APPLICATIONS -- 2010; 001

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Part 1 of 3: Pre-Episode 8

As I said, Simon was the type of kid to get dragged into Kamina's hair brained schemes very often, be they digging a tunnel to the surface or riding a pack of molepigs through the roof. Shy and easily won over by simply treating him like a human being (or maybe just too scared to say no), he often found himself facing his fears head on in these little plots.

And he always found himself lined up with the rest of Kamina's gang, the Gurren-dan, when punishment was doled out. But here's a good time to make a big point about Simon's personality: he was loyal until the end. Despite everyone else abandoning Kamina to face his fate, simply for a meal, Simon stood by his side. This loyalty would develop into fierceness and eventually a strength that could not be overcome. His loyalty is immediately tested by the occurrence of one of his greatest fears: an earthquake.

As I mentioned before, when Simon was seven his parents died in a cave-in. One caused by an earthquake. Pay attention to this, you will be tested (it comes up again in a few paragraphs). Not only did they die, but he got to watch them be buried alive. Traumatically enough, they died reaching out for him. So earthquakes? Are a huge deal to the PTSD'd little digger.

He begs Kamina to run for shelter, but Kamina refuses to move, or give in. Upon realizing why Simon is so afraid (re: last paragraph), he brings Simon to him in an awesome, moving moment of brotherly love. /determined face. When the quakes stop, Kamina gives a speech saying that on the surface, they don't have to fear cave-ins, and is promptly thrown in prison.

Simon digs that night, and discovers a small robot—later known as Lagann. Lagann reacts to a small drill he dug up earlier in the episode, and, of course, Simon decideds, HEY. LET'S GO SHOW KAMINA.

So, after digging his way into Kamina's cell, he tries to lead him out, only to be stopped by the village chief and repremanded for A) breaking Kamina out of prison and B) digging tunnels without permission to look for treasure.

And then.

The a giant robot crashes through the ceiling.

Assisted by a fiery red head from the surface (Yoko), Simon and Kamina find their way to Simon's previously-discovered robot and kick the shit out of the other giant robot, all of which are called “ganmen” from here forward.

Kamina shouts farewell to the village, and the boys, Boota and Yoko crash through the no longer existent ceiling and to a gorgeous sunset. Flying through the air, Simon admires his first glance of sunlight, of the surface, the sky, the moon and the desert before him. Awed by the simple existence of it all, he forgets his fears.

And then Lagann plummets back to Earth. And directly into a fight with two other ganmen.