrestricted production.
• Inori acquired Kira’s authorization and began mass-producing Funnell space probes.

Inori Yuzuriha revealed the Black Coffin and explained how its Funnels would search the Debris Field for Cagalli and Athrun. The Archangel prepared to leave for Junius 7, and Frey approached Kira during his downtime.

• Inori Yuzuriha showed the Archangel crew the Black Coffin and said she was created by Dr. Hibiki Yuren.
• Inori Yuzuriha explained that the Funnels would map the Debris Field and detect P.A.R.A's signal, then promised Kira she would find Cagalli and Athrun.
• Murrue Ramius decided to take the Archangel from the Debris Field toward Junius 7 while keeping the Funnel network connected.
• Sai and the others volunteered to join the Archangel, and Mu proposed that they help maintain Orb's Astrays and work on the engineering vessel.
• Frey approached Kira in the lounge and asked why he was still wearing his pilot suit.

Kira learned that the Strike was repaired while ZAFT prepared a search for Athrun, who was stranded with Cagalli. At a GBN 2.0 launch event, Kuga Yuuto and Mukai Hinata watched champion Kyujo Kyoya face a black GINN in an exhibition match.

• Inori Yuzuriha told Kira the Strike's maintenance was complete, and he left to pilot it again.
• Yzak told Nicol and Dearg that ZAFT had authorization to search for Athrun, and they planned to use Captain Le Creuset's return home to begin the search.
• Cagalli woke beside Athrun, checked their remaining supplies, and sent him nutrient fluid through their breathing tube.
• Mukai Hinata invited Kuga Yuuto to the GBN 2.0 launch event, where they watched Kyujo Kyoya's AGE-2 Magnum face a black GINN.