The Gundam series has a long record of amazing episodes that captured the original Japanese audience by storm. While the series has gripping storylines and characters, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing is the only series that became a staple in many American homes.
The show was translated from its original Japanese track into English and broadcast over Cartoon Network in March 2000.
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing has stood the test of time and entertained generations of anime lovers because of the Wing Gundam Zero suit. But don’t take our word for it. Here are a few reasons why Wing Gundam Zero is one of the most iconic of the entire Gundam Lore.
Be careful! There might be a few spoilers ahead.
1. Surprising And Unexpected History
Unlike many mobile suits in the entire Gundam franchise, Wing Gundam Zero is the only suit that launched accidentally. You see, the five Gundam Scientists designed the original blueprints for the Wing Gundam Zero.
They intended to create a powerful mobile suit that would avenge the actions of the Operation of the Zodiac. But they soon realized that the suit had more power than they could control and opted not to build it immediately.
After one of the scientists died, his son Quatre bumped into the system’s blueprints and used them to create the first Wing Gundam Zero. The suit became one of the most influential in Gundam Lore. It also contributed to the most significant events in the franchise’s history, like destroying some space colonies.
You can think of the suit as the reason the story of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing exists.
2. Pilots
The Wing Gundam Zero is the only suit that most of the pilots in Gundam Lore have flown. The first pilot to ever fly the Wing Gundam Zero was Quatre Winner. He used the suit to cause a lot of destruction. In fact, the suit made him destroy all the space colonies and kill many of the fighters in space.
After the Operation of the Zodiac took control of the Wing Gundam Zero, they forced Heero to try the suit and test it for its full capabilities. Heero explored some of its features, but he escaped before they overcame him.
The next pilot to fly in the suit was Duo Maxwell, also one of the original Gundam pilots. He later escaped and left the suit under the control of Trant Clark. Trant Clark was a power-hungry OZ soldier who tried to master the suit but destroyed it when fighting with Duo later in the series.
3. Amazing Power
The Wing Gundam Zero is arguably one of the most powerful suits in Gundam Lore. The suit is powered using the Zero System, which has more strength and capabilities than the original Tallgeese. The Zero System has a single objective of achieving perfect victory, which depends on the pilot’s perspective.
Wing Gundam Zero is also one of the few Gundam Mobile Suits that can switch from terrestrial to bird mode without skipping a beat. Unlike other suits, the Wing Gundam Zero uses Neo Bird mode, which helps it thrust higher and faster than all the other suits, including the Tallgeese. You can imagine how powerful a suit has to be for it to put the Tallgeese to shame.
4. Technology From Before Its Time
During the development process, the manufacturers of Wing Zero hoped to design a suit that could use non-existent technology. The suit uses a Gundanium metal alloy that performs better than most other alloys in speed and power.
Gundanium alloy also helps the suit switch to shield mode to protect the pilot from injuries during fights. The suit has exceptional technology that allows it to navigate space in stealth mode without tripping any detection.
To complement existing radio technology and antennae, Wing Zero has a secondary Search Eye that can capture radio and visual data when all other signals fail. The Search Eye helps pilots gather intelligence when OZ soldiers use signal blockers.
5. Strange Effect On Pilots
Wing Zero has strong mental effects on anyone who dares to fly it. None of the pilots who have flown Wing Zero could resist its psychological impact apart from Heero. While the Zero System was initially meant to rely on the pilot’s mind to function, it could also affect the pilot’s mind if the pilot was not careful.
Quatre was the first person to experience the Zero System’s full brunt. Even though he was already mentally unstable because of his father’s loss, the system worsened everything. It made him threaten the space colonies he had initially hoped to save.
Even seasoned soldiers like Trant Clark had difficulty using the Zero System. The system could only work for the pilot through strong mental ability.
Wrapping Up
The Wing Gundam Zero suit is the most one-of-a-kind suit to ever exist in Gundam Lore. The suit transforms the pilot into a potent force that can flatten colonies in one impact. That explains why it was pretty popular among many pilots in the Gundam franchise. However, it is worth noting that these exceptional abilities make the suit both exciting and scary in the same breath.