Sat, Oct 5, 2002
In the 70th year of the Cosmic Era, mankind's reach for the stars has granted him great leaps and bounds into the unknown... and fatefully divided him into two camps. Those of humankind who have stayed on Earth and the Moon, those of the nations of the Earth Alliance, have grown jealous of their more ambitious space-faring companions. These explorers are known as the Coordinators, an elite group of humans who have had their genes altered to bring out superior performance. Living in specially designed space stations called PLANTs (Productive Location Ally on Nexus Technology), they have been free of the discrimination they faced on Earth at the hands of unmodified 'Naturals.' For a while, both sides shared an uneasy peace. Then, on February 14th, CE 70, day of the Bloody Valentine tragedy, the bonds of humanity were shattered and the blood of the innocents spilt. Militant leaders of the Earth Alliance on this day used nuclear weapons upon an agricultural PLANT, and since that time, full-scale civil war has broken out. Forming a militia known as ZAFT (Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty), the Coordinators have fought against the vastly numerically superior Earth Alliance forces. For 11 long months, war has raged, both on Earth and amongst the stars. Now, in the neutral space colony of Heliopolis, a young boy named Kiro Yamato watches the war news and thinks of his friend Athrun Zala, who he parted with some time ago and is now with the PLANTs. Little does he know that the peaceful colony is about to become a war zone as ZAFT comes searching for a secret Earth Alliance weapon, and the horrors of battle threaten to replace the old memories of friendship with new nightmares of Athrun... carrying a gun, and dressed as an enemy.
Sat, Oct 12, 2002
In a flash of the blinding light brought forth by exploding hatred and burning anger, the old friends Kira and Athrun are reunited amidst the chaos of conflict. But this reunion is one of fear and confusion, not happiness, as each appears to the other as not friend, but foe. Before either can consider the situation or implications, Kira is forced by Earth Alliance agent Murrue Ramius into the cockpit of the Strike Gundam, one of the secret weapons that Athrun and his ZAFT strike force are after. Forced into combat not as a soldier but a helpless passenger, he can only watch as his home is transformed into a battlefield, and his class mates are threatened by the conflagration. But somewhere within young Kira's heart lies a secret known to no one else that can either save his friends and Helipolis, or further the war that dooms them all...
Sat, Oct 19, 2002
Through courage, luck, and a power that even he does not yet quite understand, Kira manages to save his friends and himself from the advances of ZAFT's invading mobile suits by piloting the Strike Gundam. But as the Earth Alliance warship Archangel enters the Helipolis colony in a flash of flame and destruction, and the mysterious and dangerous commander of the ZAFT forces Rau Le Creuset makes a dramatic entrance while engaged in lightning quick battle with Alliance top gun Mu La Flaga, it is abundantly clear that no one is truly safe. When both the Archangle and Mu come to Kira's aid, the situation seems to take a turn for the better, but with a revelation that stuns his newfound comrades, even the Earth Alliance ranks may not be safe for him. Kira, a Coordinator? But the mistrust and weariness of those around him becomes the least important thing on his mind when Le Creuset sends in another team of ZAFT mobile suits, with Athrun among them. Called upon to pilot again, Kira must fight against his will to protect his friends. But on the field of a battle that cannot be won without a price paid in blood, to escape the collapsing colony he called home, Kira must do what was unthinkable but an hour ago... kill.
Sat, Oct 26, 2002
Like a delicate leaf torn from its branch by the violent winds of a storm, the fragile flower that was Heliopolis fell from the sky amidst the flames of battle and the cries of friendship ending. The colony destroyed, Kira and the Archangel crew find themselves tasked with a desperate flight to Artemis, the Eurasian fortress asteroid that they hope will give them supplies and take them in until they can make a run for the Earth Alliance Headquarters on the Moon. In order to do this, Murrue Ramius, now captain of the Archangel, must guide the ship on a silent run, to try and sneak past Rau Le Creuset and his waiting duo of ZAFT ships. On his way back to the Archangel, Kira retrieves one of the Helipolis escape pods and brings it back to the ship, despite protests. Onboard is Flay Allster, one of Kira's friends who did not escape with him. Having rescued her and two dozen others from certain death in the depths of space should make him happy, but as he is once again approached by Mu La Flagga to pilot the Strike Gundam in future battles, Kira's thoughts are on the increasingly blurred line between civilian and soldier, and how close he has already come to crossing over it. Meanwhile, on Le Creuset's ship, Athrun tells Rau that Kira, his childhood friend, is the pilot of the lone Gundam that ZAFT could not capture in the battle at Heliopolis. Although sympathetic, Le Creuset tells Athrun that friend or no, as an enemy he must be shot. Certain that Kira is fighting for the Earth Alliance against his will, Athrun persuades Rau to let him try and talk Kira into joining ZAFT, the next time they meet. But if he is to fail, and Kira cannot be convinced, Athrun promises that he will be the one to deliver the fatal shot...
Sat, Nov 9, 2002
The Archangel and its crew are held captive by the Artemis forces. Nicol Amalfi in his GAT-X207 Blitz attacks Artemis, using its Mirage Colloid armor to remain effectively invisible and destroys the Umbrella of Artemis, which protects the asteroid fortress. During the attack, the Archangel is able to escape.
Sat, Nov 16, 2002
The Archangel forages for water in the Debris Belt. They are shocked to find themselves in the ruins of Junius Seven, so the crew decides to hold a memorial. As they are excavating ice found around the ruin, a ZAFT mobile suit attacks, but Kira dispatches him. Kira finds a floating lifepod and takes it aboard.
Sat, Dec 21, 2002
Kira and his friends are given permission to leave the Archangel, but after overcoming the initial shock of her father's death, Flay decides to enlist in the Earth Alliance Forces, prompting Sai Argyle, Kuzzey Buskirk, Miriallia Haw, and Tolle Koenig to do the same. Kira stays on board the Archangel as well to continue protecting his friends. Duel Gundam is upgraded with an Assault Shroud.
Sat, Dec 28, 2002
Le Creuset attacks once again as the Archangel and the 8th Fleet approaches Earth. The Archangel is able to descend to Earth, but not without the loss of the entire 8th Fleet. Yzak Joule, the pilot of the Duel, vents his frustration by destroying a spacecraft carrying Heliopolis refugees that Kira had rescued previously.