NotCliche

After the mind-bending first episode, we finally get some logical sense in this episode, and also new mysteries as well.

The show begins with what seems to be a training exercise of sorts in an urban environment, and we see Nina late for the exercise, which probably isn’t a good move if you’re a potential target for character assassination. She teams up with an unnamed person, and proceeds to infiltrate what seems to be a secured area of the enemy’s HQ.

Freeze! Now, shake like a leaf and drop your items before I tranquilize you!

The training exercise seems to be a capture the flag exercise, and after taking out a guard, Nina attempts to scale the tower when she is saved by her team mate, who pulls her down just as a trap explodes. She argues with her team mate, and the climax of capturing the flag is cut short when their own flag at their HQ has been captured. With the training exercise over,  the two movable cities move apart as Nina looks sadly at the enemy’s flag in the sunset.

Cagalli Nina looks sadly into the far distance. Desktop wallpaper moment, anyone?

After the (seemingly low-budget and meaningless) OP, we see Nina sulking about how late Layfon is in meeting with him. Seems that Nina has gotten over the failed exercise, which is interesting because I was under the impression she would be. Anyway, Layfon appears, and she introduces him to the rest of the platoon.

Nina does try hard to make things look normal, doesn’t she?

Layfon attempts to protest about joining the platoon, but  his concerns are cut short by Nina, and she proceeds to conduct an “examination” on him, which consists of a short fight.

Sharnid’s comment can be interpreted in many ways.

Layfon is knocked unconscious in the “examination” by Nina’s kei burst, and is brought to the medical centre. After Nina and Harley have a short discussion about Layfon’s skills, they leave the medical centre. We are then treated to a surreal and abstract scene of some magical/mystical power that is going on with Layfon’s (naked) body, supposedly the healing process.

Another awkward moment brought to you by Felli

We see Felli peering very closely at Layfon on the hospital bed, and Layfon tells her off for creeping him out, before he follows Felli out onto othe streets. They stop for a short conversation on a street about his place in the Military Arts and the platoon, and Layfon comments on his uniform sizing.

Layfon’s right arm is a really good topic to talk about in the presence of girls.

They continue their conversation on the tram to their destination (for some reason, having a conversation in a tram seems like a deja vu I’ve seen somewhere…), and Felli elaborates about her skill, and her brother’s involvement with the city and their place in the Military Arts Section. Layfon, upon returning to his room, notices a food carrier hung on his door.

Later that night, he begins his first day on the job as a cleaner for the city somewhere under the city in the heart of the Regios, which we now learn is the name of the moving cities. He is shocked to learn that Nina is his colleague, and Nina is surprised as well, commenting on Layfon’s health and his appearance at work.

Is it just me, or is it that the dialogue for this entire episode can be interpreted in many ways?

Layfon and Nina take a break, and they discuss about their being in Zuellni. They exchange their boxed meals, and Nina wolfs down Layfon’s pre-made boxed meal, which is revealed to be Meichen’s cooking.

Layfon is really missing out on some good food

Nina drops a bomb on Layfon when she reveals that there is an inter-platoon match tomorrow, and they ferverently work hard to scrub the place clean, which they seemed to have spent a whole night doing that.

Before the match, the team mate that Nina teamed up with earlier is shown to be commanding the opposing platoon, and the school press are present in the audience, with Meichen being teased about her “gift” to Layfon.

The match begins, and Layfon’s performance in battle doesn’t look good. Karyan and the head of the Military Arts Section, Vanze Harding have a telephone conversation about Layfon, which revealed a little bit about Karyan’s plans and Nina’s decision before Layfon joined the platoon.

Things are not looking good for the platoon as Layfon is knocked off a ravine, Nina is critically injured in the match, and she expends her remaining power attacking the enemy platoon captain.

He knows the Konami code!

The enemy platoon commander powers up his sticks with his kei and begins to beat Nina in a flurry of blows. Nina blocks the blows, slowly losing her strength to resist them, while being lectured by the enemy commander.

Felli hears the thoughts of Nina, and in a bid to force Layfon to act, echoes Nina’s thoughts directly to Layfon. Kira Yamato goes into SEED mode Layfon powers up his kei, and proceeds to own the enemy and cut the enemy’s flagpole.

You betcha, Layfon practically OWNED the enemy, you noob.

After winning the match, Layfon’s team mates rush to congratulate him on the victory, but the two girls in the platoon give him a dirty look, which dampened Layfon’s mood.

Sharnid starts to creep Layfon (and me) out with his tickling antics

For some reason, the two girls do not seem to be happy with Layfon – it appears that they are more concerned with Layfon than the result of the match. Felli comments that he is a traitor, but in what sense? As for Nina, what’s the reason for her anger (or emo) with Layfon?

While this may seem crazy to you, dear reader, I think it is a realistic depiction of what an opposite member of sex thinks. Kudos to the scriptwriters in adding a little more “realistic emotion” into characters, particularly females. Hopefully episode three sheds more light and gives us more answers to their reactions.

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