Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing - Episode 13

Fond farewalls to Dian and her country of Glacies prove to be short-lived for Fam and company, as their departure throws them straight into the face of a massive Federation fleet making their way for Glacies borders with a view to invading this secretive land.  Can one small vanship really do anything to help prevent a bloodbath?

Regardless of the possibilities, Fam immediately turns tail in the hope of warning Dian as to what's headed their way, and perhaps more importantly to inform her of the nasty surprises part of the invasion force has in store for them.  While Glacies' pilots easily see off the first wave of attackers, by the time Fam arrives on the scene it's too late to do little more than watch in horror as Glacies' forces are mown down by the Federation's anti-vanship weaponary - not that Dian and her comrades have any intention of turning tail and running no matter the odds.

With their attempt to help completed, Fam, Gise and Millia have nothing left to do but leave the area, although our own focus on the battle panning out remains as Glacies pull out all the stops to halt the invaders in their track.  Indeed, the Federation aren't the only ones in possession of the ability to use an Exile, with Glacies showing off some powerful defences of their own to force the Federation's hand into using their own ultimate weapon.  Meanwhile however, Fam and Gise's major concern turns towards their own homeland, as they stop off at a Sky Pirate hideout to find it's been bombed, ravaged and abandoned.  Can anyway stand in the way of the destruction being wreaked across the planet?

This isn't going to be the first time I praise Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing for its grandiose depictions of war in the skies, and I'd wager it won't be the last either - regardless, once again the action segments of this episode were a real treat as they took an ambitious, CG-packed and ultimately great-looking view on a massive battle for supremacy in the air between two major forces.  It wasn't all just big explosions and battleships however, as this week's episode didn't forget to offer a more human view on its warfare as well, with scenes that remind the viewer as to just how much has been lost in terms of life and property framed against some potential incoming danger for Kartoffel.  In other words, this was a hugely effective and terrific episode to watch, and pretty much a shining example of this series at its absolute best.