Following a security issue at the spaceport involving an antique gun inside Char's suitcase, Édouard and Char switch their clothes and Char boards Édouard's flight, which is sabotaged by Zeon forces. Having faked his death at the cost of his friend, Édouard assumes the identity of Char and undergoes training as a Zeon cadet. During training, Char befriends a young Garma Zabi. Two years later, a Federation ship disobeys orders from Zeon's traffic control and inadvertently crashes into and destroys an agricultural block, enraging the Zeon colonists and sparking open rebellion. Seizing this chance, Char convinces Garma to lead their fellow cadets on a daring night attack against the local Federation garrison, completely overwhelming them and forcing their surrender. Meanwhile, Gihren Zabi orders the cancellation of the MS Project due to a lack of progress, but Professor Torenov Y. Minovsky convinces him to resume the project after discovering a technological breakthrough. Elsewhere, a young Amuro Ray arrives at Side 7 with his father.