Ep 5. Phase Shift Down

As the episode begins, Athrun Zala is still reeling from the revelation that his childhood friend, Kira Yamato, is piloting the Strike Gundam. He confides in his superior officer, Rau Le Creuset, about his conflicted feelings, but Rau advises him to put his personal relationships aside and focus on their mission to capture the Strike.

Meanwhile, the crew of the Archangel is hard at work repairing the damaged Strike Gundam following their recent battle. Kira, however, is struggling with his own emotional turmoil. He's still processing the fact that he's been forced to fight against the friends he grew up with and struggling to reconcile his peaceful ideals with the violent reality of war.

His best friend, Tolle Koenig, tries to cheer him up, but Kira remains plunged in introspection. When the Archangel receives an unexpected distress signal from a nearby transport ship, Kira sees it as a chance to prove that he's not just a tool of the military but a force for good in the world. He helps to coordinate the rescue operation, using his piloting skills to safely guide the transport through a minefield.

However, as the Archangel prepares to leave, they're ambushed by a team of ZAFT soldiers led by Athrun. The ensuing battle is intense and brutal; both sides take heavy losses. Athrun manages to board the Archangel and engage Kira in a one-on-one battle, driven by his thirst for revenge and his desire to prove himself to Rau.

The battle culminates in a dramatic showdown between the Strike Gundam and the Aegis Gundam, piloted by Athrun. Kira is pushed to his limits and beyond, forced to tap into the Strike's secret Phase Shift Down mode to survive. The high-stakes battle leaves both pilots exhausted and battered, but ultimately Kira emerges victorious.

As the episode comes to a close, Athrun is left to grapple with his failure while Kira struggles to come to terms with the emotional toll of the conflict. The boundaries between friend and foe, right and wrong, are starting to blur, leaving both young pilots questioning their place in the war and their own sense of self.