Second Bloody Valentine War

The Second Bloody Valentine War is a fictional conflict that occurs within the Cosmic Era (CE) timeline of the "Gundam" metaseries. This conflict is covered in the anime series, "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny". Although integral to the plot, the war is never referred to as the "Second Bloody Valentine War" in the series.

Background

Almost two years pass after the Bloody Valentine War between the Earth Alliance and ZAFT ends with the Treaty of Junius Seven. The treaty places restrictions on the number of mobile suits that can be maintained, and offensive nuclear technology, such as nuclear weapons, Neutron Jammers and Neutron Jammer Cancellers, as well as Mirage Colloid are banned from military usage. Furthermore, mobile suits are forbidden to run on nuclear power, though military battleships still do. Any post-war mobile suits are supposed to run on battery power instead.

All territories taken by the Earth Alliance during the war, including the neutral nation of the Orb Union and the United States of South America, are returned to the respective governments of the countries.

The Treaty of Junius Seven fails to ban the anti-Coordinator factions on Earth. Thus, in those two years, one of the primary forces behind the war, the extremist organization Blue Cosmos, reorganizes under the leadership of Lord Djibril, and continues to exercise influence over the Earth Alliance.

The peace treaty notwithstanding, ZAFT, the Earth Alliance and the Orb Union expand their military assets. New mobile suits and banned technologies continue to be developed secretly. A particular example of this is the "Girty Lue", an Earth Alliance battleship, equipped with the Mirage Colloid cloaking system.

Armory One incident (October 2, CE 73)

New Orb Union Representative Cagalli Yula Athha meets with ZAFT Chairman Gilbert Durandal, to discuss ZAFT and Earth Alliance's military build up. Athrun Zala accompanies her as a bodyguard, under the alias "Alex Dino". The meeting takes place on ZAFT's "Armory One" station, which is preparing for the launch ceremony of the first post-war battleship, the "Minerva". While Cagalli meets with Durandal, Phantom Pain pilots Sting Oakley, Stella Loussier, and Auel Neider infiltrate the base, commandeer ZAFT's newest Gundam-type mobile suits, the ZGMF-X24S Chaos, ZGMF-X88S Gaia, and ZGMF-X31S Abyss and heavily damage the installation as they escape.

Various ZAFT mobile suits engage the three units, including the new Zaku Warrior/Phantom units and the ZGMF-X56S Impulse, piloted by Shinn Asuka. The stolen units escape the colony, and are picked up by the Girty Lue, waiting just outside the colony. They were protected by an Exus mobile armor, whose pilot, Neo Roanoke, was intent on capturing the Impulse.

The Minerva launches and chases the Girty Lue, engaging in battle several times.

Junius Seven Colony Drop incident - Operation Break the World

The theft of the three ZAFT Gundams is set aside when movement is detected from Junius Seven, which was supposed to be in a stable orbit. A rogue ZAFT force that supports the late Patrick Zala and piloting ZGMF-1017M2 GINN High Maneuver Type II units plants flare motors on the colony's remains, sending it on a collision course with Earth. A ZAFT squadron, under the command of Yzak Joule, is dispatched to break up the colony, and is reinforced by the Minerva's mobile suits. They battle the rogue squadron, most of whom outperform the members of the Joule Team. The Girty Lue also arrives, launches the stolen mobile suit units and engages the Minerva, further hampering operations (possibly intentionally, perhaps on orders from the Blue Cosmos, with the hopes of starting another Coordinator/Natural-based war).

The Minerva's forces successfully break Junius Seven in two, as it begins entering the upper Earth atmosphere. As the pieces enter the atmosphere, the Girty Lue, its mobile suits, and the survivors of the Joule Team withdrew. The Minerva continues to pursue the debris, breaking it into smaller fragments with its main Tannhäuser positron cannon. The destruction is still insufficient, and the remaining pieces land on Earth, destroying cities and other locations, while pieces that hit the sea cause massive tidal waves. The most severe damage occurs near the equator.

In the "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Astray" manga, during the colony drop, an alliance of the Junk Guild, the Serpent Tail, and Rondo Mina Sahaku tries to use GENESIS Alpha to push away the remains of Junius Seven, but due to the intervention of the RGX-00 Testament, the operation fails.

In "", after the drop, ZAFT-made mobile suits attack rescue efforts and Earth Alliance interests. One such unit is a GINN operated by three children, which rampages through Fortaleza, South America, before being defeated by Edmund du Clos, Vice Director of DSSD security, using an Alliance tank at the cost of his life.

In the aftermath of the disaster, ZAFT sends humanitarian aid to Earth. However, the populace of Earth was not satisfied and demanded revenge against Coordinators. Lord Djibril, the new leader of the Blue Cosmos, divulges photographic evidence showing the rogue ZAFT units executing the drop, and manipulates the public opinion into blaming Coordinators for the disaster. He also uses his position within the secret society "Logos" to influence and directly command the leaders of the Atlantic Federation to start another war against PLANT.

In Phase 39, it is shown that all information pertaining to the former ZAFT soldiers responsible for the attack has been erased - suggesting a cover-up by PLANT Supreme Council Chairman Gilbert Durandal.

The locations shown getting hit are:

*Vatican City
*Rome
*Athens
*Shanghai
*Palace of the Dalai Lama
*Prague
*Kuala Lumpur
*Toronto
*Part of The Great Wall of China
*Stonehenge

Although not shown, "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED C.E. 73: Stargazer" mentions that Beijing is also destroyed, and in "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny", Durandal mentions that Quebec City, Philadelphia, the North Atlantic Ocean and the Gobi Desert were also hit.

Second Bloody Valentine War

President Joseph Copland of the Atlantic Federation sends a list of demands to PLANT's supreme council. PLANT is blamed for harboring the terrorists that had committed the drop, even though all have been killed. The demands require PLANT to dismantle its military, dismiss the current PLANT Supreme Council, and to submit to Earth Alliance inspectors. Chairman Durandal wishes to find a diplomatic solution, but the Earth Forces begin deploying units and PLANT is forced to man its defense line.

Before the ultimatum expires, the Earth Alliance attacks PLANT, officially starting the Second Bloody Valentine War.

Battle of Aprilius One

The Earth Alliance main force launches its battleships and Dagger Ls against the main PLANT defenses, which consist of GINNs, CGUEs, GuAIZs and ZAKU Warriors/Phantoms/Gunners. Meanwhile, a separate ambush team attacks Aprilius One, the location of the Supreme Council. This squadron of new GAT-04 Windam units carries nuclear missile launchers, but a GINN Reconnaissance unit locates the squadron. A Nazca-class vessel, equipped with a neutron stampeder, activates the device, emitting high frequency radiation that detonates all the nuclear weapons in the ambush fleet, destroying them. After failing to destroy the PLANTs, the decoy remaining Earth Alliance fleet withdrew.

PLANT's citizens are outraged and many push for a retaliatory strike against all Naturals. Durandal uses Meer Campbell, a cosmetically surgeoned look-alike of former pop idol, Lacus Clyne, in order to calm people and prevent the conflict from escalating. Durandal then assigns the ZGMF-X23S Saviour to Athrun Zala, who has re-enlisted into ZAFT. Athrun is also appointed to FAITH, a special forces unit reporting directly to Durandal, and effectively given permission to use his power as his conscience dictates. He departs for Earth to join the Minerva and notify its captain, Talia Gladys, about her own appointment to FAITH.

Operation Spear of Twilight

After the failed nuclear attack, ZAFT's Defense Committee drafts a series of proposals meant to strengthen ZAFT's position. Earth Alliance forces begin surrounding ZAFT Earth bases at Gibraltar and Carpentaria. ZAFT forces gathered in the atmosphere make a drop operation to support Gibraltar and Carpentaria, and although they meet fierce opposition from the remaining Earth Alliance forces stationed on the moon, they defeat the Earth Alliance forces around their bases.

Orb enters the Earth Alliance

The Earth Alliance seeks an alliance with the Orb Union, which possesses a technologically advanced and powerful military force. The majority faction of Orb's governing body, led by Prime Minister Unato Ema Seiran and his son, Yuna Roma Seiran, support the Earth Alliance. Cagalli Yula Athha, Orb's Chief Representative, remains opposed. The council fears the Atlantic Federation's military strength, and wants to avoid the events of the first war, when Orb was attacked by the Earth Alliance and suffered massive casualties. Cagalli is eventually manipulated into accepting the alliance and Orb declares it will sign the "International Safety Assurance Treaty".

Minerva's ambush at Orb

The Orb Union's council plans to give the Minerva to the Earth Alliance as a gift of good faith, as it had been docked in Orb, following repairs from the damage it took in the battle around the drop of Junius Seven. Warned by former-ZAFT officer, Andrew Waltfeld, the ship departs from Orb, but is ambushed by an Earth Alliance fleet, as soon as it leaves Orb territorial waters. The Earth Alliance deploys the massive YMAF-X6BD Zamza-Zah mobile armor, equipped with a positron beam deflector. An Orb fleet is also deployed on the border to prevent the Minerva from retreating into Orb territory.

Despite the odds, the "Minerva" escapes the ambush, destroying the mobile armor and sinking several carrier ships. The new deuterion beam technology and young pilot Shinn Asuka are instrumental in the battle. The damaged Minerva heads for the ZAFT Carpentaria base in Australia.

First assassination attempt of Lacus Clyne

After the First Bloody Valentine War, the main figures of the Clyne Faction lived secretly at Reverend Malchio's orphanage in the Orb Union, hiding the Archangel battleship and the secretly repaired ZGMF-X10A Freedom unit. A commando force of Coordinators raid the residence to assassinate Lacus Clyne, but the attempt is thwarted by former-Earth Alliance captain, Murrue Ramius, and Andrew Waltfeld. The surviving commandos utilize their mobile suits, the new ZAFT aquatic unit, UMF/SSO-3 ASH but are incapacitated by Kira Yamato in his Freedom. The pilots then commit suicide by self-destructing their mobile suits.

Since the commandos were Coordinators and were piloting new ZAFT mobile suits, it suggests the team was from ZAFT, ordered by Chairman Durandal to kill the real Lacus Clyne, while concealing the fact that he is using a fake Lacus (Meer Campbell) to support his political position within ZAFT. Before his suicide, the leader of the commando unit stated that they were to leave no evidence that Lacus Clyne had been killed, which seems to confirm this conclusion.

Because of the attack and recent political events, some of the remaining Archangel crew assemble and launch the ship, departing from Orb. However, before leaving, Kira Yamato kidnaps Cagalli Yula Athha, during her wedding to Yuna Roma Seiran, to secure her leadership position in Orb, as the wedding would sign Orb's unofficial declaration of allegiance with the Earth Alliance. To ensure their escape, Orb officer Captain Todaka has them bypass the Orb defensive forces.

Battle of Gulnahan

To reach the Black Sea ZAFT base, the Minerva has to break through Earth Alliance forces stationed in the Middle East. With the help of local guerilla units, the Minerva destroys a land-based Lohengrin positron cannon fortification in the Gulnahan ravine, east of Suez. The cannon was previously unassailable, due to a mobile armor equipped with a positron deflector. The destruction of the fortification, known as the "Lohengrin Gate", results in the liberation of the nearby city from Earth Alliance forces. The locals quickly repay the cruelty shown to them by the Earth Alliance, killing surrendered Earth Alliance soldiers.

In the manga "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny: The Edge", Heine Westenfluss is also involved in this battle, together with his team.

Battle of Dardanelles

The "Minerva" leaves the Black Sea ZAFT base, on route to the Gibraltar Base, but is intercepted by an Earth Alliance fleet in the Dardanelles strait. Because of their new treaty with the Earth Alliance, the Orb Union's fleet carriers, containing numerous MVF-M11C Murasame mobile suits, also engages the Minerva. As the Minerva is about to fire its Tannhäuser positron cannon on the leading Orb ship, the cannon is destroyed by the ZGMF-X10A Freedom, piloted by Kira Yamato. The Archangel intervenes and Cagalli tries to stop Orb officers from attacking the ZAFT forces. Her attempt fails as Yuna Roma Seiran declares her to be an impostor and orders the leading Orb ships to fire on the Archangel.

After Orb commits itself to battle, the Earth Alliance fleet also joins in, contributing the three Gundam units stolen at Armory One and a number of Windams and Dagger Ls. The Minerva sorties its remaining mobile suits: a ZGMF-1000 Zaku Warrior, a ZGMF-1001 Zaku Phantom, and the prototype ZGMF-X2000 GOUF Ignited, to back up the ZGMF-X56S Impulse and the ZGMF-X23S Saviour, both of which have already sortied to defend the ship. The Archangel and the Freedom launch attacks intended to deter combat between mobile suits and disable aggressive units. Kira quickly damages Shinn Asuka's Impulse, and cripples Heine Westenfluss' GOUF Ignited, Stella Loussier's ZGMF-X88S Gaia and Auel Neider's ZGMF-X31S Abyss. Heine would be killed in the ensuring sortie.

The Earth Alliance disengages from the battle after most of their mobile suits are destroyed or disabled, along with a withdrawing Orb fleet.

Battle of Crete

The Minerva continues towards Gibraltar, but is intercepted again by the same Orb naval fleet, under orders of Captain Todaka, now given the rank of "Colonel", along with Yuna Roma Seiran. The Archangel, with Kira Yamato's Freedom and Cagalli Yula Athha's Strike Rouge, unsuccessfully tries to stop the Orb forces again by disabling various units and ordering their withdrawal.

The Earth Alliance battle group, under the command of Neo Roanoke, also participates in the battle, closing the Minerva in a pincer formation. The Abyss and Chaos units engage Shinn Asuka's Impulse and Athrun Zala's Saviour, respectively. With only two mobile suits of limited mobility on the ship's upper deck as cover, the Minerva is attacked by the Orb mobile suit force of MVF-M11C Murasames. The attack is repelled, but the Minerva is heavily damaged, including damage to both the catapults, the mobile suit hangar, the main deck and most of the upper armor. Rey Za Burrel's ZAKU Phantom is damaged, Lunamaria Hawke's ZAKU Warrior is destroyed and Athrun's Saviour is damaged beyond repair by Kira's Freedom. Fortunately, all three pilots survive.

Shinn manages to destroy the Abyss, killing its pilot, Auel Neider, and proceeds to decimate the Orb mobile suit force, then directly engages the Orb fleet, sinking several ships. The Orb aircraft carrier, "Takemikazuchi", explodes and sinks. Colonel Todaka choses to go down with the ship, but orders his crewmembers to join the Archangel and fight for Cagalli, rather than return to the Earth Alliance.

Battle of Berlin

After Lord Djibril assigns the massive mobile suit GFAS-X1 Destroy to Neo Roanoke's supervision, the designated pilot, Stella Loussier, goes on a rampage, leveling several cities in Western Eurasia - former Eurasian Federation territories that have sided with ZAFT - as an object lesson on the cost of siding with ZAFT and trusting Coordinators. The Destroy is intercepted by ZAFT over the city of Berlin, but Berlin is heavily damaged and ZAFT forces in Berlin are obliterated. Soon after, the Archangel and its mobile suits (including a group of Murasames from the Takemikazuchi) arrive and battle the Destroy, much to the surprise of the Minerva, which arrives shortly afterwards.

Kira Yamato in the ZGMF-X10A Freedom engages the Destroy, and is joined by Shinn Asuka in the ZGMF-X56S Impulse. Cagalli Yula Athha in the Strike Rouge and three Murasames engage the ZGMF-X24S Chaos. Both the Minerva and the Archangel provide fire support to their mobile suits. When Shinn cuts open the Destroy's cockpit, Neo Roanoke, who has participated in the battle in his custom Windam, communicates that the pilot is Stella. Shinn's personal feelings stop him from finishing the Destroy, and Stella's affections for the ZAFT pilot causes her to stop, too. Unfortunately, as the Freedom approaches, Stella panics and prepares to fire the Destroy's chest beam cannons, despite Shinn being in the way. The Minerva also attacks the Destroy and Kira disables its chest cannons, reversing the explosion, saving Shinn and the Minerva, but mortally wounding Stella. She would eventually succumb to her injuries.

Sting Oakley, the pilot of the Chaos, is overwhelmed by the Archangel's Murasame units. As he attempts to retreat, the mobile suit is critically damaged and explodes. Oakley is initially believed to be killed-in-action. Meanwhile, Kira, sensing something familiar in Neo, disables his Windam unit, and it crash lands in the Archangel's vicinity. Neo is captured and taken aboard the battleship.

Logos' exposure to the world

With Berlin nearly destroyed, tension increases between the Atlantic and Eurasian Federations. However, Chairman Durandal reveals Logos on international television shortly after the Battle of Berlin, and Lord Djibril's plan to keep Eurasia in line with the Destroy backfires. Durandal explains that even the Alliance's Blue Cosmos leaders are just a tool of Logos and exposes the faces and names of several Logos members, including Djibril. Civilians attack and murder some Logos members, including Earth Alliance soldiers who stood with them.

Upon seeing the broadcast, the crew of the Archangel, head back to the Orb Union, fearing it might be attacked because Orb is affiliated with the Earth Alliance. Several Earth Alliance naval fleets defect and station themselves at Gibraltar shortly after Durandal's exposure.

Operation Angel Down

Operation Angel Down begins when an AWACS ZAFT mobile suit picks up the Archangel on its sensors. ZAFT sends the Compton class land battleship, "Uhlenbeck", one of their newer model of land battleships, and its mobile suits, a complement of BuCUEs and BABIs. The goal is to sink the Archangel and destroy the Freedom, as ZAFT headquarters claim they have only caused confusion during the war. The Minerva is also ordered to take part in the battle and the ZGMF-X56S Impulse Gundam engages the Freedom and repeatedly blocks it from defending the Archangel or escaping.

Captain Talia Gladys of the Minerva informs the Archangel to surrender, but Captain Murrue Ramius politely refuses the offer. The Uhlenbeck resumes its attack, regardless of Gladys' response. As the Archangel begins diving into the sea, the Minerva fires its Tannhauser positron cannon, in a last attempt to stop the battleship. The positron beam hits the ocean, generating a massive explosion, which heavily damages the submerged Archangel, but does not destroy it. Captain Ramius then orders one of the damaged engines to be jettisoned and detonated, as a ruse to buy time for their escape.

Meanwhile, Shinn has critically damaged Kira's Freedom, and is torn apart by the shockwave of the explosions. The shielded cockpit of the Freedom survives intact, and Kira is rescued by Cagalli Yula Athha. ZAFT's underwater search team later confirms that the Archangel has survived and escaped.

Athrun Zala's desertion

Athrun Zala, angered at ZAFT for engaging the Archangel and the Freedom, begins to have second thoughts. Chairman Durandal unveils the latest ZAFT Gundams: the ZGMF-X42S Destiny and the ZGMF-X666S Legend, in which Shinn Asuka, having performed incredibly in the last battle against the Freedom, will be given the Destiny, while Athrun will pilot the Legend. Meanwhile, Durandal and Rey Za Burrel believe that Athrun's attachment to the Archangel's crew can be a hindrance to ZAFT, and formulate a plan to frame him. Luckily, Meer Campbell overhears their conversation, and quickly warns Athrun of his impending arrest.

Athrun hides in Minerva CIC officer's Meyrin Hawke's room after Meer refuses to go with him (Athrun believes she would be useless, once Durandal has no further use of her as Lacus Clyne). Meyrin helps Athrun escape and sets off a false alarm to distract the soldiers and drives Athrun to the mobile suit hangar. Using a mass-production GOUF Ignited, the pair escape. Rey Za Burrel catches up in the Legend, with Shinn in the Destiny. Athrun attempts to convince Shinn that he is being deceived by Durandal and Rey, but Rey retaliates that Athrun had sold himself out to Logos. Shinn swiftly destroys the GOUF Ignited, apparently killing Athrun and Meyrin. However, the two are rescued by Ledonir Kisaka, the former captain of the "Kusanagi" battleship and Cagalli Yula Athha's bodyguard, who was posing as an officer on board one a defecting Earth Alliance ship. The two are transferred to the Archangel's infirmary in the Orb Union.

Battle of Heaven's Base - Operation Ragnarok

ZAFT and defected Earth Alliance forces mobilize for a siege of Heaven's Base, headquarters of the Earth Alliance's Blue Cosmos/Logos leaders. Rather than dealing a preemptive strike, they offer them the choice of handing over the Logos members and dismantling or be attacked. Before the time limit expires, Heaven's Base retaliates, sending a great number of mobile suits (including some new mobile armors), as well as five GFAS-X1 Destroy units, one of which is piloted by Sting Oakley, who survived the Battle of Berlin, and was restationed at Heaven's Base. Many ZAFT-allied Earth Alliance ships and mobile suits are destroyed and ZAFT forces begin suffering heavy casualties. In response, ZAFT drops a large contingent mobile suits from satellite orbit to attack. However, Logos is prepared for this and activates the powerful "Nibelung" superweapon, sending out a massive energy burst, similar to the GENESIS superweapon, destroying all ZAFT units descending from the atmosphere.

The Minerva launches the Destiny, Legend, and the Impulse (now piloted by Lunamaria Hawke), which quickly turn the tide of the battle. Lunamaria leads a group of ZAKUs, BABIs, DINNs and GOUFs against the Windams, while GOOhNs, ZnOs and ASHs take out the aquatic Forbidden Vortex units and shoreline defenses. Shinn Asuka and Rey Za Burrel attack the five Destroy units. ZAFT forces gain the upper hand and successfully penetrate the base. After Sting Oakley's Destroy unit is lost, Lord Djibril abandons the other Logos members and flees in a submarine towards the Orb Union.

Flight of the Eternal

Meanwhile, in space, former-ZAFT officer Martin DaCosta journeys to the Mendel colony to retrieve evidence of one of Chairman Durandal's plans. How the Clyne Faction learned of this is unknown. While DaCosta is examining the abandoned genetics laboratory on Mendel, he discovers a research notebook returns to the Eternal with it (followed discreetly by a reconnaissance-type GINN). Aboard the Eternal, Lacus Clyne and Andrew Waltfield examine the journal, pondering the meaning behind a "Destiny Plan" in one of its pages. However, they are interrupted by an alarm, signaling they have been discovered by ZAFT forces, who believes they have found the terrorists responsible for stealing a shuttle at Gibraltar.

Lacus orders the Eternal to launch, so they can try to deliver the newly rolled-out ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom and ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice, along with the documents on the Destiny Plan to the Archangel, as well as drawing ZAFT away from the Clyne Faction's hidden mobile suit production facility. As they approach the Earth, they are ambushed by more ZAFT ships and multiple squadrons of ZAKUs and GOUFs. Waltfield launches in his a customized ZGMF-X88S Gaia, to provide support. Back on Earth, Kira Yamato and the Archangel's crew receives news about the Eternal's situation. He launches in the Strike Rouge (with an attached booster to enable it to reach space) and arrives on the scene, backing up Waltfield briefly, before retrieving the Strike Freedom in the Eternal and disabling the ZAFT attack force.

Second Battle of Orb - Operation Fury

ZAFT intelligence tracks Blue Cosmos leader, Lord Djibril, to the Orb Union, where he is being sheltered by the Seiran family. Carpentaria forces gather for an invasion, along with the Minerva. Chairman Durandal issues an ultimatum, demanding that Orb hand over Djibril. Yuna Roma Seiran responds, claiming Djibril is not in Orb. This enrages ZAFT leaders and Durandal authorizes the invasion of Orb.

The ZAFT fleet deploys forces in the air and underwater, while ground forces begin drilling into Onogoro. On the Archangel, Cagalli Yula Athha is enraged by Seiran's announcement, fearing that Orb will be destroyed, especially since the civilian population has not been informed of the situation. Cagalli receives her father's final legacy, the ORB-01 Akatsuki, from Morgenroete Chief Engineer Erica Simmons and Colonel Ledonir Kisaka, and launches with the forces from the repaired Takemikazuchi battleship. Tricking Yuna into acknowledging her as Orb's military commander, Cagalli has Yuna arrested on the charge of treason and assumes command of the Orb fleet. She rallies her remaining forces and Orb begins to push back ZAFT, until she is confronted by Shinn Asuka in the ZGMF-X42S Destiny.

Kira Yamato returns from space, piloting the ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom, engaging Shinn in Cagalli's place. Rey Za Burrel orders Shinn to briefly withdraw, as the Strike Freedom goes to assist Orb's forces. Three new ZGMF-XX09T DOM Trooper units from the covert organization, "Terminal" (the organization that the Three Ships Alliance from the First Bloody Valentine War grew into between the wars), also joins in the defense of Orb. A repaired Archangel reappears in battle and engages the Minerva, while Cagalli heads to Orb's National Military Defence Headquarters, and demands a submitting Yuna to tell her where Djibril is. However, even he does not know of his location. She then orders all areas searched around Orb and sealed off.

Meanwhile, Lacus Clyne arrives to deliver the ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice to Athrun Zala, who launches in the unit to aid Kira, despite not fully recovered from his injuries. A resupplied Destiny launches again, this time, with Rey in the ZGMF-X666S Legend, as backup. Athrun makes it in time, to even out the odds. Neo Roanoke, released from his imprisonment aboard the Archangel, prior to the battle, returns in an FX-550 Skygrasper to support the battleship, marking his official defection from the Earth Alliance.

The Archangel submerges and destroys several ZAFT submarines and surface ships, including the flagship, "St. Helens". In the confusion of the battle, Djibril launches in the Seirans' private shuttle, heading towards space. The Orb fleet sends Murasames in pursuit, while the Minerva's captain, Talia Gladys, orders Lunamaria Hawke to shoot down the shuttle in the ZGMF-X56S Impulse. The shuttle escapes, despite Orb and ZAFT forces sending units after it. Gladys orders a retreat and ZAFT disengages from the battle. Athrun collapses, as the ZAFT withdraws and is rushed back to the Archangel for emergency medical treatment.

While there is no official confirmation if Djibril has indeed escaped, Durandal agrees with Talia's decision. Post-battle, Cagalli addresses the world regarding the ZAFT invasion of Orb, but is interrupted by a broadcast of Meer Campbell, again, posing as Lacus Clyne. In response, the real Lacus Clyne makes her return to the public, interrupting Meer and declares that she supports the Archangel and the Orb Union. While she does not approve the actions of Chairman Durandal and Lord Djibril, she explains humanity must stop blaming one another; instead, the fault lies in themselves, as the cause of this war.

Requiem attack on Aprilius One

Lord Djibril makes it to the new "Daedalus" lunar base on the far side of the moon and authorizes the activation of the Requiem superweapon. Designated as an "Orbital Area All-Range Strategic Cannon", the Requiem consists of an enormous beam cannon site on the moon and several orbital relay stations built from abandoned colonies that use oversized Geschmeidig Panzer systems to change the course of the beam. Fired from the moon site, the beam is then bent at each relay point, and guided to the target.

Djibril orders it to be fired at PLANT's capital, "Aprilius One", in order to eliminate PLANT's Supreme Council. However, due to damage from a battle at the final relay station between the Earth Alliance escort fleet and the Joule Team of ZAFT, the beam goes slightly out of alignment and instead hits Januarius 1 to Januarius 4, with Januarius 4 colliding into Decemberius 7 and Decemberius 8 in its destruction, killing an estimated 1,000,000 or more Coordinators. The Joule Team destroys the damaged relay station in retaliation, but there are still multiple relay stations that Requiem could use after it recharges.

Around the same time, the crew of the Archangel discover Durandal's true intentions, after delving further into the research notebook. The Destiny Plan is revealed, having every human being given the role for which they are best genetically suited for at birth, so as to fulfill Durandal's vision of genetic determinism. The crew of the Archangel is entirely against it, and heads to space, in order to stop the Destiny Plan's fruition, while putting an end to Durandal. Cagalli Yula Athha opts out of the mission, and hands the Akatsuki for Neo Roanoke to use.

Battle of Daedalus

While Lord Djibril waits for the Requiem to recharge for another attempt at destroying Aprilius One, Chairman Durandal orders the ZAFT Lunar Fleet to attack the relay stations. ZAFT forces, including the Joule Team, attack furiously but are at a stalemate with the defending Earth Alliance forces.

The Minerva, along with Rey Za Burrel's ZGMF-X666S Legend Gundam and Shinn Asuka's ZGMF-X42S Destiny Gundam, attacks the Daedalus lunar base as a diversionary tactic, allowing Lunamaria Hawke in the ZGMF-X56S Impulse to infiltrate the base and reach Requiem's firing chamber through a connecting service tunnel. The Earth Alliance scrambles its fixed defenses, using its last three GFAS-X1 Destroy units, several mobile armors and countless GAT-04 Windams to defend the base. ZAFT knocks the Fourier relay station out of position before Requiem is fully recharged, but Djibril orders that Requiem be fired anyway to wipe out the ZAFT forces there. Doing so would also secure his escape to the "Arzachel" lunar base in the Girty Lue battleship. However, Lunamaria succeeds in destroying the Requiem control center before it can fire, and the Minerva, along with Shinn and Rey, destroy the base's defenses. Shinn destroys the base's hangar and command center, while Rey destroys the Girty Lue, with Lord Djibril onboard.

The defending Earth Alliance forces either retreat from the colony cylinders or surrender to the ZAFT forces, who receives them with a warm welcome.

Second assassination attempt of Lacus Clyne

When the Archangel and its crew reach space, it docks at the free city of "Copernicus" on the moon, where Kira Yamato, Athrun Zala, Lacus Clyne, and Meyrin Hawke go scouting, under the guise of a shopping trip. After they are sighted, ZAFT bodyguards assigned to protect Meer Campbell set a trap with the objective of eliminating Lacus Clyne. Using Meer's Haro, they send a note to Lacus and the others, claiming that Meer is about to be killed. Although Athrun and Meyrin suspect it is a trap, Lacus states she wishes to see her doppleganger in person. They meet with Meer, who becomes enraged to see the real Lacus, having dug too deep into paranoia, believing she is the real Lacus. Her own attempt to assassinate Lacus fails, as she comes to her senses and accepts that she is not Lacus Clyne. However, several gunmen at the scene guns down the group. Although the ZAFT bodyguards are killed Meer is fatally wounded in firefight. Kira calls for Neo Roanoke in the ORB-01 Akatsuki to take them back to the Archangel, so Meer can receive medical treatment, but she dies before she can be moved.

Destiny Plan revealed

Almost immediately after the assassination attempt on Lacus Clyne a second time in Copernicus City, PLANT Chairman Durandal appears in a global broadcast, taken aboard the ZAFT space mobile fortress, "Messiah", assuring the world that Logos has been totally defeated. However, he announces that there is one more enemy that humanity has to face - an enemy he addresses as "ignorance and ambition". He then announces that he has the solution to this problem, and reveals the Destiny Plan. The Atlantic Federation refuses to follow the plan, and the Arzachel Lunar Base mobilizes its remaining forces in defense, while President Copland of the Atlantic Federation (who is at Arzachel Base) attempts to contact Chairman Durandal. Without responding to the request for contact, Durandal uses the captured and repaired Requiem superweapon to destroy the Arzachel Lunar Base and parts of the Earth Alliance fleet. Copland would perish with the lunar base.

While the majority of Earth's citizens are unsure how to respond to the Destiny Plan, the Orb Union and the Kingdom of Scandinavia are the only other nations that reject the plan outright, and soon Orb and Terminal begin mobilizing their military forces to destroy the Requiem.

The Orb Union launches its space fleet from Copernicus City, consisting of the Archangel, the Kusanagi and two other Izumo-class battleships. Lacus Clyne's flagship, the Eternal, leads a number of Earth Alliance and ZAFT battleships loyal to Terminal, and a surviving contingent of Earth Alliance ships that escaped the attack on Arzachel. The Earth Alliance forces attacking the Requiem consists of two Agamemnon-class carriers, two Nelson-class battleships and four or more Drake-class escort ships; their ZAFT forces consist of two Nazca-class destroyers and at least two Laurasia-class frigates.

Attack on Requiem and Station One

As the Archangel and the Eternal approach "Station One", Requiem's first relay station, Lacus Clyne attempts to convince the defending ZAFT forces to stand down. This fails, as ZAFT forces believe Terminal to be Logos' remaining military and a battle breaks out between Terminal and ZAFT. Terminal lays waste to the ZAFT mobile suits and ships at Station One before ZAFT's lunar fleet, led by the Minerva, joins the battle. In a battle between the Archangel and the Minerva, Neo Roanoke regained his memories as Mu La Flaga and destroys the Minerva's positron cannon. Yzak Joule and Dearka Elsman (piloting a custom-coloured ZGMF-2000 GOUF Ignited and a ZGMF-1001 Blaze Zaku Phantom, respectively) ally themselves with Terminal, protecting Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala (in the ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom and ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice, respectively), while they use their METEOR units' heavy beam swords to disable Station One.

The combined Terminal/Orb fleet attacks Requiem's main cannon, but are unable to penetrate the Requiem's positron deflectors. Without warning, ZAFT's mobile fortress Messiah appears from behind the moon and fires its Neo-GENESIS superweapon, destroying part of the combined fleet.

Battle of the Messiah

The Terminal fleet regroups with the Orb fleet and engages the ZAFT forces defending the Messiah space fortress and the Requiem. However, with Requiem's backup relay station moving closer into firing position to destroy the Orb Union on Earth, Kira Yamato orders the Archangel and Athrun Zala to leave, break through the Requiem's defenses, and destroy it, while he and the Eternal heads towards the Messiah. The defensive hole this leaves is filled in by Yzak Joule and Dearka Elsman.

On the way to the Messiah, Kira is engaged by the ZGMF-X666S Legend, piloted by Rey Za Burrel. While Rey blames Kira for his flawed existence, he is too by Kira's reasoning as to his own life. The Strike Freedom critically cripples the Legend, leaving a wounded Rey inside the unit, while the Strike Freedom continues towards the Messiah. Elsewhere, Athrun is attacked by Lunamaria Hawke in the ZGMF-X56S Impulse, and Athrun easily disables the unit, but is retaliated by Shinn Asuka in the ZGMF-X42S Destiny. Seeing Shinn too overcome with blind rage, Lunamaria tries to put herself between the two to stop the fight, but Shinn attacks the Impulse, trying to get to Athrun. Athrun saves Lunamaria, disables the Destiny and sends it crashing to the Moon. Lunamaria goes to tend to Shinn, while Athrun heads to destroy the Requiem. The Minerva is severely damaged by the Archangel, which destroys the majority of its weapons, while Athrun disables its engines. The Minerva crash-lands on the Moon, and the crew abandons the battleship.

Chairman Durandal authorizes the firing of the Requiem on Orb and orders the Neo-GENESIS to fire on the Orb fleet. As he informs his forces of this, Yzak Joule warns the Eternal to move their fleet out of the firing range. The weapon is unleashed, destroying some of Terminal's Earth Alliance ships and part of the ZAFT fleet pursuing them. As the Requiem prepares to destroy Orb, the Infinite Justice and the ORB-01 Akatsuki manages to penetrate the Requiem's positron deflector shields and destroy its power core. The Strike Freedom and the Eternal simultaneously destroy the Messiah's Neo-GENESIS superweapon. Kira then infiltrates the Messiah, while Rey and Talia Gladys, captain of the Minerva, also arrive at the Messiah to seek Durandal.

In a tense pistol standoff, Kira and Durandal face one another, until Rey, still shaken by Kira's words during their scuffle, shoots and wounds Durandal, realizing that Durandal's Destiny Plan would rob all of humanity of the very thing that he himself was denied (a future of his own) - something too high a price to end war. Gladys arrives at the scene and chooses to stay on the collapsing Messiah, along with Rey and the dying Durandal. Kira escapes the Messiah just as it crashes on the moon.

In "Final Plus", the extended version of the last episode, Athrun also enters the Messiah. He escapes, and returns to the moon's surface to rescue Shinn and Lunamaria.

Deployed forces

ZAFT forces included the massive suit carrier, "Gondwana" and the Minerva, the Messiah mobile space fortress, and the captured Requiem superweapon. Their mobile suit forces consisted of prototype units and mass produced units, including the ZGMF-X101S ZAKU Splendor, ZGMF-X3000Q Providence ZAKU, ZGMF-X56S Impulse Unit 03, ZGMF-X56S Impulse Unit 00, ZGMF-X42S Destiny, ZGMF-X666S Legend, and large numbers of standard ZGMF-601R GuAIZ Rs, ZGMF-1000 ZAKU Warriors, ZGMF-1001 ZAKU Phantoms, and ZGMF-2000 GOUF Igniteds, plus some older ZGMF-1017 GINNs, and at least one ZGMF-600 GuAIZ.

The opposing side consisted of some of the Earth Alliance fleet, ZAFT defectors, Orb Union and Terminal ships. Their ships totalled to:

* the Archangel
* the Eternal
* Izumo-class battleship x 3 ("Kusanagi", "Susanoo", and "Tsukuyomi")
* Agamemnon-class carrier x 2-3+
* Nelson-class battleship x 4+
* Drake-class escort ship x 5-6+
* Nazca-class destroyer x 4+
* Laurasia-class frigate x 3+

Their primary mobile suit forces consisted of 72 GAT-02L2 Dagger Ls and Windams, 33 MVF-M11C Murasames, an unknown number of MBF-M1 M1 Astrays, and three MVF-M12A Ootsukigatas. Their more powerful mobile suits were the ORB-01 Akatsuki, the ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice, the ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom, the ZGMF-X88S Gaia (though this was not used in this battle), three ZGMF-XX09T DOM Troopers, the ZGMF-2000 GOUF Ignited and the ZGMF-1001 Blaze Zaku Phantom, belonging to Yzak Joule and Dearka Elsman, respectively. It is likely (but never seen) that the seven ZAFT vessels belonging to Terminal also had ZAFT mobile suits on board, which would have been used in this battle.