ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom Gundam

This article is about a fictional weapon from the Cosmic Era timeline of the "Gundam" anime metaseries.

The ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom is a mobile suit which is mainly shown in the anime TV series "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny". First shown deployed in episode 39 (called PHASE 39 in the anime), it is piloted by one of the main characters of the series, Kira Yamato, as part of the Three Ships Alliance and Orb Union's 2^nd Space Fleet. Despite its designs bears striking similarity to its predecessor, ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam, this mobile suit can be easily distinguished in the anime by its golden joints across its white and black body, detachable wings, and the Freedom series "trademark" capability to lock onto multiple units.

In real world

Strike Freedom Gundam is arguably the most popular mobile suit from the "Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny" anime series. [cite web | url=http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN948083 | title = Product Information of Strike Freedom Master Grade model kit | accessdate = 2007-02-09 From [http://www.hlj.com Hobby Link Japan] ] As many of protagonists' mobile suits of Gundam metaseries, at least in Japan and its surrounding countries (East and Southeast Asia), Strike Freedom enjoys significant popularity among other mobile suits. Strike Freedom is often featured in Japanese Newtype Magazine and available in a wide range of model kits and stand off display.

Part of Strike Freedom's popularity can be traced back to Bandai Action Kits Asia Cup 2005, [ [http://www.bandai-hobby.net/english/bakuc.html] , The Bandai Action Kits Universal Cup Information Page from [http://www.bandai-hobby.net/english Bandai Hobbysite] ] which divided into two categories (which are Open Category and Junior Category), the world winner of the Junior Category (謳小楓, from mainland China), who used the Strike Freedom kit (in Super Deformed form). At least one other regional Junior Category winner (William Frederick Soehaili, from Indonesia) also used Strike Freedom Model Kit. Further, there are two other regional winners using model kit from Cosmic Era universe, both from Singapore. The Open Category winner used Destroy GFAS-X1 Destroy, while the Junior category used ZGMF-X42S Destiny model kit.

Design

Designed by Kunio Okawara, its design bears striking similarities to the ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam. Although, upon in-depth examination of both designs, there are various differences, particularly on the head and wing sections.

Strike Freedom lacks its predecessor's wing-mounted beam cannons, replaced by multiple detachable remote armaments known as DRAGOONs (an acronym for Disconnected Rapid Armament Group Overlook Operation Network). It still retains the twin hip-mounted gun, though they are now capable of swiveling back in order to create space for mounting two rifles, which can be combined into a longer weapon. There is also an additional large cannon mounted on its chest. However, the most significant difference is probably the existence of golden colored joints in various parts of Strike Freedom.

As many mobile suits in "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED" and "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny", Strike Freedom's features resemble famous systems from mobile suits of the other previous Gundam metaseries.

The DRAGOONs are similar to "funnels" and "bits" of Universal Century's universe. The beam shields used were first seen on the Gundam F91, although chronologically in Universal Century universe, the Gundam F90 VSBR Type was the first UC Mobile Suit to use one. The visual effect of Strike Freedom wings is similar to the beam wings utilized by the Mobile Suit Victory Gundam's Victory 2 Gundam. There are many more similarities to other famous features of the other previous Gundam metaseries; however, it also has some of the series' original features, such as the capability to lock on to multiple enemies, inherited from its predecessor, the ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam.

Name Origin

Originally, the name of the mobile suit was planned to be "Super Freedom". Mitsuo Fukuda, the director of the Gundam Seed Destiny, named the "Super Asurada" to the succession machine of the "Asurada" in his previous work, Future GPX Cyber Formula. Therefore it was not considered unnatural when announced on the official website, the name of the mobile suit was planned to be "Super Freedom". However the name was changed to "Strike Freedom" in a short time after the announcement. Allegedly, this was because the name would remind Japanese people of Super Free, a Japanese notorious rape group, as was criticized at that time, by some blogs. [ja icon [http://www.new-akiba.com/news/0505/09/13/index.html 新ガンダムの名前がこっそり変更に！新しい名前もヤバイ！] NEW-AKIBA.com]

Model Kits

The Strike Freedom is available in a wide range of model kits, and rivals its predecessor, the Freedom, in the number of model kits based on it that are produced by Bandai. In late December 2006, Bandai simultaneously released two Master Grade class Strike Freedom model kits. Aside from normal Master Grade, Bandai also made a Master Grade "Full Burst Mode" version. A Limited Edition Clear Master Grade version was released at 2007 Gundam Plamodel EXPO which had translucent armor pieces but with the same gold inner frame. Strike Freedom is the first mobile suit from "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny" to have a Master Grade model.

In Cosmic Era universe

The ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom along with its companion and counterpart mobile suit unit, the ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice, is one of the most advanced mobile suits in the Cosmic Era during the Second Bloody Valentine War (the main plot of "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny"). They are often compared to ZAFT's ZGMF-X42S Destiny and ZGMF-X666S Legend, also with lesser degree with the Orb Union's ORB-01 Akatsuki.

Despite its name being Strike Freedom, it is commonly referred to as Freedom by both friend and foe. It is only referred to by its full name twice during the TV series "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny", once by Kira and once by Lacus, both in its debut in episode 39.

The Strike Freedom is also Kira's only unit that survived through the series so far, in fact, it was rarely damaged if at all. The GAT-X105 Strike and ZGMF-X10A Freedom were both destroyed. The Strike was destroyed by Athrun Zala in the GAT-X303 Aegis, (and the rebuilt Strike was then destroyed once more when Mu La Flaga used it to save the "Archangel" from the "Dominion"'s positron cannon). The Freedom was severely damaged by Rau Le Creuset in the ZGMF-X13A Providence and the subsequent misfire of GENESIS at the end of "Gundam SEED", and the rebuilt Freedom in "Gundam SEED Destiny" was destroyed by Shinn Asuka in the ZGMF-X56S Impulse .

Design

The Strike Freedom is armed with new advanced weaponry, giving it several times the combat capability of the original Freedom thanks to advancement in technology which takes place in the roughly two year gap, chronogically, that separates their constructions.

Apart from the head-mounted CIWS and "Super Lacerta" beam sabers, the Strike Freedom is equipped with a pair of "Xiphias 3" rail cannons on its hips, a smaller and more refined version of its predecessor, and a chest-mounted "Callidus" multi-phase beam cannon. It also carries two high energy beam rifles that can combine into a longer, more powerful weapon similar to the GAT-X103 Buster's ability to combine its main armaments into a more powerful weapon. These rifles can be stored on the hips by having the rail cannons swivel to the rear of the suit. For defensive purposes the Strike Freedom is equipped with beam shields which are mounted on its forearms.

Much like the suit it’s based on, the most distinctive feature of the Strike Freedom is the set of wings housed on its backpack/thruster array. These wings give the Strike Freedom an updated HiMAT (High Maneuver Aerial Tactical) mode akin to the Freedom. In addition, it has the "Voiture Lumière" booster engine on its "wing", first employed by GSX-401FW Stargazer and Delta Astray. Unlike its predecessor, the wings are part of the Strike Freedom's weaponry as the blue sections of the eight wing components can detach and operate as remote "Super" DRAGOON units, each mounting one beam assault cannon.

Like its predecessor, the unit is equipped with hardpoints to dock with the METEOR (Mobile suit Embedded Tactical EnfORcer) weapon system. The Strike Freedom utilises an updated version of the Generation Unsubdued Nuclear Drive Assault Module complex operating system.

It is also interesting that when Strike Freedom was shown in the third opening animation of "Gundam SEED Destiny", its head crest displayed the words "Liberta Modifica", which is "Modified Freedom" in Latin. Starting with episode 39 the words were changed to read "X-20A VENTI", which is "Twenty" in Italian, a reference to the Strike Freedom's model number.

Construction

The ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom currently has no clear fictional "historical" background, as various official sources have some contradicting statements. However, the sources at least agree that Strike Freedom was completed in secret by Terminal or the Clyne Faction. It is also agreed that the mobile suit is based on the earlier ZGMF-X10A Freedom and is powered by the Ultracompact Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Fission Reactor.

Shigeru Morita, one of the series' major staff members, had stated that the Stargazer had a direct link with the Strike Freedom in regard to technical development. He also stated that Strike Freedom is powered by the Ultracompact Hyper Deuterion Nuclear Fission Reactor, explaining over debate about Strike Freedom's power plant.

In the Master Grade model kit manual, [ [http://dalong.net/review/mg/m97/p/m97_mb0002.jpg] Scan of manual for Strike Freedom Master Grade model kit, explaining the Mobile Suit Profile, from [http://www.dalong.net www.dalong.net] ] Strike Freedom was stated as originally under the production of ZAFT as a newer version of the ZGMF-X10A Freedom. In the manual, this mobile suit was planned by ZAFT to be mass-produced for achieving victory for any war. Further in the manual, Strike Freedom's maiden flight was slated for after the Armory One Incident (The incident shown in early episodes of "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny"). Later, during the final stages of its development, Terminal stole the mobile suit and modified it for Kira Yamato, resulting it to become the "ultimate" mobile suit. It explained the "ZGMF" model number, which is common for ZAFT's mobile suits. Shigeru Morita's declarations over his will to build links between Strike Freedom, Destiny and Stargazer, that the first two field a propulsion system derived from Stargazer's "Voiture Lumière" interplanetary propulsion system, also confirmed by this manual.

From the High Grade model kit manual, [ [http://www.dalong.net/review/seed/sh34/sh34_i.htm] Scan of manual for Strike Freedom High Grade model kit, explaining the Mobile Suit Profile, from [http://www.dalong.net www.dalong.net ] ] Strike Freedom was completed by the former Clyne Faction led by Lacus Clyne. The manual states that the Strike Freedom was created by stealing data from the next-generation Second Stage series that was under development by ZAFT and combined with data from the Freedom which was restored in Orb after the previous war, the Bloody Valentine War (the main plot of the TV series "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED"). Further stated, as this hybrid machine is a further power-up of the Freedom, which already surpassed ordinary mobile suits, no normal human can operate it. The manual also explained the Strike Freedom name, that when Lacus Clyne finally approved the decision of its developers and gave it to Kira Yamato, she gives it the names of the Strike and Freedom that had previously fought alongside him as if offering up a prayer.

Despite the intention of ZAFT to mass produce this Mobile Suit, as in the MG manual, only one mobile suit was known to be completed and deployed in Cosmic Era universe, shown in "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny".

Characteristics and features

In the anime, Strike Freedom features incredibly high firepower, high accuracy, and high defensive capability, which some consider it as nearly equivalent of a Super Robot concept among mobile suits in the Cosmic Era universe. Unlike Freedom, which can be categorized as a medium range mobile suit (note that despite of this, Kira often uses the Freedom as a close combat mobile suit, using its high speed), Strike Freedom excels in various range. For close combat, aside the CIWS and the twin combinable beam sabers, its chest and hip mounted cannons can also be utilized (shown in episode 42, during close combat with Destiny), not to mention its already high speed. In medium range combat, two beam rifles and various cannons are available with or without the multi lock capability. For long range, the combined beam rifles and the powerful chest cannon can be used. It has remote weapons, the DRAGOONs, which can be used for either close (shown in episode 39 of the TV series, when cutting GOUFs' heat rod), medium, and long range combat. For defensive purpose, the two powerful beam shields generators also mounted on each of its forearms. This is contrast to its close combat companion, the ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice which has massive close combat weapons and tends to be a close combat specialist.

The "trademark" feature of Strike Freedom is that it has capability to lock onto multiple units. This multi lock capability allows the pilot, to target several enemies at once with multiple weapons salvo firings. This ability is known as "Full Burst Mode" in the master grade model kit manual and Arcade/PlayStation 2 video game, "Kidou Senshi Gundam SEED Destiny: Rengou vs. Z.A.F.T. II Plus". This ability is also shared by the original Freedom, as well as the MVF-M12A Ootsukigata. Also, the ZGMF-X09A Justice and ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice also have this capability for use with the METEOR weapon system.

The DRAGOON units seem to use the newer ZAFT technology which allows pilots lacking enhanced spatial awareness to operate remote weapons. Together with HiMAT mode, Kira Yamato was able to attack multiple targets in Full Burst Mode. Also noted that the reason why the prefix "Super" is added to Freedom's DRAGOON system is because it was originally planned to be named "Super Freedom".

Strike Freedom's modified "Voiture Lumière" booster engine on its "wings" can generates visual effect similar to ZGMF-X42S Destiny's Wings of Light. This has been shown to be achievable only when the Strike Freedom deploys all of its DRAGOONs, leaving the thrusters laid out in the remote weapons' docking sections to create this effect. It is unknown whether it functions in the same manner as Destiny's "Wings of Light" (which also spread Mirage Colloid gas to create holographic after-images to confuse enemy radar/pilots when in dogfight).

As of Freedom, the unit is compatible with METEOR (Mobile suit Embedded Tactical EnfORcer) weapon system to augment its already impressive firepower.

The "Master Grade" 1/100 model kit also shows a feature, which never shown on the TV series, that the Strike Freedom's Hi-MAT system can be deployed into an Extended Hi-MAT mode, where the DRAGOON-bearing sections extend outwards, revealing gold plating similar to its arms and joints. In same model, it is also revealed that the inner part of Strike Freedom is golden-colored plated.

According to the model's manual, [ [http://dalong.net/review/mg/m97/m97_i.htm] Scans of manual for Strike Freedom Master Grade model kit, from [http://www.dalong.net www.dalong.net] ] Strike Freedom's golden joints is used to endure ultra-mobility beyond the limits of its design, as power is distributed across all parts, producing a luminescent effect in which light is emitted from the variable phase shift armor of the joints. This is similar to chronogically earlier mobile suit, which announced to be one of the predecessors of the Strike Freedom, the DSSD's (Deep Space Survey and Development) GSX-401FW Stargazer, which also features golden body parts and seem to have some effect on the propulsion system. Also in this manual, stated that activating HI-MAT Full Burst mode and using Super DRAGOON at the same time, is virtually impossible unless the pilot is a super coordinator.

In service

The Strike Freedom made its debut on CE 74, shown in 39^th episode of TV series "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny", [ [http://www.mahq.net/animation/gundam/seed-destiny/gsdep39.htm] Review of "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny" episode 39, from [http://www.mahq.net MAHQ] ] when Kira boards the "Eternal" in the MBF-P02+AQM/E-X01 Aile Strike Rouge and then launches in the Strike Freedom to defend the ship from a ZAFT attack force. Kira with the Strike Freedom successfully disabled 25 ZAKUs and GOUFs in total, within two minutes, and then also disabled three Nazca class destroyers. This decisively turns tide of battle and ends the ZAFT attacks.

When it arrives on Earth at episode 42 during ZAFT's Invasion of Orb, [ [http://www.mahq.net/animation/gundam/seed-destiny/gsdep42.htm] Review of "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny" episode 42, from [http://www.mahq.net MAHQ] ] it immediately confronts the ZGMF-X42S Destiny, piloted by Shinn Asuka, saving the ORB-01 Akatsuki (piloted by Kira's twin sister, Cagalli Yula Athha) by destroying the two beam boomerangs about to slice it apart. The initial clash between the two suits proved somewhat inconclusive as neither unit was able to cause any major damage to the other, let alone gain the upper hand (although Destiny loses two beam boomerangs, while Kira knowingly squanders an opportunity to disable the Destiny when capturing and removing Destiny's anti-ship sword). The Destiny is then ordered to retreat by Rey Za Burrel to rearm and resupply (Note also Destiny's energy is also depleted on TV series episode, while the OVA does not display the energy depletion event) .

When the Destiny returns in episode 43, [ [http://www.mahq.net/animation/gundam/seed-destiny/gsdep43.htm] Review of "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny" episode 43, from [http://www.mahq.net MAHQ] ] it is accompanied by Rey Za Burrel in the ZGMF-X666S Legend. The Strike Freedom gains an opening and takes aim at a disoriented and vulnerable Destiny, preparing to fire. The Legend saves it at the last minute. Together both units manage to give the Destiny an opportunity to heavily damage the Strike Freedom. Athrun Zala in the ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice arrives on the scene at that moment however, stopping the attack before either side manages to damage the other. For the remainder of this battle, which is not long, the Strike Freedom engages the Legend in which neither gains an advantage or damages the other until they are nearing the end of the battle.

The Strike Freedom plays a pivotal role in ending the Second Bloody Valentine War soon afterwards. During episode 49 of the TV series "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny", [ [http://www.mahq.net/animation/gundam/seed-destiny/gsdep49.htm] Review of "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny" episode 49, from [http://www.mahq.net MAHQ] ] Strike Freedom and the Infinite Justice, both equipped with the METEOR mobile weapons platform, destroy an important relay station that was to be used by the Requiem tactical cannon, which was under ZAFT control. After accomplishing this goal, in episode 50 [ [http://www.mahq.net/animation/gundam/seed-destiny/gsdep50.htm] Review of "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny" episode 50, from [http://www.mahq.net MAHQ] ] the Strike Freedom, without METEOR, engages the Destiny once again, this time able to fully utilize its DRAGOONs and thrusters. It than engages the Legend and heavily damages it. Later in the same episode, the suit docks with the METEOR once more and then heads to the mobile fortress Messiah and heavily damages it, which leads to its destruction and the subsequent end of the Second Bloody Valentine War.

References

External links

* [http://www.mahq.net/mecha/gundam/seed-destiny/zgmf-x20a.htm ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom Gundam - MAHQ]