Ep 15. The Respective Solitudes

The episode titled "The Respective Solitudes" is the fifteenth installment of the popular Japanese anime series Gundam SEED's first season. This episode reveals more about the emotional turmoil the characters are going through as the war between the naturals and coordinators escalates.

The episode starts with Athrun of the ZAFT returning to the elementary school where he was educated, only to discover that it has been destroyed in the ongoing war. As a coordinator, he is part of the group being targeted by Naturals, who believe that coordinators are a threat to humanity. Athrun is tormented by the memories of his past as he recalls the happy moments he shared with his friends at this school. He finds himself in a place where he feels alone and out of touch. Athrun's life has changed since the war started, and he now battles his emotions while being forced to choose a side in the battle being fought.

Meanwhile, aboard the Archangel, Kira talks with his friend Cagalli, who is a coordinator. The two are from different sides of the war but have managed to become friends despite that fact. Cagalli's mind wanders off when Kira, along with their other friends, comments on their admiration for her father. Cagalli struggles with the knowledge that her father is one of the primary figures in the war but does not share the hatred that others have for him. Instead, her view of her father is complicated by the fact that she remembers him fondly as a loving figure in her life before the war.

Further into the episode, we see Kira continuing to struggle with the knowledge that he has killed numerous people in the course of the war. He is plagued by the guilt and questions whether there was any other way to resolve the conflict. Kira is not a natural warrior and prefers to use his skills as an engineer to help others. However, he finds himself forced to fight, leading to many of these situations where he had to act out in self-defense.

As the episode progresses, the different characters face their anguished feelings alone, leading to frustration and confusion. They all try to justify their actions in one way or another, but truth is, the war is tiring, and the reality of their actions is beginning to dawn upon them. The episode closes with several characters, including Kira, Athrun, and Cagalli, struggling with their choices and the emotional toll of the war. They are all isolated in their despair, feeling isolated as they face their respective solitudes.

Overall, this episode of Gundam SEED depicts a nuanced account of the human toll of war. The audience is shown the harsh reality of what war does to its participants and how it changes them. It's a testament to the choice made by the creators of the show not to glorify warfare but instead to focus on its impact. This episode provides crucial character development and allows the audience to form a better understanding of the layered emotional states these characters find themselves in.