Shirin, that was her name. Hm, funny, I noted Sumeragi’s absence from the OP but totally didn’t connect it to Sunrise’s usually not-so-subtle death sentences. Then again, as far as Sunrise and deaths go, I’m thoroughly jaded. I’d say Shirin and Sumeragi are definitely killable right now. Shirin would be the easiest way to inspire a change in Marina aside from Setsuna, and Sumeragi’s death would be a huge blow to Celestial Being considering they had to drag her back against her will because they needed her that much (Katagiri also tore up that picture, more foreshadowing?). If they kill Shirin, I don’t think they can kill Klaus without Katharon partially collapsing, but if leave Shirin be for the moment and kill Klaus instead (likely since he’s going off to meet the coup de’tat group), that may also inspire change in Marina. I don’t see Kati dying just yet because I’m not sure how big of an impact that’d leave, and she and Patrick make for some rare comic relief (I mean, that’s the only reason Tamaki didn’t die in Geass, right?).

It would be cool to see Marina with a machine gun. XD

Marina and Setsuna are a tad dull. Maybe because the cast around them is so neurotic and colorful? Contrasts again. I also think they’re trying to make up for the overemoness of the Cosmic Era. Marina and Setsuna may be often…depressed but they only really cry when the situation calls for it. I can even forgive Marina crying in S1 about Azadistan since Shirin told her off about it and her reasons were damn valid. Who wouldn’t crack sometimes from being a female leader of a Muslim nation that’s on the verge of collapse? I also liked her reaction to when Azadistan fell. She didn’t sob hysterically, just fell to her knees, a good metaphor for a once proud nation brought to its knees, not too dramatic since she was in public… She cried to Shirin in private later. At least she has the good mind not to show the people around her the true extent of her devastation. What would the Katharon members have thought if she’d burst into tears?

Ah, yes, if Shirin dies. They say when a character gets taken out of the OP or ED, there’s a big chance of death. In Wing, they took Treize out of the Rhythm Emotion OP and, a few episodes later, he was dead. Mu wasn’t in Find The Way didn’t have Mu, and Murrue was crying in that ED. Lo and behold, Mu died (until damn Destiny.) Nichol was also taken out of the OP before he bit the dust. Looks like a lot of 00 characters are up for possible death. Shirin, Klaus, Sumeragi, Kati… demmit, I’ll have a fit if they kill Kati. Euphie didn’t go about it on purpose but it’d still be cool to see Marina with a machine gun. xD

Marina is a good contrast to Setsuna, but I really feel like they’re both pretty flat and uninteresting. I’m with you in hoping there’s some kind of huge disaster that’ll transform her (or Setsuna, for that matter). I really can’t see Marina pulling a Euphie at any point (considering that Euphie didn’t even do it on purpose ;3), but if say… whatsherface, her former-assistant lady were killed, I wonder if Marina would be able to assume some sort of leadership role within the rebel faction since she is supposed to be a leader.

As for Relena, we saw that she was educated. She never did command a battleship but, if she did, it’d be a lot more plausible than Lacus. Why? The pacifist academy. Sure, they learned all the peace stuff but they were also learning arts of defense (fencing, etc.) I think they’d also study war strategies. Knowing what you’re advocating against makes sense.

I do accept your views on Marina and I admit my mistake. Wrong choice of words. Looking back, she isn’t all that mature. Relena was sort of a wild child. Marina’s more of the innocent, stubborn type, one who refuses to see the world crumbling around her and constantly clinging to hope. Could be good, could be bad… It’s a good contrast to Setsuna. Setsuna is an old soul in the body of a child. Marina is childlike. Mind you, not childish. Relena was childish and slowly graduated to childlike then, thankfully, mature by Endless Waltz. Childish is more on just intent on getting one’s way. Childlike is more on having an indomitable spirit even when the deck is stacked against you, hoping for a win even when a loss is sure, doing what little you can even if you know it’ll have little to no impact just so you can feel useful (i. e. Marina singing).

And actually, it wasn’t out on the battlefield that she took the kids. They were a bit far-off. Of course, I won’t say that wasn’t risky. It was. But again, she wanted to feel useful, to comfort the kids. Again, childlike. She didn’t see the big picture, just wanted to do what she could.

People complain that she’s useless but it’s not really her fault that the plot pigeonholed her. She’s doing what little she can and gets bashed for it. It’s hard for her to let go of her optimism. Will probably take a huge disaster to crack her. Th Prototype ED has her shielding the kids from an explanation so…hopefully foreshadowing? I’m evil and sort of want her to take the route Louise did. :p

As for Marina being weak-willed, won’t argue with you there. At least Relena wasn’t the sort to let herself be controlled once she found out they were trying it. Romafeller couldn’t keep her mouth shut, she resigned rather than to continue being a puppet. Even Noin couldn’t get a handle on her. She raged in front of aristocrats despite Noin telling her not to. Again, Relena was a wild child. Marina is a distilled, weaker form. I really look forward to the day she grows a spine. I think that’ll most probably happen if the kids are massacred. I so want to see Marina go Euphemia on the A-LAWS. xD Knowing Sunrise, a child massacre is possible. :p

@Robyn: I thought it over and decided that Marina is indeed more like Relena than Lacus (at least Lacus could command a battleship), but I don’t accept the adjectives “mature, pessimistic, and cautious.” I don’t view her as mature because of her amazing naivete during the first season. Of course, maturity doesn’t necessarily coincide with naivete, but I think to some extent, it’s valid. I also don’t feel like it was mature or responsible of her to take the children outside to sing in the middle of a battlefield. I just see that as weak-willed, which was also evident when she was letting herself be puppeted around as the Princess. I don’t view her as pessimistic because I view her as an idealist because I view most pacifists as idealists. And I don’t view her as cautious because of her aforementioned naivete and lack of responsibility.

I guess my association of Marina with Relena is pretty superficial though. I find them both annoying and mostly useless. D;

1. Marina wrote the song to cheer up the children. She wouldn’t have gone out and sung if the kid hadn’t suggested she do it. Also, she sang it with the kids so she wasn’t really out to make a spectacle of herself. It wasn’t a “hey, listen to me!” song. More like, “I’m thinking of you as I sing this even if you can’t hear it.” You know, like how you sing for the hell of it, because you feel like it or, in this case, because the kids felt like it. Just her luck that everybody heard it thanks to GN particle telepathy.

2. She wasn’t singing for the sake of fanservice unlike Lacus and Meer did. It’s a plot point that’ll sort of lead Setsuna back to her.

She is definitely not Lacus. She’s more like a mature, pessimistic, cautious version of Relena. She’s also genuinely kind. I have no idea how she doesn’t go nuts around so many kids. Honestly, I haven’t seen her do one wicked thing in the whole series. As far as I know, she’s only smiled twice and one of those times was in Setsuna’s dream in S1, Episode 21. She’s also more patient than her Wing counterpart. Relena slapped Mariemaia and that was just one seven-year-old. Granted, the kid was a megalomaniac but still… xD I doubt Marina could bitch slap anyone. :p

Yeah this is starting to become Gundam Wing, people are going to start switching sides now that Pang and Sergei are going to stage a coup.