#ASW-G-01 Gundam Bael

[wanderersrest]

A Spoilery Rant About Iron-Blooded Orphans

I came across a take on Reddit today pertaining to one of my favorite Gundam series in the franchise, Iron-Blooded Orphans. It's a fairly common take, and one that is, in my mind, just flat out wrong.

Spoilers below, and also content warning for pedophilia, genocide, and media literacy.

Also, fun fact: Tumblr's gif keyboard has a lot of Ein Dalton gifs. So that's cool.

ORGA AND McGILLIS ARE NOT THE BAD GUYS

If you can somehow look at Orga Itsuka, a character who leads a group of child soldiers that are struggling to make a living for themselves, and McGillis Fareed, a character who fights to change the world due to being a victim of child sexual assault by his own adopted father, I can't. I can kind of understand saying that about McGillis, especially since he's a classic Char Clone (backstabbing for self-gain included), but to be fair, McGillis really needs therapy. And IBO wouldn't be interesting if he solved his issues by being rational.

Orga's only crime, on the other hand, is being a dumbass. And this isn't an issue that only arises in season 2. It's present in season 1 as well, it's just that for the majority of season 1 he has Biscuit to play the voice of reason. Even then, Orga's goals are pretty noble if misguided, as all he really wants to do is guide the other kids of Tekkadan to a future where they have a place they belong. Because, you know, they're all expendable child soldiers. The first episode of the series has a moment where their previous employers use them as fodder while they escape with all of their money and capital.

And this is really what gets my goat with this take. People will talk about how Orga and McGillis are the real bad guys, but it's almost as if one person is kind of a well-meaning if hotheaded kid who only knows how to solve problems by using brute force and luck, and the other is an insane man who believes that having the original Gundam (this being the ASW-G-01 Bael, not the RX-78-2 Gundam) will be the key to solving all of the world's problems. This isn't even touching on the fact that this take whitewashes the actions of the actual antagonists of the show, Rustal Elion and Nobliss Gordon. Reminder that Rustal is a war criminal who commits multiple false flag operations to incriminate Tekkadan, and Nobliss is a war profiteer who benefits from all of this conflict no matter what.

I get not liking the ending of this series. It's bleak as all spark, and it's the culmination of a series of episodes that's basically the viewer getting kicked in the crotch repeatedly like they're Aki from Chainsaw Man. I get that people are probably sick of the whole "media literacy is dead" discourse. I am too. I especially hate when people use media literacy as a cudgel to bash people for making takes that others don't agree with. But I'm *this* close to turning into Ein Dalton and screaming "KUDELIA AINA BURNSTEIN" Isao Ota because of this take. Because the idea that "Orga and McGillis are the bad guys, ackshually" ignores both character's backstories while absolving actual evil characters like Rustal, Nobliss, and everyone's favorite failson Iok Kujan of their wrongdoing. One day, I'll talk about Iron-Blooded Orphans in earnest. I just needed to get this off of my chest because of how often this take turns up in online discussion. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going finish my transformation into Isao Ota post about Patlabor.

[ageha-sds]

go away mcgillis

[murumokirby360]

1/100 Full Mechanics Gundam Bael - IRON BLOODED ORPHANS - Mecha Gaikotsu Gunpla REVIEW

[gnxfreedom]

[algo448]

[pwdr00]

ASW-G-01 Gundam Bael (Eps 43 y 50)

[mashymrecello]

1/144 HG ASW-G-01 Gundam Bael custom paint (ft. cat)

Painted with Stuart Semple Black & Lit paints, first try at gunpla building

[gundamprimezero]

HGIBO ASW-G-01 Gundam Bael and ASW-G-08 Gundam Barbatos (Metallic Gloss Injection)

[carl-francisamarista]

ASW-G-01 Gundam Bael . . . . . (Bradley Bael) 😂 https://www.instagram.com/p/CgHNogyPFHM/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[murumokirby360]

HG 1/144 Gundam Bael - IRON BLOODED ORPHANS - Mecha Gaikotsu Gunpla REVIEW

[delightfullyarchived]

Weaponmaster: ASW-G-01 Gundam Bael

Send “Weaponmaster” and a weapon

“I have never seen something like this before. It looks like some kind of machine that one can either personally or remotely operate. Maybe it operates itself? I am not sure. Interesting, none the less.”

[gundam-gic]

type : lego gundam name : Gundam Bael code : ASW-G-01 Pilot : McGillis Fareed, Agnika Kaieru series : Mobile Suit Gundam IRON-BLOODED ORPHANS / (機動戦士ガンダム 鉄血のオルフェンズ Kidō Senshi Gandamu Tekketsu no Orufenzu?) Youtube link : www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa3B7GWYA9g https://flic.kr/p/SbTEB1

[mashymrecello]

Assorted angles on the glowy boi

Custom HG 1/144 ASW-G-01 Gundam Bael

Painted with Stuart Semple Black & Lit paints

[murumokirby360]

[ARC] Gundam Extreme Vs Maxi Boost ON [Branch Battle]  Gundam Bael (Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans)

[murumokirby360]

1/100 Full Mechanics Gundam Bael (MSG: IRON BLOODED ORPHANS) | REVIEW