Episode
                  18: Tallgeese Destroyed 
                  Airing Date
                  2000-03-29
            
            Honor is one of the most revered concepts in the After Colony years. 
            It’s what defines and unifies the men and women who fight in the 
            Gundam Wing series, and it’s responsible for many of their actions, 
            too.
            Zechs Merquise (who’s actually Milliardo Peacecraft) and Treize 
            Khushrenada have been friends and comrades a long time. Their dual 
            sense of honor has kept them equals, even though Treize has risen to 
            a singular position of importance within the ranks of OZ. Now, 
            though, the two men must part ways. Destiny being what it is, Zechs 
            cannot remain on Earth with Treize and OZ any longer. The tug of his 
            own path is too strong.
            "Tallgeese Destroyed" is a curious episode. Proud and full of 
            original, interesting ideas, it’s also strangely hollow and leaves 
            us wanting more. Yes, I’m aware of the first rule of storytelling -- 
            "always leave your audience wanting more" -- but in this case I 
            didn’t feel as if we were given enough to satisfy our Gundam Wing 
            hunger in any real, concrete way. Maybe this type of episode is to 
            be expected every few weeks or so -- the filler episode. The bridge. 
            Now that the action is shifting away from Earth and toward Outer 
            Space, there are a number of shifts (or scene changes) which need to 
            be made so that all the players are in the new forum. "Tallgeese 
            Destroyed," while not being light on story, somehow feels like a 
            cheat.
            While the higher-ups in the Romefeller Foundation are entranced with 
            both the performance ratings and the business prospects of their 
            newly released Mobile Dolls, Treize worries that a war fought 
            without human beings has nothing to do with honor. He’s also 
            concerned that his friend Zechs will be court-martialed unless he 
            promises to rejoin the fight against the five Gundams.

                  The Zechs hatchling emerges from its shell.
            Zechs cannot do that, though, and is told that OZ will dispatch a 
            huge force of 50 Aries suits and 20 Cancers to destroy him and the 
            ship he’s hiding on. Treize notifies Zechs, tells him of OZ’s plan 
            in the hopes his friend will escape with his life. The battle 
            begins, Zechs lays waste to the enemy and winds up passed out on a 
            sandy beach alongside the Tallgeese. During the battle his 
            ever-present mask shatters -- as it crumbles, Zechs proclaims his 
            friendship with Treize over.
            Again (because I’ve said this before), Zechs motivation here is 
            foggy at best. Sure, you can read into it if you want, but I prefer 
            to let each episode stand on its own. Treize has taken a great risk 
            to allow his friend a chance at survival. Right now, Zechs’ path 
            isn’t entirely clear. It’s not a foregone conclusion that Zechs and 
            Treize will square off against each other. Yet the Gundam Wing 
            producers (and writers) tip their hand by having Zechs formally end 
            his friendship with Treize. Maybe it’s the Japanese custom of 
            formality -- for me, though, it feels forced and obvious. Maybe the 
            problem here isn’t that we’re left wanting more, but that "Tallgeese 
            Destroyed" left us knowing too much.

            --Ross Brooks will destroy you. Which means he'll send you to a 
            beautiful, sandy beach.