Zaid - The Best Friend there Never Was?
During Wind Rising in the Homeland, the three part look at Sousuke’s battle (Episodes 16, 17 and 18 of the Original Season), Zaid aligns himself with Sousuke’s worse enemy, Gauron to secure the transport of a nuclear missile. It’s not clear if Zaid was aware of Gauron’s opposition to Sousuke from the beginning of the partnership but struggling against his better judgment this is probably the safest line of work offered the boy in a long, long time. The first time we, as viewers, see the interaction between Zaid and Gauron the two are discussing which path Sousuke will take to reach them so that they might counterattack and lie in wait. While it seems Zaid is heartless, one must take a painful look at where he is coming from.
Then again, not all have good in their heart. Zaid rains down rounds on Sousuke without blinking, but one can’t help but notice the blank look as Zaid engages the ‘enemy.’ His heart is not in it as it was when we viewed the two in flashbacks to their childhood. Zaid is operating on pure survival instinct, and he will be the one to survive. He feels he is leading by example, showing Sousuke how to bring the philosophy he once taught him to complete life.
Surprised to see him, Sousuke faced the toughest battle of his life. Under the assumption that all of the ones who stayed behind the day he left camp were destroyed by Gauron, Sousuke discovers mid-battle that his best friend survived. As the only survivor, it is quite probable that Zaid followed and offered up arms to Gauron in partnership as a way of survival. Zaid, sadly, dies during battle by Sousuke’s hand, fighting with an unrelenting fire to ultimately seal survival of the fittest.—MIZ
