Chapter Summaries

The East Asian Republic repelled an Atlantic Federation and Eurasian Federation assault on Kaohsiung Port, allowing negotiations with PLANT to begin. As Mei Hock launched a ZAFT raid on Panama Spaceport to destroy the Earth Alliance’s mass driver, EMP weapons disabled the port’s defenses and Mobile Suits.

• Li Weiguo deployed East Asian carrier groups, fighters, Black Tortoise Mobile Suits, and Xingtian Gundams to defend Kaohsiung Port as the joint fleet approached.
• Black Tortoise units routed the first Strike Dagger probing attack, then harassed the Calamity, Raider, and Forbidden Gundams until the Xingtian squad arrived.
• Xingtian units and Black Tortoise squads encircled the three Gundams, disabling the Raider and forcing the joint fleet to withdraw after heavy losses.
• Li Weiguo ordered his forces to recover and secure Kaohsiung Port, where the PLANT delegation began negotiations with East Asian representatives.
• Mei Hock commanded ZAFT forces aboard the Leviathan as they began a surprise operation to destroy Panama’s mass driver and recover disabled Earth Alliance units.
• ZAFT transport aircraft airdropped EMP devices over Panama Spaceport, paralyzing its radar, communications, defenses, and more than one hundred Earth Alliance Mobile Suits.

After receiving a promotion and command of the Starry Sky assault squadron, Mei Hock trained his fleet while secretly agreeing to find and protect Lacus Clyne. As war intensified across Earth and space, he rushed toward Armory One after the Eternal was hijacked, knowing Lacus and the Clyne faction’s remnants were aboard.

• Mei Hock received the Starry Sky Medal, promotion to colonel, and command of an assault squadron equipped with the Starry Sky, three Laurasia-class warships, and 25 Mobile Suits.
• Councilman Amalfi privately asked Mei Hock to search for and protect the missing Lacus Clyne, and Mei Hock promised to find her without revealing the mission to the radical faction.
• Chairman Zala approved the transfer of Earth-theater command to Major Raynor, while Mei Hock gathered his trusted subordinates and assigned them roles aboard the Starry Sky.
• Mei Hock trained his newly assembled fleet near PLANT as the Atlantic Federation captured Orb and Victoria Port, restored its lunar supply route, and began preparing nuclear weapons using Neutron Jammer Canceller technology.
• ZAFT received word that unknown attackers had seized the Eternal at Armory One, and Mei Hock immediately sent the Starry Sky to pursue it while ordering the rest of his fleet to remain on alert.

The Three Ships Alliance repelled Natarle Badgiruel’s Dominion at Mendel, but Mu, Dearka, and Kira discovered a secret laboratory where Rau Le Creuset claimed Kira had been born. When Rau and the Dominion returned with reinforcements, Mei Hock’s Starry Sky intervened, drove both enemy fleets away, and invited the alliance to meet face-to-face.

• Natarle Badgiruel ambushed the Three Ships Alliance with the Dominion while the Eternal and Kusanagi were unable to fight, but the Archangel and its Mobile Suit pilots resisted until Cagalli freed the Kusanagi and launched the Murasame squadron.
• Kira, Athrun, and Mu defeated the Dominion’s Calamity, Aegis, and Forbidden Gundams, forcing Natarle to retreat; Mu then sensed Rau Le Creuset near Mendel and went to investigate with Dearka and Kira.
• Mu, Dearka, and Kira found Dr. Hibiki’s concealed laboratory, where Rau appeared and told Kira that the laboratory was where he had been born before escaping through a hidden exit.
• As Rau’s fleet and the returning Dominion approached, Mei Hock arrived aboard the Starry Sky, separated the forces with its weapons, and ordered the enemy fleets to withdraw; Rau and Natarle both retreated.
• Mei Hock opened an encrypted channel with Murrue, Kira, Lacus, Athrun, and the others, then proposed discussing his mission face-to-face.

Mei Hock met with the Three-Ship Alliance at Mendel, revealed the nuclear threat and proposed a plan to unite antiwar factions and break the arms dealers’ power. As the alliance began preparations, he comforted Lacus, reunited with Murrue, and returned to PLANT confident that Rau Le Creuset would keep his unauthorized actions secret.

• Mei Hock told Murrue, Kira, Athrun, Lacus, and Cagalli that ZAFT’s hawks and Atlantic Federation arms dealers were driving the war, and warned that Earth Forces had nuclear weapons and Neutron Jammer Cancellers.
• Mei Hock proposed holding Mendel, building an antiwar coalition, and striking the arms dealers’ headquarters; the Three-Ship Alliance agreed and assigned preparations to its members.
• Kira asked Mei Hock whether the sacrifices of war could lead to peace, and Mei Hock argued that strength and cooperation between Naturals and Coordinators could make reconciliation possible.
• Mei Hock comforted a grieving Lacus aboard the Eternal, then reunited with Murrue in her quarters before returning to the Starry Sky.
• Mei Hock ordered the Starry Sky back toward PLANT and explained that he had offered Rau Le Creuset a cure for his genetic defects in exchange for his silence and secret cooperation.

Akira took command of Boaz Fortress and reorganized its defenses before the Earth Forces launched an attack with five fleets. During the ensuing battle, he used the Justicar Gundam and coordinated ZAFT forces to disrupt the enemy assault and suppress its three advanced Gundams, while the Dominion remained engaged by the Starry Sky.

• Akira secured approval to take responsibility for Boaz Fortress and led the Silver Wing Angel Team there.
• Akira reviewed the combined ZAFT and Earth Forces strength and ordered new defensive positions, mobile-suit deployments, and warship formations.
• Four days later, Akira placed ZAFT on combat readiness as the Earth Forces fleet approached, then boarded the Justicar Gundam.
• Akira directed the Starry Sky to contain the Dominion while ZAFT forces ambushed Earth Forces mobile suits and attacked their warships and supply ships.
• Akira used the Justicar Gundam to damage and disable the Forbidden, Raider, and Calamity Gundams, breaking their coordinated assault.

Mei Hock led ZAFT through a fighting retreat at Boaz Fortress, destroying or crippling the Earth Forces’ advanced Gundams and preserving his fleet when a nuclear strike destroyed the fortress. Afterward, ZAFT promoted him to major general, and its soldiers began calling him the “Starry Sky God of War” as he prepared the next defensive line.

• Mei Hock rejected withdrawal before the assault and organized an attrition strategy to target Earth Forces’ supply ships, destroyers, and mobile suits while preserving ZAFT’s forces.
• The Earth Forces’ seven fleets attacked Boaz Fortress, and Mei Hock commanded ZAFT’s defenses while the Starry Sky engaged the Dominion’s sister ship and the Justicar fought the three upgraded Gundams.
• Mei Hock disabled the Aegis and Forbidden Gundams and destroyed the Calamity as ZAFT withdrew after detecting the Earth Forces’ nuclear strike.
• Boaz Fortress was destroyed by the nuclear blast, but Mei Hock and the ZAFT forces reached the rendezvous point safely after inflicting heavy losses on the enemy.
• ZAFT headquarters promoted Mei Hock to major general and named him commander of the Silver Wing Fleet and captain of the Starry Sky, while soldiers hailed him as the “Starry Sky God of War.”

Mei Hock recruited Natarle Badgiruel as his executive officer by promising to help her family relocate to the East Asian Republic, then learned that the Earth Alliance had launched a nuclear assault on PLANT. The Three Ships Alliance destroyed the incoming warheads, but Patrick Zala ordered Genesis fired at the Earth Alliance fleet, leaving the Alliance scrambling to escape its firing path.

• Mei Hock offered Natarle Badgiruel a post as his executive officer and promised to secure her family's future in the East Asian Republic, and she accepted.
• Mei asked Councilman Amalfi to arrange Natarle's ZAFT status and ordered Flay to prepare her uniform.
• The Earth Alliance attacked the Jachin Due Fortress, overwhelmed ZAFT's defenses, and launched a Peacemaker nuclear strike force toward PLANT.
• Lacus Clyne led the Three Ships Alliance into battle, and Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala used the Freedom and Justice Gundams with METEOR to destroy the nuclear threat.
• Patrick Zala ordered Genesis to fire on the Atlantic Federation fleet, and Mei warned the Three Ships Alliance to evade as the weapon began charging.

After Genesis’s first shot devastated the Earth Forces, Muruta Azrael forced his survivors into a desperate counterattack, and Patrick Zala ordered a second shot that destroyed the Moon base and killed ZAFT ships. Yzak, Akira, and their allies moved to stop both leaders and defend PLANT as Akira launched toward Genesis and the final confrontation.

• Muruta Azrael lied to the surviving Earth Forces and sent them charging back toward Jachin Due while waiting for reinforcements from the Moon.
• Patrick Zala ordered Genesis to fire before its cooldown ended, destroying the Ptolemaios base and several ZAFT warships in the beam’s path.
• Yzak Joule broke with Zala, led the Joule Squad against Genesis, and called on ZAFT units to help the Three Ships Alliance.
• Azrael deployed nuclear-armed mobile armors toward PLANT, so Akira Hawke ordered the garrison to intercept them and asked Lacus and Councilor Amalfi to organize opposition to Zala.
• Akira entrusted the Starry Sky and Silver Wing fleet to Natarle Badgiruel, then launched in the Justicar Gundam to destroy the nuclear attackers and reach Genesis.
• The garrison and Silver Wing fleet fought to protect PLANT as Akira pressed toward Genesis, where his confrontation with Zala and Azrael awaited.

Akira fought Rau Le Creuset’s Providence Gundam while Kira and his allies battled to stop Genesis from firing. Athrun found Patrick Zala dead and activated Justice’s self-destruct, but Cagalli refused to leave him as Genesis’s countdown neared zero and Akira’s duel remained unresolved.

• Akira destroyed the nuclear-armed Earth Forces mobile armors, spared conventional pilots, and sent Kira and Athrun to stop Genesis while he confronted Rau’s Providence Gundam.
• Akira and Rau exchanged DRAGOON fire and fought at close range; Akira damaged Providence’s thrusters, but both Gundams and pilots were badly strained.
• Natarle ordered the Starry Sky to attack the Dominion, while Kira, Dearka, and Yzak defeated three unstable Extended mobile suits.
• Athrun and Cagalli reached Genesis, found Patrick Zala dead beside a command to destroy Earth, and discovered that the firing sequence could not be canceled through the console.
• Athrun activated Justice’s self-destruct to destroy Genesis’s core, but Cagalli returned in Strike Rouge and refused to leave him alone.
• Akira and Rau continued their damaged, exhausting duel as Genesis’s energy reached its peak and the battle’s outcome remained uncertain.

Akira Hawke defeated Genesis and helped end the war, persuading Rau Le Creuset to survive and join him. With peace negotiations underway, Akira prepared to escort Lacus Clyne on an Earth tour while planning for the conflicts he believed would return.

• Akira offered Rau Le Creuset treatment for his genetic defects and a new life, and Rau agreed to follow him and help destroy Genesis.
• Akira and Rau staged their final duel, and the Providence Gundam's explosion destroyed Genesis as Athrun and Cagalli escaped; the Archangel then finished Genesis off.
• Natarle Badgiruel's forces destroyed the Dominion and Azrael, while PLANT, the Earth Alliance, and the East Asian Republic declared a ceasefire and began rescue efforts.
• Akira's allies welcomed him back, and Rau was rescued by the East Asian Republic's fleet; peace negotiations later produced the Treaty of Peaceful Coexistence.
• Akira arranged to accompany Lacus on her Earth tour with the women close to him, while recognizing that Blue Cosmos and instability in PLANT still threatened the fragile peace.

After the war, Akira and Lacus began a peace tour in North Africa, where Lacus promised aid and reunited Aisha with Andrew. The group later vacationed by the sea, but Akira continued tracking threats in PLANT and LOGOS; the chapter ended with Meirin unexpectedly joining Akira and Shiho in the bath.

• Akira brought Lacus and their companions to North Africa, where Aisha reunited with Andrew and Lacus announced reconstruction aid for the region.
• Akira warned Andrew about Blue Cosmos remnants, LOGOS, and tensions between Naturals and Coordinators, while Andrew pledged to monitor the situation.
• Lacus gave peace speeches across Africa, earning public support and helping PLANT establish cooperation with African nations.
• Akira took Lacus, Murrue, Luna, Meirin, Shiho, and Flay to a seaside vacation, then contacted Graner, East Asian Republic officials, and Andrew to coordinate surveillance of Durandal, suspicious figures, and LOGOS.
• Meirin secretly followed Akira and Shiho into the villa, discovered them in Shiho’s bath, and was pulled into the tub by Akira.

Akira spent a peaceful day on the Aegean with Lacus, Luna, Meirin, Flay, Murrue, and Shiho before learning that Lu Ze had recovered and begun a new life. The group prepared to leave for the East Asian Republic, where Akira planned to give peace speeches, handle diplomatic work, visit Lu Ze, and spend a holiday with the women.

• Akira shared an affectionate morning with the women, then joined them for breakfast and a trip to the seaside market.
• Akira bought gifts for Luna, Meirin, Shiho, Flay, and Murrue, and reassured Lacus that she could ask him for anything she wanted.
• Akira promised Lacus they would return to the Aegean after resolving the threats and conflicts facing them.
• Akira received a message that Lu Ze, formerly Rau Le Creuset, had recovered and would work in Zhanjiang, and he decided to visit him during an upcoming trip to the East Asian Republic.
• Akira told Lacus and the other women that they would leave the next day aboard the Starry Sky for peace speeches and diplomatic work, followed by a month-long holiday in the East Asian Republic.

Akira brought the Starry Sky to Zhanjiang, arranged a secret refit and planned to fake his and Lacus's deaths to expose their enemies. While Lacus held popular peace talks and the girls toured East Asia, Akira recruited Rau to help develop resistance to Durandal's mind control and prepared for a dangerous journey to the Atlantic Federation.

• Akira staged a cheerful fishing outing aboard the Starry Sky, then brought the ship to Zhanjiang and ordered a covert submersion-module refit as groundwork for a staged maritime disaster and disappearance.
• Akira arranged for Yzak Joule to take command of the Silver Wing fleet during his absence, with Dearka Elsman and Ezalia Joule supporting the plan.
• Akira met Rau Le Creuset, who had settled into a peaceful life in East Asia, and asked him to develop a way to protect ace pilots from Durandal's mind-control technology; Rau agreed.
• Lacus held well-attended peace talks across East Asia, where audiences welcomed her speeches and songs, while Li Bing coordinated security and the girls toured local cities.
• After the tour, Akira continued monitoring the refit, checked on Ezalia Joule, planned a trip to the Atlantic Federation to draw out LOGOS, and arranged escape routes for the girls.

Akira and Lacus launched the Star-Hiding Plan to draw out PLANT radicals and LOGOS, splitting their allies across Orb, East Asia, the Starry Sky, and the Atlantic Federation. After three days of farewells, they boarded a cruise liner toward the Eurasian Republic as their companions prepared a staged tragedy at sea and waited to recover them.

• Akira assigned Murrue to oversee the Archangel's refit in Orb, Li Bing and Natasha to build contacts in East Asia, Shiho, Luna, and Meirin to guard the Starry Sky, and Flay to infiltrate the Atlantic Federation and investigate LOGOS.
• Akira and Lacus planned to fake their deaths during a cruise, with Andrew posing as a pirate if their enemies did not attack and the Starry Sky rescuing them underwater.
• Akira and his companions spent three days together in Jiangnan and Hangzhou, sharing sightseeing, new clothes, and a farewell dinner before separating.
• Murrue and Flay departed on their assignments, Li Bing and Natasha remained in East Asia, and Shiho, Luna, and Meirin took charge of the Starry Sky as Akira and Lacus boarded the liner.
• The liner's itinerary leaked, PLANT radicals and LOGOS considered attacking, the Starry Sky submerged near the route, and Andrew raced toward the liner with old Dagger units as the staged tragedy approached.

Akira and Lacus escaped LOGOS’s bombing of the Eastern Voyage, reached Andrew’s North Africa Base, and continued under cover to PLANT. The chapter ended with Raymond Ka bringing them to the PLANT Military Academy, where Akira would begin his covert work as an instructor and Lacus would live under the alias Lina.

• Akira and Lacus boarded the Eastern Voyage while Shiho, Luna, Meirin, Li Bing, Natasha, and Andrew’s squad supported their escape plan.
• Akira discovered LOGOS operatives planting explosives on the liner, canceled Andrew’s original plan, and prepared to escape with Lacus.
• After LOGOS detonated the charges and the liner began to sink, Akira and Lacus dived to the seabed and boarded the Starry Sky.
• Akira, Lacus, and the Starry Sky crew traveled covertly to Andrew’s North Africa Base, then departed for PLANT aboard a disguised supply ship.
• Raymond Ka met Akira and Lacus at a hidden PLANT harbor and arranged Akira’s academy instructor identity and Lacus’s cover as his wife, Lina.
• Raymond Ka escorted Akira and Lacus to the PLANT Military Academy so Akira could begin secretly recruiting promising cadets.

Hawke went undercover as Gray Raven in ZAFT’s Seventh Mobile Squad and met Stella Loussier while preparing for the Armory One talks. After spending a joyful day with her, he learned that the Earth Alliance erased her memories and resolved to save her during the coming October 2 incident.

• Hawke resigned from the Military Academy, joined the Seventh Mobile Squad under the code name Gray Raven, and began secretly watching its unusual deployments.
• Lacus gathered information about Meer Campbell and attempted to reach her mentally, sensing a faint response beneath the drugs controlling her.
• The Seventh Mobile Squad deployed to Armory One to secure the talks, where Hawke met Stella Loussier and promised to take her to the amusement park.
• Hawke spent the day at the amusement park with Stella, and she accepted his request to become his girlfriend.
• Stella returned to her lodging, where Earth Alliance observers gave her a double dose of the control drug and erased most of her memories of Hawke.
• Hawke returned to his post and prepared to save Stella and prevent the coming Armory One incident from igniting another war.

At the Armory One talks, Cagalli defended Orb’s neutrality while Athrun guarded her under the alias Alex. Gilbert Durandal discovered Athrun’s identity and urged him to return to ZAFT, leaving Athrun torn as he resumed his post without telling Cagalli that their secret was exposed.

• Cagalli rejected ZAFT’s demands for Orb to share Mobile Suit technology and vowed to maintain neutrality, while Athrun watched for threats and tried to conceal his identity.
• Gilbert Durandal investigated Alex’s fabricated records and recognized him as Athrun Zala.
• Durandal privately confronted Athrun and promised that returning to ZAFT would let him help end the war and protect Cagalli and Orb.
• Athrun asked for time to consider Durandal’s offer, troubled by the danger of returning to ZAFT and exposing his identity.
• Athrun returned to the talks and hid his distress from Cagalli, who noticed his pale appearance but continued defending Orb’s neutrality.

At Armory One, Phantom Pain stole three new ZAFT Mobile Suits during a staged attack orchestrated by Gilbert Durandal, while Akira Hawke, Shinn Asuka, and Rey Za Burrel pursued the attackers into a debris field. The fighting continued as Cagalli Yula Athha grew suspicious of Durandal and Athrun Zala recovered aboard the Minerva.

• Gilbert Durandal invited Cagalli Yula Athha and Athrun Zala to Armory One and proposed closer cooperation between PLANT and Orb.
• Phantom Pain attacked Warehouse 6, stole three Mobile Suits, and forced Athrun to fight Sting Oakley, Auel Neider, and Stella Loussier until Akira Hawke rescued him.
• Shinn Asuka and Rey Za Burrel joined Akira, driving the attackers into a debris field as the Minerva launched under Talia Gladys's command.
• Sting Oakley's team and Neo Roanoke ambushed Shinn in the debris field, and Akira, Rey, and the Minerva supported him as the pursuit resumed.
• Durandal secretly revealed that he had arranged the attack to implicate Blue Cosmos and shape public opinion, while Cagalli questioned his account and resolved to uncover the truth.

The Minerva escaped the Gadiel’s ambush, then diverted to stop mysterious pilots from pushing Junius Seven toward Earth. As the Minerva and Joule Team raced to intercept the wreckage, Blue Cosmos chose to exploit the crisis rather than commit its fleet.

• Talia ordered the Minerva through an asteroid gap while Athrun, Shinn Asuka, Agnes, and Rey held off the Gadiel’s forces; the ship damaged the Gadiel and forced Neo Roanoke to retreat.
• The crew detected mysterious pilots pushing Junius Seven toward Earth, and Rey warned that fragments could threaten PLANT and Orb within three hours.
• Durandal redirected the Minerva to intercept Junius Seven, and Cagalli agreed to postpone her return to Orb.
• Cagalli rebuked Yoran Kent for treating the crisis as a chance to stretch his legs.
• Gabriel Ragnard ordered Blue Cosmos to monitor Junius Seven and ZAFT, prepare for rescue operations, and use the crisis to pressure PLANT.
• Talia learned the Joule Team was on its way and ordered the Minerva to rendezvous with it and prepare for battle.

Akira left Armory One undercover and reunited with Lacus in PLANT, where they planned to oppose Durandal and prepare the Eternal. He then flew alone to Earth to find his children in Orb, arriving amid escalating war and growing fears for their safety.

• Akira arranged an ordinary leave from Armory One with Councilor Joule's help and traveled to April City without exposing his identity.
• Akira reached the Clyne Family's old residence and reunited with Lacus, who told him that Meer had agreed to act as an undercover agent against Durandal.
• Akira and Lacus agreed to prepare the repaired Eternal, while Akira planned to travel to Orb to find Minghui and Mingyue.
• Lacus and Akira boarded the hidden Eternal in an asteroid belt, and Akira departed alone in a camouflaged shuttle bound for Earth.
• Akira landed at a secret contact point in northern Africa, disguised himself as an Earth Alliance soldier, and learned that LOGOS had fueled renewed fighting between the Earth Alliance and ZAFT.