Episode
                  31: The Glass Kingdom 
                  Airing Date
                  2000-04-17

            For me, one strong story is worth more than a ton of theoretical 
            rhetoric. I'm from the school that says that talk is cheap (well, I 
            didn't actually graduate from that school but I did spend a few 
            semesters there). Action is what makes the world go ‘round. I don't 
            mean "bang bang shoot ‘me up" action, although that stuff has its 
            place. I mean story action. When I curl up in front of the boob 
            tube, I want to be moved from point A to point B. I want to feel as 
            if I've gotten something for my time. Random ideas about peace and 
            war are great but without character arcs and flowing stories, 
            they're hollow and meaningless. Which is why I really enjoyed "The 
            Glass Kingdom." We've already got well-defined characters moving 
            through their life arcs... here we've got a story told with 
            intelligence, nuance, drama and some "bang bang shoot 'em up" 
            action, too. 
            What more could a boy want? Besides a Good Humor ice cream truck 
            permanently parked in his driveway, not much says I. 
            Here's the situation -- the Treize faction has been backed into the 
            Sanc Kingdom by "the new OZ" forces. They're new because now their 
            Mobile Dolls come standard with leather bucket seats, I suppose. 
            Anyway, the Treize dudes are low on ammo and morale. Worse, they're 
            aware that they're being used by OZ as an excuse to storm into Sanc 
            and blow the place away. Princess Relena, who's part student, part 
            teacher, part president and all mouth, decides to make the soldiers 
            refugees so that they won't be harmed. 
            The Treize guys, though, would rather give their lives than risk the 
            sanctity of Sancworld. Miss Noin, meanwhile, shows Quatre a few 
            Mobile Suits she's been hiding from her princess. Heero finds his 
            Wing Gundam and together they all attack the approaching OZ forces 
            and (temporarily, anyway) save the Treize faction dudes. 
            Noin and Heero actually talk Relena into letting them raise an army 
            to protect the Sanc's borders and Relena begins searching for Trowa, 
            the missing-in-action Gundam boy. Dorothy Twigbrows Catalonia proves 
            her freakishness by challenging Heero to a duel and then, believe it 
            or not, salivating over the climactic battle. 

                  More "bang bang shoot 'em up action" than Scooby Doo. 
            The show ends on a weird note, though, with Twigbrows going on about 
            how impressed she is by the Gundams. I think this chick has got some 
            major anger issues. Someone didn't give Twig-girl enough love as a 
            child and now the world's gonna pay. Heaven help us all. 
            I liked that Quatre had more to do in this episode. Sometimes the 
            guy's so wishy washy that he doesn't know if he's coming or going. 
            In "The Glass Kingdom," though, Quatre realizes that action is 
            what's called for and he steps up to the call. He and Noin blow the 
            enemy away. It's sweet to watch. It's also nice to see Heero back 
            where he belongs -- behind his joystick in the cockpit of a Gundam. 
            Like Regis on his millionaire show, Heero's at his best doing one 
            particular thing. And that's my final answer. 

            --Ross Brooks would love to see Heero on Who Wants To Be A 
            Millionaire.