The Earth Alliance and ZAFT (Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty) are at war. On the colony of Heliopolis, Industrial College student Kira Yamato gets involved in a Gundam extortion plan by the invading ZAFT forces.

Athrun steals the last Gundam, MS Aegis, and escapes. Kira and Murrue also barely escape the exploding factory on the Strike Gundam.

Rau, piloting MS CGUE, attacks Kira just as Archangel appears in front of them. Strike Gundam's cannon fire opens a large hole into the colony.

From the airspace of the destroyed Heliopolis, Kira returns and discovers Fray on the life boat. Archangel heads for the allied military satellite.

The four stolen Gundams loom in front of the launched Strike Gundam. The ZAFT forces throw all the Gundams into the attack. Kira and Athrun face off against each other again.

Barely escaping ZAFT forces, Archangel takes refuge in the military satellite Artemis. However, the crew are met with the muzzles of supposedly allied soldiers.