#MuvLuv ep22: don't trust anyone, but your enemy! #anime 

So the situation seems to break down to this: Christian American
leadership has instigated and directed a terrorist attack on the UN
TSF Test base in Alaska. And their lead by some bishie with probably
a lot of power and influence. And our team of pilots is fighting with
practically no live ammo or information. So why do we have any
incentive to keep watching and not assume the worst? Because this is
anime dumbass! None of that crap I just said matters!

This was a very set up heavy episode, so I'm anxious to get this over
with and continue watching. So I'm only gonna get to my opinion. You
got enough synopsis in the opening paragraph.

This episode did two things for me, and those are the very same two
things they set out to do, and do right. It got me hyped for the next
episode, and it helped explain some of what was going on. This is a
funded movement, using angry refugees as pawns. It appears the
ambitious American leadership behind this united the refugees with a
shared hatred and religion. That actually makes this series a bit
more poignant than I was willing to give it credit for. I don't doubt
for a moment that the moment they accomplish their mission, scrapping
the servicemen working on the base and unleashing whatever horrors are
encased underneath it, that the Americans will use their military to
double-cross those poor foreign losers. And that effort will be spear
headed by the stealth equipped Infinities (Infinites?)

I find this plan to be incredibly stupid given the context of the
viewer. To us, the Cold War is long over and most of these grievances
seem petty and out of place. But in the world of the series, things
evolved very differently. The U.S.S.R. still exists and is still a
world military power. Japan is an ultra-nationalistic imperial power.
And that Cold War sentiment is still in the air, heavy and thick. So
despite the fact that humanity is still fighting tooth and nail for
its very existence, countries still find time to look out for
themselves and play political games. It's really not very unrealistic
to me. I just find this plot itself to be very over the top and
convoluted. It's not stupid to me, it's insane. America is
attempting to trade in a shield for a sword in my opinion by
threatening the resources of other countries, and the relationships
with them. It may get them more technology, but I don't know of any
strategy where weakening your allies makes YOU stronger.

Little touches I liked in this episode included Yuuya getting to fight
with his entire harem due to Cryska and Cui needed TSF's to stay
alive. Seeing Inia alone may help explain what makes her so special
and dangerous. The reason I'm 100% sure she's dangerous is because
she's a little girl who is slightly emotionally disturbed. In anime,
and Japanese media in general, that's all she needs to be a murdering,
unstoppable powerhouse... a natural disaster with big cute eyes. Then
there's seeing Ibrahim, a man of Turkish descent, running into Turkish
refugees he likely saved. I can't imagine a man of his apparent honor
switching sides, but it can't be a great option for him to kill them
either.

All in all, good episode. Now I'm gonna grab me a cold beer and keep watching!