When last we left our story, the Human Reform League had launched a risky attack against Celestial Being's carrier spaceship. I won't spoil the outcome, but this first episode shows clearly that the staff have no interest in offering bland super Gundams, as the Meisters are put on the ropes in a series of tense and inventive battles. Celestial Being likes to strike first, so it is very interesting to see how they respond when the battle is taken to them.
 The character perhaps most effected by these events is Allelujah, as we once again get a focus episode on his background. This one thankfully offers more than teasing hints, as we learn of his being forcibly made into an attempted super soldier, and his reaction to finding that said project has continued. Although in some moments Allelujah comes close to being a simpering pretty boy, the conclusion of this episodes leaves no doubt of the bloody ambiguity of both his struggle and that of Celestial Being.
The rest of the disc is split between two fairly major story arcs. The first of these returns focus to Setsuna and the religious and political turmoil in his former homeland of Azadistan, and perforce returns focus to Princess Marina Ismail, whom he had briefly encountered in the previous release. Gundam has a history of strong yet tortured female protagonists, and whilst Marina is essentially cut from the same cloth, her influence is refreshingly neutered. Far from being a Relena or Lacus who commands undying loyalty from the public at large, Marina is presented instead as a pure-hearted but naive dreamer whose desire to see her nation advance alongside the rest of the world clashes with its religious, conservative majority. The Middle East has been an increasing focus for fiction since the attacks of September 11, so thankfully the staff treat this arc in an intelligent manner. Far from relying on stereotypes, we are shown how the clash of extremist ideals hurt the region, and how, much as anywhere else, there are also simple innocents who wish no part in the conflict. After making such clear statements, the arc is not tied up with a pretty bow around it.
The final arc found in this set involves a major advance. After failing individually to defeat the Gundams, the three major powers band together in a joint offensive. The Meisters see through the obvious trap but know that avoiding it would neuter their challenge to the world. What follows is probably one of the most brutal battles in Gundam history as the four machines are split up and hammered by wave after wave of enemies for hours on end. On my original first watching of the series, this was one of the key moments that warmed me to it. There have been increasing arguments that Gundam relies on overpowered lead robots and ineffective enemies, so to see this boldly challenged is refreshing. The whole plan, whilst brutal to the characters we've (hopefully) warmed to, is pure common sense: if the Gundams keep taking out small bases and such, why not hit them with everything you've got? It's also implied that Celestial Being are pleased to see this combined initiative taken against them. Has this been their motive all along?
 The present disc then ends with a surprise twist and a very impressive cliffhanger. It raises many questions, but I'll get into that next time.
Much as before, the characters progress as swiftly as the plot. Setsuna is obviously once again the clear focus, continuing his crusade to change the world. The Azadistan arc especially is a treat from his perspective, as we contrast where he's come from and where he's going. Although the Gundam Meisters are supposed to prioritise the world as a whole, Setsuna clearly has an attachment to his former homeland, and attempting to emulate his own salvation at the hands of a Gundam is a clear measuring stick for him. However, this development also does more to humanise him beyond the Gundam-obsessed crazy some may have dismissed him as.
The extras are much the same as last time, led by promotional videos. On a more interesting note, episode 17 is presented with an optional commentary track featuring director Mizushima and three new members of the cast. The commentary is presented in Japanese with English subtitles and whilst it's fairly amusing, in general nothing of value comes from it. A few tiny bits of backstory/production info are mentioned, but overall it's Mizushima and the voice actor trio trading anecdotes and pointing out quirks in the episode. For those purchasing the optional 'Limited Edition' release, you also get volume two of the manga adaptation. This covers the story from about the middle of this set to the end of this one. The manga begins to take a different route from the TV show, depicting alternate versions of events (such as a more violent take on the mentioned Azadistan arc), as is usual for adaptations of Japanese TV shows. Half the fun is in if you feel these changes work better than the show or just make a pig's ear of things. This time I'm happy to report only a single error: a speech bubble has both the original Japanese and the translated English mashed together. Thankfully it's still readable, so I can't work up much anger against it.
 Things are pretty stable on the technical side. Once again we have a choice of Japanese or English audio (Japanese continues to be my personal preference). The video is also good, however a thin white line in the top left hand corner seems to come and go in the episodes presented on the second disc. Not sure what's up with that but again, it's only a minor annoyance.
Gundam 00: Season One Part Two runs with the baton handed to it by the previous set. Things start naturally sliding into place, with enough credible mystery and potential to bring viewers back for more. The only real negative I have is Bandai Entertainment's increasing delay of this and other titles. I fear that releasing these sets so long after the American TV airing may cost them a wide chunk of potential customers. That would really be a shame, because the show is clearly trying to present a story that will last and endure.
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