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Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny is the second TV series set in the Cosmic Era universe of Gundam. Set two years after the original Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, Gundam SEED Destiny features many new characters and some returning ones (most prominently Athrun Zala and Cagalli Yula Athha, but the majority of the surviving Gundam SEED cast appears in some capacity).
Gundam SEED Destiny had its premiere broadcast in Japan on October 9, 2004 at 6:00 PM on the Tokyo and Mainichi Broadcasting Systems.
Cast
Staff
- Director: Mitsuo Fukuda
- Series Writer: Chiaki Morosawa
- Character Designer: Hisashi Hirai
- Mechanical Designer: Kunio Okawara, Kimitoshi Yamane
- Design Works: Kenki Fujioka
- Art Director: Shigemi Ikeda
- Sound Director: Sadayoshi Fujino
- Music: Toshihiko Sahashi
- Producer: Seiji Takeda (MBS), Hiroyuki Sato (Sunrise)
Synopsis
Two years have passed since the end of the war between the Earth Alliance and ZAFT, leading to a peace treaty that placed strict limits on each faction's military capabilities. Restrictions were placed on the numbers of mobile suits that could be maintained, and other weapons such as Neutron-Jammer Cancellers and the Mirage Colloid were banned outright. Now, in Cosmic Era 73, tensions remain high. The Blue Cosmos have reorganized under the leadership of Lord Djibril, and the organization still exercises some control over the Earth's political elites.
The Armory One Theft
With both ZAFT and Earth Alliance members building their military powers, Orb Union representative Cagalli Yula Athha grew worried and arranged for a meeting with ZAFT chairman Gilbert Dullindal to discuss the need for power in the post-war era. Accompanying her was Athrun Zala, travelling as her bodyguard under the alias "Alex Dino." The meeting took place at ZAFT's Armory One, which was currently preparing for the launch ceremony of the first post-war battleship, the Minerva.
While Cagalli met with Dullindal, Earth Alliance pilots Sting Oakley, Stellar Loussier, and Auel Neider infiltrated the base. The three commandeered ZAFT's newest Gundam-type mobile suits, ZGMF-X24S Chaos Gundam, ZGMF-X31S Abyss Gundam, and ZGMF-X88S Gaia Gundam, and proceeded to lay waste to the installation. ZAFT forces scrambled to fight back, and even Athrun and Cagalli entered the fray in a ZGMF-1000 ZAKU Warrior. Dullindal relocated to the bridge of Minerva as it launched its own forces to aid in the defense of Armory One. Shinn Asuka launched in the ZGMF-X56S Impulse Gundam and fought a one-on-three battle. Eventually he was joined by comrades Lunamaria Hawke and Rey Za Burrel, but the stolen Gundams moved to escape the colony. They were due to be picked up by the Earth Alliance battleship Girty Lue, which was stationed just outside.
When Shinn and Rey followed the Gundams outside the colony, Lunamaria's ZAKU malfunctioned, forcing her to return to Minerva. There, she discovered Athrun and Cagalli, who had landed their own damaged ZAKU in Minerva's bay with the knowledge that Dullindal was in the bridge. Meanwhile, Shinn and Rey searched hopelessly for the stolen Gundams. They only found the mobile armor TA-MA4F Exus, piloted by Girty Lue's commanding officer, Neo Lorrnoke. Lorrnoke was unable to capture Shinn's Impulse, so he retreated to Girty Lue and ordered the ship to depart. Minerva gave chase, and the two eventually entered a shoal zone where Lorrnoke set up a trap for the ZAFT ship. The ambush caught Minerva's crew off guard, but quick thinking by Athrun saved the ship from disaster. It was then that Dullindal discovered Athrun's identity and revealed it to the entire ship, although the majority of the crew admired Athrun as a hero of the previous war despite his defection. The exception was Shinn, who harbored an intense dislike for anything dealing with Orb, of which Athrun was now a part. He blamed the ideals of Caglli's father for the death of his family.
The theft of the three Gundams was immediately set aside when movement was detected from Junius 7, which was supposed to be in a stable orbit. Instead, a rogue ZAFT force that supported the late Patrick Zala planted Flare Motors all over the colony's remains, harnessing solar wind to send it on a collision course with Earth. A ZAFT squadron under the command of Yzak Joule was dispatched to break up the colony, and the operation was initially delegated to Dearka Elsman. When the rogue ZAFTs fought back, Jule himself joined the battle. Minerva, which had moved to the area to support in the destruction of Junius 7, launched its own mobile suits, with Athrun obtaining permission to use a ZAKU. Girty Lue also arrived on the scene, and it launched the Gundam team. Minerva attempted to explain the situation by using emergency frequencies, but the three-way battle continued until Junius 7 began nearing the upper atmosphere.
Girty Lue and the Jule team withdrew due to the altitude, but Minerva continued to stay with Junius 7, which by this time had been successfully split in half. Minerva captain Talia Gladys declared that the ship would descend to Earth and destroy what remained of the colony with its "Tannhäuser" main gun. Dullindal launched on a shuttle to return to PLANT's mainland, and the descent began. Minerva fired the Tannhäuser and the body was broken into hundreds of smaller chunks which continued to fall. The pieces crashed to Earth, destroying the Parthenon, Philadelphia, Quebec City, Great Wall of China, Shanghai, and numerous other locations, while pieces that hit the sea caused massive tidal waves that destroyed coastal areas. The severest damage occurred near the equator. Dullindal immediately sent aid to Earth, but the Blue Cosmos had obtained photographs from Girty Lue of the rogue ZAFTs committing the drop. Jibiril dispersed the information to the media and Earth Alliance governments, hoping to stir up the people's emotions and lead to a war to eliminate the Coordinators once and for all.
Minerva entered port at Orb, which was spared from the damage the rest of the world suffered, and began to receive repairs from Morgenroete, Inc. Cagalli returned to her position and was informed of an impending pact with the Earth Alliance for mutual assistance in clean-up following the disaster, but Cagalli remained opposed to joining the Alliance. Athrun, in the meantime, decided to return to PLANT, realizing that there will still those loyal to his father, and that would breed trouble. Before leaving, he gave a ring Cagalli, essentially pledging his love for her. Although this was happy news for the stressed representative, Cagalli was soon shocked to learn that the Earth Alliance's major powers were preparing for war.
The Battle of Aprilius One
The president of the Atlantic Federation sent a list of demands to PLANT's supreme council which he knew would not be met. PLANT was blamed for harboring the terrorists that had committed the drop, even though PLANT had informed the Earth Alliance that all had been killed. The demands levied on PLANT were to dismantle its military, dismiss the current supreme council, and to submit to Earth Alliance inspectors. Dullindal wished to find a diplomatic solution, but his advisors revealed that the Earth military had already begun moving from the moon base and that ZAFT forces were forming the defense line.
The Earth Alliance main force launched its mobile suits against the ZAFT defenders while a separate ambush team moved to attack Aprilius One, the location of the supreme council. The goal was to eliminate ZAFT leadership from the onset. The team launched a squadron of new-model GAT-04 Windam units carrying nuclear warheads, but ZAFT had a surprise defense plan. A Nazca-class vessel armed with a Neutron Stampeder activated the device, sending out high frequency radiation that detonated all the nuclear weapons in the Earth's ambush fleet. This loss led the Earth's main forces to retreat to the moon. Lord Djibril was outraged upon learning of the defeat.
The ZAFT council never issued an alarm during the battle, so when the media began reporting news of the attempted nuclear attack, PLANT's citizens were outraged and began pushing for a retaliatory strike against all Naturals. Dullindal, knowing that escalation had to be curbed, called upon Lacus Clyne look-alike Meer Campbell to calm the people. Dullindal readily acknowledged that Lacus's influence was indeed greater than his own, and he realized that he would need help from others to quell the storm. To that end, Dullindal also offered the ZGMF-X23S Saviour Gundam to Athrun, who finally set his "Alex Dino" alias aside. Athrun accepted the unit and was given permission by Dullindal to use his power as his conscience dictated. He headed to Earth to meet up with the Minerva, which Dullindal thought could repeat Archangel's role in the previous conflict.
Operation Spear of Twilight
Following the nuclear attack, ZAFT's Defense Committee reacted quickly, drafting a series of proposals meant to strengthen ZAFT's position. Earth Alliance forces had begun surrounding ZAFT bases at Gibralter and Carpentaria, but the surprise use of the Neutron Stampeder frightened the Earth Alliance temporarily into submission. Dullindal approved the measures, but made it known that he only wished for the operation to be an aggressive assertion of the right to self-defense; he did not want a large-scale war to erupt. ZAFT forces gathered in the atmosphere to commence a drop operation to wipe out the Alliance forces threatening Gibralter and Carpentaria, but they met a fierce attack ordered by Lord Djibril, who refused to back down after the stunning defeat at Aprilius One.
Minerva's Escape
As ZAFT commenced its drop operation, politics were beginning to make the troublesome situation in Orb more difficult. The majority faction of Orb's governing body, led by Prime Minister Unato Ema Seiran and his son Yuuna Roma Seiran, supported an alliance with the Atlantic Federation and its associate powers. Cagalli remained fiercely opposed to joining, but the Seirans held firm - because the Atlantic Federation was both powerful and aggressive, it would make a better friend than foe. They did not want Orb to be scorched again by war, and Cagalli's neutral stance would make that a possibility. Athha was not able to prevent the alliance from being drawn up, and adding to her internal chaos was Yuuna's suggestion that the two be married as soon as possible.
Orb declared it would sign the International Safety Assurance Treaty and wasted no time in cooperating with its new allies. As a result, the battleship Minerva found itself in enemy territory. Although warned to leave quickly by Andrew Waltfeld, the ship was still ambushed as soon as it left Orb waters by an Earth Alliance fleet made up of several carriers and battleships. An Orb fleet was also deployed on the border to prevent Minerva from retreating into its territory. Minerva's three mobile suits were left to fight off a full compliment of Earth Alliance Windams, and although the Earth Alliance suffered severe losses, the Minerva's damage accrued until it was in danger of sinking.
The Earth Alliance deployed the massive mobile armor Zamzazar to collect combat data. The admiral of the fleet, while bias, believed that the Alliance should deploy newer and more powerful second-generation mobile armors like the Zamzazar as the main frontline units rather than the "mosquito-like" mobile suits they copied from ZAFT. Unfortunately, despite coming close to destroying the Impulse Gundam, Shinn's SEED factor was activated when all seemed lost. He requested that Minerva recharge him and launch new modules to replenish the combat capabilities of his damaged Impulse. The Minerva fired its Deuterion Beam to restore Impulse's energy, and then Shinn succeeded in destroying the Zamzazar. He then laid waste to the Earth Alliance fleet singlehandedly, forcing the survivors to retreat and paving a way for Minerva's escape. Thus, proving again that Mobile suits can best Mobile armors in combat.
Heroes of the Last War
A task force of Coordinators was dispatched to eliminate Lacus Clyne at her temporary Orb home as stealthily as possible, but unplanned resistance from Murrue Ramius and Waltfeld held them back. They, along with Lacus, Reverend Malchio, Kira Yamato, and the orphans in their care, escaped into the home's shelter. The assailants devolved their covert mission into an all-out assault on the compound using UMF/SSO-3 Ash amphibious mobile suits. With time running out until the shelter's collapse, Kira had no choice but to activate the rebuilt ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam in defense of the installation and Lacus. He brought out his SEED factor as soon as he entered the battlefield and easily wiped out the assault force, taking care to only incapacitate the suits and not kill any of the pilots. However, to maintain secrecy, each pilot self-detonated their stricken Ashs. Waltfeld knew that the Ashs were new models that should only have been available to the ZAFT military, so the group deduced that some higher power was at work. It was agreed to assemble as much of the old Archangel crew as possible and relaunch the ship.
Meanwhile, the day had arrived of the Athha-Seiran wedding, one that had been arranged during their childhood. Cagalli, whose clouded mind was troubled with the burdens of a world spiraling out of control, now accepted the fact that her life was for her nation, and it meant giving up Athrun for Yuuna. She sent Athrun's ring to Kira and explained her situation and decision, although Yuuna's haste and attitude were brought into question - perhaps his family was manipulating her. As the wedding commenced, the Archangel and Freedom Gundam both launched. The Orb military scrambled its defenses, but they were unable to prevent Kira from crashing the wedding and "kidnapping" Cagalli. Yuuna demanded the Freedom be shot down, but military commanders could do nothing since Cagalli would be caught in the fray. Some even refused to fire on Freedom and the Archangel, believing that they were the only faction truly fighting for what was right. Archangel made its escape and, for the second time, Orb's military officers had questioned orders handed down by their government.
Athrun, now a member of the autonomous and elite "FAITH" unit, arrived on Earth with the Saviour and went immediately to Orb to board Minerva. However, he found a world very different from the one he left behind. Orb scrambled its new model Murasame against him, and Athrun departed after learning Minerva had left. He made his way to Carpentaria, where Minerva was being repaired. There, he learned of numerous recent events - including Attha's marriage and subsequent kidnapping. He also delivered Dullindal's orders to Captain Gladys, who was also assigned to FAITH. Minerva was to head to Gibralter and support ZAFT forces, although there was some speculation that the deployment had something to do with the civil unrest in Western Eurussia, where several provinces, tired of having their resources plundered for war, openly began opposing the Atlantic Federation.
Characters
see Gundam Seed Destiny list of characters for more info
ZAFT/PLANT
- Shinn Asuka: Protagonist. A Coordinator born in Orb. After losing his parents and younger sister Mayu Asuka during the Orb invasion of C.E. 71, he moved to PLANT and enlisted in ZAFT. Dullindal finds him and he becomes a pilot of the Impulse Gundam. Very talented 16-year-old pilot. Wears the red uniform meaning he belonged in the top class of his military cadet school. Arrogant and proud, aggressively disdainful of the Orb Union and its ideals. Blames Uzumi Nara Athha (and his daughter Cagalli) for the deaths of his family.He has a mobile phone keepsake from Mayu. Asuka also possesses a SEED factor.
- Lunamaria Hawke: Coordinator and crew member of ZAFT's latest ship Minerva. Wears the red elite uniform like Shinn Asuka. She is also a MS pilot and uses ZAFT's latest MS, the ZAKU Warrior. Her ZAKU is red, rather than the standard green.
- Gilbert Dullindal: After signing the Treaty of Junius (the Armistice Treaty) as the successor of the Temporary Council, he becomes the Chairman of the Supreme Council. He pushes forward with Siegel Clyne's political ideals and is deeply trusted by the common people. Currently seeking reconciliation with the Naturals.
- Rey Za Burrel: Blonde bishounen and crew of Minerva. Possessed with high combat training, he pilots the commander class MS ZAKU Phantom. He never loses his cool. Has a Newtype reaction to Neo Lorrnoke.
- Yzak Joule: Commanding officer of the ZAFT army's Joule Team. Wears the white clothes that other commanding class officers, like Talia, do. Pilots a Slash ZAKU Phantom that uses close quarters combat equipment.
- Dearka Elsman: Member of the ZAFT army's Joule Team. Doesn't wear the red uniform of a top gun but the green uniform of an ordinary and pilots a ZAKU Warrior.
- Talia Gladys: The appointed captain of Minerva. She possesses excellent ability and great decision making skills. In one episode, she is shown sharing her quarters with Dullindal wearing nothing but a bed sheet wrapped around her, but it is unknown if the two were lovers before or after Dullindal came aboard the Minerva. Later, she is appointed to FAITH, an elite division of ZAFT answering directly to Chairman Dullindal.
- Meyrin Hawke: - Sister of Lunamaria and the communications officer onboard Minerva.
- Arthur Trine: - Executive officer of the Minerva.
- Madd Aves: - Minerva's tech crew team leader.
- Youlan Kent: - Member of Minerva's tech crew. Friend of Shinn.
- Vino Dupre: - Member of Minerva[nowiki]'[nowiki]s tech crew.
- Malik Yardbirds: - Minerva bridge personnel. Mans the ship's helm.
- Chen Zheng Yi: - Minerva bridge personnel. In control of weapons systems.
- Burt Heim: - Minerva bridge personnel. Mainly in charge of detecting the enemy and other things.
- Meer Campbell - A singer who is impersonating Lacus Clyne for political reasons. Accompied by a red Haro.
- Haine Westenfluss- A Elite pliot that was also given the Special FAITH insigina. Belonging to Athrun's FAITH Squad. Pliot an orange Blaze ZAKU Phantom, and later a GOUF Ignited.
- Shiho Hahnenfuss - A Elite pliot that wears the red elite uniform belonging to Joule Squadron. She was a test pilot for the CGUE DEEP Arms in the last war. Now she pilots a purple Blaze ZAKU Phantom.
Earth Alliance
- Sting Oakley - The pilot of the Chaos Gundam. A special forces member of the Earth Alliance, he sneaks in the night previous to the launching ceremony of the Minerva at Armory One. Second-generation "Living CPU" pilot, using neural enhancements and brainwashing instead of drugs.
- Stellar Loussier - The pilot of the Gaia Gundam. Also a special forces member of the Earth Alliance. Behaves like an ordinary girl, but shows abnormal strength during combat. For some reason, she wears a ZAFT uniform belt. Second-generation "Living CPU" pilot, using neural enhancements and brainwashing instead of drugs.
- Auel Neider - The pilot of the Abyss Gundam. Another special forces member of the Earth Alliance who sneaks into Armory One. Second-generation "Living CPU" pilot, using neural enhancements and brainwashing instead of drugs.
- Neo Lorrnoke - The commander of a EA Special Forces team (including Sting, Stellar and Auel) who wears a helmet that covers his face and is deeply trusted by his subordinates. Pilots the mobile armor Exus. He reports to Lord Djibril under the code name "Phantom Pain".
- Ian Lee - The captain of the Girty Lue. He trusts Neo implicitly.
- Lord Djibril - Blue Cosmos's new leader who revives the Blue Cosmos and plans the extermination of all Coordinators. Also a member of a secret society known as "Logos".
Orb
- Athrun Zala: Now 18 years old. Discharged from ZAFT and defected to Orb. He goes by a pseudonym and serves as Cagalli's personal bodyguard, under the alias "Alex Dino". He makes acquaintance with Shinn and the others when he accompanies Cagalli to the secret conference between Cagalli and Dullindal at the Armory One PLANT. He offers his assistance to Dullindal after the attack and pilots the Saviour Gundam. To allow Athrun access to Saviour and to ZAFT facilities, Dullindal appoints him to FAITH, but in actuality Athrun acts as he sees fit rather than answering to Dullindal.
- Cagalli Yula Athha: Also 18 years old, she is now a representative of Orb. She is working to achieve peace.
- Unato Ema Seiran: The prime minister of Orb who came into power after the deaths of former chief representatives Uzumi Nara Athha and Representative Homura.
- Yuuna Roma Seiran: Son of Unato, when the Minerva arrives at Orb, he is overjoyed to see Cagalli and embraces her much to her and Athrun's chagrin and the surprise of the ZAFT officers. As a result, Athrun later gives Cagalli a ring, sliding it onto her left ring finger without saying much. Presumably this is just a "hands off" message to Yuuna.
- Lacus Clyne: After the Battle of Jachin Due, she lives peacefully with Kira, his parents, and Orb's Reverend Malchio looking after an orphanage.
- Kira Yamato: Protagonist in Gundam Seed. Lives with Lacus, Reverend Malchio and the orphans peacefully.
- Andrew Waltfeld: Formerly a ZAFT soldier, he is now living in Onogoro Island in Orb.
- Murrue Ramius: The captain of the Archangel in Gundam Seed. She now works for Morgenroete, Inc.'s Shipbuilding Section B alongside Kojiro Murdoch and possibly other former Archangel crewmembers. She now goes by the alias, "Maria Vernes".
- She is now a battlefield photographer. Miriallia was seen documenting some of the devastation caused by the fragments of Junius-7 that struck the Earth.
- Captain Todaka: Commander of Orb's 2nd Defense Fleet. Defies Yuuna Roma Seiran by allowing first Minerva and then Archangel to escape Orb.
Other
- Mayu Asuka: Shinn's sister. As the Asuka family ran to an Orb escape ship, she dropped her cell phone. Shinn went after it, and a misfire by Freedom Gundam destroyed the hillside the family was on, killing her instantly. Shinn still has Mayu's cell phone and occassionally listens to her voice mail recording, just to hear her voice again.
- Conil Almeta: A young 14-years-old girl with the anti-Alliance resistance in Eurasia's Western Galnahan. Under her guidance, the Minerva strikes an Alliance stronghold.
- Sai Argyle: Serves as the narrator of the recap "Gundam SEED Destiny: EDITED".
(See article: Mobile Suits of Gundam Seed Destiny)
Vehicles and Support Mecha
Earth Alliance
- Girty Lue - Earth Alliance Special Forces mothership, the shape of the ship and its armament possesses Earth Alliance characteristics but it seems to answer to Blue Cosmos. It's equipped with the Mirage Colloid, a violation of the Junius Treaty. Armed with 6 Gottfried turrets and numerous rocket launchers, as well as Igelstellung CIWS and a large rocket anchor. Its commanding officer is Neo Lorrnoke.
- Agamemmnon-class carrier - Still used as flagships and mobile suit carriers.
- 250 meter class warship - Still the backbone of the Earth Alliance fleets.
- 130 meter class escort ship - Still the standard Earth Alliance escort vessel.
- Tarawa-class carrier - Seaborne flagships and mobile suit carriers.
- Arkansas-class crusier - Seaborne escort ships.
- Des Moines-class cruiser - Seaborne escort ships.
- Fraser-class destroyer - Seaborne escort ships.
ZAFT/PLANT
- Minerva - This heavily armed ZAFT warship was built to operate the Second Stage MS Gundam. Transatmospheric Mobile Suit Assault Ship (LHM) designated LHM-BB01. The mothership of Impulse, Shinn, and Lunamaria. Minerva resembles both Eternal and Archangel but is of a new design. Equipped with 2 standard linear catapults and a third dedicated catapult for the Impulse Gundam and its Silhouette packs. Hanger capacity is unspecified, but probably at least 10 mobile suits. Armed with 2X XM47 "Tristan" dual beam cannons, 1X M10 "Isolde" 420mm triple projectile cannon, 1X "Tannhäuser" positron cannon, and multiple missile launchers and CIWS turrets.
- Laurasia-class Mobile Suit carrying Frigate (FFM) - Still the backbone of the ZAFT fleet.
- Nazca-class High-Speed Mobile Suit carrying Destroyer (DDMH) - Commonly used as fleet flagships. At least one was modified to use an anti-nuclear weapon known as the Neutron Stampeder.
- Gondwana class supercarrier - Gigantic vessel with a huge mobile suit capacity. Only one ship.
Orb Union and Civilians
- Combat Helicopter
- Aegis-class cruiser - The backbone of Orb's defense fleets.
- Archangel - Launches from a hanger concealed beneath Malchio's estate. Still captained by Murrue Ramius, and now upgraded with submarine capabilities.
Episodes
see main article: Gundam Seed Destiny episode list
- Episode 1 - Enraged Eyes
- Episode 2 - Those Who Cry Out For Battle
- Episode 3 - Ominous Gunfire (Due to the Niigata-ken Chuetsu Earthquake broadcast was interrupted)
- Episode 4 - Battlefield Of Stardust
- Episode 5 - Unhealable Scar
- Episode 6 - The World's Final Hour
- Episode 7 - The Dazed Earth
- Episode 8 - Junction
- Episode 9 - Prideful Fangs
- Episode 10 - Father's Curse
- Episode 11 - The Chosen Path
- Episode 12 - The Ocean Stained with Blood
- Episode 13 - Resurrected Wings
- Episode 14 - Departure Towards Tomorrow
- Episode 15 - The Return to the Battlefield
- Special Episode - Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny-EDITED-
- Episode 16 - The Battle to the Death in the Indian Ocean
- Episode 17 - Soldier's Terms
- Episode 18 - Lohengrin, Shoot
- Episode 19 - The Unseen Truth
Openings & Endings
Openings:
- Ignited by T.M. Revolution (ep. 1-13)
- Pride by High and Mighty Color (ep. 14-)
Endings:
- Reason by Nami Tamaki (ep. 1-13)
- Life Goes On by Mika Arisaka (ep. 14-)
See Also
Preceded by: Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
External Links
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