After more than 5 years since the last episode of Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphan, we finally get a new major series called Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury. There has been tons of information being shared as we get closer to the release date, and the hype that the fans have for this new series is higher than ever.
Gundam: The Witch From Mercury is scheduled to be released in October 2022. However, Sunrise decided to give us a bit of a sneak peek into the story of this new series in the form of a Prologue episode back in July 2022. The people in Japan can watch this prologue at the Gundam Factory Yokohama, while it debuted in the US at San Diego Comic Con. For those of you who didn’t get the chance to watch this prologue, rest assured because it will be available in various streaming platforms, including Gundam official YouTube channel in September 2022. But if you’re still curious about the content of this prologue, here are some of the things that it tells us about the upcoming Gundam: Witch From Mercury.
The Different Factions In The Witch From Mercury
In the world of Gundam: The Witch From Mercury, an earth research institution called Vanadis Institute successfully invented a technology called the GUND-format. This invention allowed the creation of a more advanced version of prosthetics limbs that enabled its users to control the prosthetics effortlessly with their mind, just like moving a normal limb. The people at the Vanadis believe that this is the technology that will allow humanity to live safely and productively in space. After all, human’s body is meant to live on earth, therefore it needs something like the GUND technology to enhance our body’s capability in order to thrive in space.
At first, the public rejoiced with the invention of GUND technology. However, their perception begins to change when Vanadis Institute is acquired by the Ochs Earth Corporation. Vanadis needs the funding for the next phase of their research, and in return Ochs Earth asks them to develop a weapon that is way more advanced than anything that exists till that day by utilizing the GUND technology. The result of that joint venture is the GUND-Arms, also known as Mobile Suit GUNDAM.
Unfortunately, piloting a Gundam proves to be not only difficult, but incredibly dangerous as well. After all, unlike controlling a mere human limb, connecting the mind of a regular human in order to control an 18 meter Gundam will inevitably put an extreme strain on the brain, which resulted in multiple deaths of those who tried to be a Gundam pilot.
Seeing that both the Vanadis and Orchs Earth won’t stop with their research and development of Gundam despite the death tolls, the Mobile Suit Development Council decided to create a watchdog organization called Cathedral. Unbeknownst to them, however, Cathedral immediately take a violent action against one of the main research branches of Vanadis where the Gundam is being developed. As soon as the council announces the formation of the Cathedral to the public, they immediately move out to destroy the research center, along with everybody in it.
The Role of The Gundam
In The Witch From Mercury, Gundam is truly a product of cutting edge technology unlike anything that the world has ever seen thus far. Some people fear its existence simply because it can kill its own pilot. On the other hand, some people put a great deal of hope in the GUND-Arms technology because its usage will provide so much valuable data and open up so many possibilities into developing a true GUND-Format technology that will allow humanity to harness the ability to live in space.
At the end of the Prologue, Cathedral manages to destroy the most important branch of the Vanadis Institute, its researchers, two Gundams, and all research data they have on board. However, a brand-new prototype called Gundam Lfrith manage to escape with one of the head researcher of Vanadis, Elnora Samaya, on board. On its way out, Lfrith manage to push back the attacking mobile suit from the Cathedral, so they know how dangerous a perfected Gundam could be.
That is why it is highly likely that the main storyline of The Witch From Mercury will involve a massive hunt of this elusive Gundam. And under the authorization of the Mobile Suit Development Council, Cathedral will do anything in its power to destroy any trace of Gundam technology. On the other hand, it seems that Elnora will continue the research on Gundam Lfrith in a secret place in order to make the dream of her fallen comrades, including her husband, come true.
The Main Character’s Origin Story
As mentioned earlier, using the full capabilities of Gundam is nearly impossible due to its nature that puts a heavy strain on its pilot brain. Even Elnora Samaya, one of the lead researchers and arguably the person who knows about the Gundam Lfrith the best, could not make the Lfrith move an inch. Because it seems to be not only the matters of brain capability, but about compatibility as well. At the end of the prologue, it is shown that the 4-year-old Ericht Samaya, Elnora’s daughter, has the highest compatibility with Lfrith. Although it’s an unconscious decision, Ericht Samaya manages to not only move Lfrith, but also command it to destroy a couple of Cathedral’s Mobile Suits at the same time.
It has been confirmed that an older Ericht Samaya will be the main character for the upcoming Gundam: The Witch of Mercury. It means the prologue basically tells us the reason why Ericht deserves to be the main character and the pilot of the most advanced mobile suit ever made. And be it a thirst for revenge or the will to honor the sacrifice of her parents, we also find out the motivation behind the decision the Ericht will make in the future.
So all things considered, The Prologue does an incredibly good job at giving us the premise and the tone of the story, introducing us to the characters and their motivations, and also explaining the role of the Gundam in the story. That’s why if you have the chance, be sure to watch this Prologue before you see the main story in October 2022.