Shinn and Rey have returned Stellar to her allies in order to save her life. As punishment for defying military regulations, the two pilots are placed in detention while the ZAFT leadership determines their fate. To Talia's shock, her superiors decide to overlook the matter entirely, and she realizes that Dullindal is intervening from behind the scenes to protect Shinn and Rey.

Having failed in their mission to destroy the Minerva, Neo Lorrnoke and his Phantom Pain taskforce receive a new assignment. Stellar is placed at the controls of the monstrous Destroy Gundam and begins wreaking a path of destruction across western Eurasia. Upon learning of this, both the Archangel and the Minerva rush to halt the Destroy's rampage.