Cagalli and her golden mobile suit Akatsuki have turned the tide of battle in Orb's favor, but she now finds herself facing enemy reinforcements, in the form of the Minerva and Shinn's Destiny Gundam. Even as the Archangel rushes to Cagalli's aid, Kira and Lacus return from space with a pair of new Gundams.

While the Archangel clashes with the Minerva, Kira uses his new Strike Freedom Gundam to fend off the Destiny, forcing Shinn to retreat. During this lull in the fighting, Cagalli prepares the Orb defense forces for the next wave of attacks, while Athrun and Neo make own their decisions about whether to return to the battlefield.