Gundam GQuuuuuuX: Beginning

In Universal Century (UC) 0079, the space colony cluster known as the Principality of Zeon is at war with the Earth Federation. In space, a Zaku mobile suit team led by Char Aznable approaches the space colony under construction at Side 7. After entering the colony, Char orders Slender to stay behind while he and Denim proceed into the colony’s habited zone. Denim scans the area with binoculars and spots the military block. He doesn’t see any traffic and Char concludes that the civilians must’ve been evacuated because the ship they’re pursuing is docked here. He concludes that this must be the location of the Federation Forces’ Operation V. Char wants to destroy all the mobile suit parts at the military facility before they’re loaded onto the enemy ship, but Denim reminds him that this is a recon mission. Char comments that he’s not one to let a chance for glory escape. On the Zeon battleship Falmer, Dren asks for an update on the status of repairs to Gene’s Zaku. A soldier asks why Char personally led the mission and Dren explains that he said it was intuition. Char and Denim open fire and destroy pieces of Guntanks and Guncannons. Denim spots another mobile suit nearby but Char stops him from opening fire on it. He dismounts from his custom Zaku and runs over to the Gundam, which is fully operational and unattended. Char gets into the cockpit as Denim comes under fire from a missile truck. A Guncannon emerges from the military facility and fires its beam cannons at Denim, grazing his Zaku. Char orders Denim to fall back as he gets the Gundam to stand up. Char fires vulcan guns at the Guncannon, and on the ground engineer Tem Ray wonders who’s in the cockpit. The vulcan guns run out of ammo and Char scans for other weapons he can use that won’t destroy the colony. He draws a beam saber and stabs the Guncannon through the cockpit after dodging a beam cannon attack. Char orders Denim to contact the ship and have them secure the docking bay so they can also capture the enemy ship. Char enters the docking bay and stabs the bridge of the Pegasus, killing Capt. Paolo Cassius and the bridge crew. With the bridge destroyed, the Zeon use the sub-bridge to pilot the Pegasus out of the dock and connect it to a towing cable from the Falmer. As the Gundam is resupplied, Dren reports to Char that they’ve picked up an incoming Salamis cruiser and mobile suits. Now carrying a beam rifle and shield, Char launches from the White Base and spots the 01 Gundam and a captured Zaku. The Gundam’s beam rifle destroys the Zaku in one shot, and Char is surprised that it has the same power as a battleship cannon. The 01 Gundam fires several hyper bazooka rounds at Char. He realizes that several are heading for the Pegasus and shoots them all down. He then turns his attention back to the 01 Gundam, which tosses its hyper bazooka at him. The 01 Gundam then charges in and rams Char, but he kicks it and attacks with his beam saber. He then pulls out his second beam saber to slice into the 01 Gundam and destroy it. Char thinks that the Gundam could impact Zeon’s mobile suit strategy.

Later, Char travels to the space fortress Solomon in a tugboat piloted by Mallygan, who informs him that Zeonic will stop developing new mobile suits and instead focus on reverse engineering and mass producing the Gundam. Char recalls that Vice Adm. Dozle Zabi was against his proposal, and Mallygan explains that Kycilia Zabi convinced him. Char asks why Mallygan, a Kycilia subordinate, would be doing him a favor, and he further asks if they want him to babysit Garma Zabi, who left the military. Mallygan answers that they want Char to command the Pegasus, which has been repaired, repainted green and renamed Sodon. Char is to travel to Granada since they expect Solomon to become a target. Mallygan shows Char the repainted Red Gundam and comments that he has the strength to end the war quickly. Char thinks that’s giving him too much credit, but Mallygan answers that he might be a special person. At Granada, Dr. Flanagan shows Char a report about his potential for Newtype abilities. Char asks why Flanagan is showing him this, and he answers that if there is a reformation of humanity, he wants to see it. Char asks if there are any other Newtypes and he’s later introduced to Challia Bull, recently returned from a mission with the Jupiter Fleet. Char asks Challia if he’s been briefed on the war situation, and Challia answers that he heard about Dozle dying in combat five days ago when Solomon fell. Despite Gihren Zabi’s assurances otherwise, Challia is convinced that it’s only a matter of time before the decisive battle is fought in the Zeon homeland. Char agrees with that frank assessment but thinks there’s still a way for Zeon to win. Challia asks if that’s Gihren’s plan to mass produce heavy mobile armors or the rumored Solar Ray. Char answers that the Red Gundam is being equipped with an Alpha Psycommu and will carry unmanned “bit” attack drones that were originally meant for a mobile armor. Challia comments that he only has good intuition and doesn’t know if he can help Char. Later, the two drink wine and Char asks if it was Gihren who assigned Challia to him, and he answers yes. Char comments that Challia can team up with him so he won’t have to be caught between Kycilia and Gihren. Char deploys in the Red Gundam to attack the EFF fleet docked at Solomon, now renamed Confeito. Char is able to destroy multiple enemy ships, which impresses Kycilia. She thinks Psycommu technology could be their trump card, but Gihren is an obstacle.

A fleet let by M’Quve is dispatched to capture the EFF’s Luna II asteroid, but at the same time the EFF moves to drop Confeito on Granada. M’Quve comments to his subordinate Uragang that the base would’ve fallen three days earlier had the Big Zam squad been deployed at the start of the battle. Uragang remarks that they then would’ve owed Gihren a favor and M’Quve dismisses that because he only cares about practical benefits. Uragang then notes that excluding Char from the operation also wasn’t to their benefit and M’Quve asks if Uragang is suggesting that he’s jealous. Their conversation is interrupted when a subordinate news about Solomon, which the EFF captured and renamed Confeito. The EFF has attached nuclear pulse engines to Solomon and set it on a course to crash into the lunar city Granada, where Kycilia is based. From the escort fleet, Wakkein comments to another officer that they’ve lost the war but will drag Zeon down with them. An emergency evacuation order is issued at Granada and a subordinate asks her to leave as well. She answers that if a Zabi were to run away it would be bad for morale. She’s then briefed on the grimness of their situation – most of their fleets were committed to the Luna II attack and there’s little chance of reinforcements from A Baoa Qu. Kycilia comments that Granada is Zeon’s lifeline and that independence is unattainable without it. All they have left is Char’s fleet of four ships, led by the Sodon. Kycilia gives orders for Char to intercept Solomon and wonders how Casval will do. Char outlines a bold plan to end the threat by entering Solomon through the auxiliary dock and detonating four unmanned Zakus at designated implosion points to blow up the main rector and break the space fortress apart. Char notes that the EFF will do a final acceleration, but if Solomon’s center of gravity has shifted, it’ll go of course. Dren notes that the EFF has an escort fleet at Solomon and Char responds that they’ll just have to break through. In a corridor, Challia comments that Char seems to have planned an attack on Solomon in advance and he responds that he has to think ahead because the Zabi family will be their next enemies after this war ends. Char launches in the Red Gundam, followed by Challia’s Kikeroga. The two head in and blast a path through the enemy forces for their fleet. The Swamel’s starboard engine is hit and Char is annoyed that his bits are already out of propellant. The Sodon reaches the fortress and rams into the auxiliary dock. Multiple mobile suit teams launch with Zaku torsos rigged to explode. Char orders two of his escort Zakus to help Tokwan. He tells himself that the EFF put together a good plan and he’ll put it to his use. He rips the bomb off the Zaku torso, which will prevent it from exploding and ensure that Solomon falls on Granada. He then spots a white Light Type Guncannon and thinks it must belong to the EFF Newtype ace who defeated Dozle. The EFF pilot opens the attack with a hammer and the two then fight with beam sabers. Char is about to blast the Guncannon with his beam rifle, but he has a Newtype reaction and realizes that the enemy pilot is his sister, Artesia. He pulls back on the attack and Artesia fires her beam cannon, causing the tunnel to collapse on the Red Gundam. As Solomon continues its course, Char comes to and sees the psycommu system start to glow. The fleet misses the deadline to detonate the four Zakus in sync, so Dren orders everyone to fall back. As Solomon approaches Granada, Kycilia realizes they may have expected too much from Char. The Red Gundam’s psycommu reacts to another mind, and Char wonders who it is. A bright pink light emanates from Solomon, and Kycilia overhears mentions that the Rose of Sharon is missing. Challia hears a mysterious sound coming through the psycommu system and picks up Char talking to someone, asking if they’re from the other side. Challia and Char experience the kira-kira and Char proclaims he can see time before vanishing in the Zeknova. With a large chunk of Solomon destroyed by the Zeknova, the smaller space fortress harmlessly enters orbit of the moon. The One Year War ends in victory for the Zeon as the EFF falls back.

In UC 0085, two civilian-use Zaku mobile suits engage in the illegal Clan Battle sport in space outside Side 6’s Izuma Colony. The Sodon sounds its horns as a warning because the two suits are in its flight path. The mobile suits move out of the way, but Sodon commander Rassit complains about Zeon having sold mobile suits to civilians after the war. Ensign Comoli Harcourt notes that at least the installer keys have been removed, so the Zakus can’t use any weapons. Fleet commander Challia comments that this creates jobs for EFF remnants and that Zeon also has a duty as the victors. Comoli points out that Side 6 is a sovereign nation and that Zeon has no duty to look after them. Challia has a strange feeling in his head and thinks it’s the Red Gundam. Nearby, Side 6 Police Zakus engage the Red Gundam. Inside the colony, teenager Amate Yuzuriha gets a weird text message as she exits the subway. She then gets knocked over when a girl named Nyaan jumps the turnstile while evading the police. The police continue to give chase and step on Amate’s phone, cracking the screen. In the bathroom, Amate finds an envelope in her bag with a device in it and realizes it belongs to the girl who knocked her over. She searches the device’s serial number on Foolypedia and learns that it’s an installer key for a mobile suit’s battle computer – and it’s illegal. Two special forces Police Zaku pilots named Raggucci and Arraga fly outside the colony where the Red Gundam pilot painted graffiti on the colony’s outer wall. With Side 6’s military police unable to capture the Red Gundam, Rassit wonders if the pilot really is Char. Comoli thinks this one is an impostor like many before, and Challia asks if she knows the rumors of Char’s origins. Comoli mentions a rumor that he’s actually the son of Zeon Deikun, and another one that he was Challia’s friend and Mav, but she doesn’t believe it. Challia mentions that Kycilia thinks differently, which is why they’ve come here to investigate. Challia asks Kowal for an update on the Gundam QuuuuuuX and is told that pilot Xavier Olivette is training to switch machines. Challia decides to use the Omega Psycommu activation key, but Comoli objects and Rassit notes that they borrowed the Gundam on the condition that they not use the Psycommu system. Comoli notes that the Omega Psycommu has never been tested in combat and that if it went out of control it could cause a Zeknova. Rassit adds that in that situation they’d face a military tribunal under Vice Admiral M’Quve. Challia answers that the only thing that can catch the Red Gundam is another suit that has the same power, and Xavier asks from the cockpit if Challia thinks he can handle the Omega Psycommu. Challia recalls hearing that Xavier was the top of his class at the Flanagan School, and if not for that he wouldn’t let him use a Psycommu activation key. He adds that this is a secret mission and Xavier reminds him that this would be his first battle. Challia thinks he’ll be fine since he’s a Newtype and Xavier then launches in the GQuuuuuuX. Elsewhere, Nyaan traces the installer key back to Amate and steals her backpack. Amate gives chase and catches up to Nyaan outside a small shrine just as Nyaan discovers that only the tracker is in the backpack. Amate holds up the installer key but Nyaan hides behind the shrine. Amate then tosses the key into the air, which forces Nyaan to reveal her position. Amate grabs the key and asks if Nyaan is a terrorist, but she answers that it’s just for Clan Battle. Amate falls off the post she’s standing on and lands on Nyaan. Xavier picks up the Red Gundam flying out in the open and fires a ceasefire signal that is promptly ignored. Xavier has a Newtype reaction to the Red Gundam and dodges its bits before it moves in to attack with vulcans. The Red Gundam then attacks with its beam saber and Xavier is frustrated that he can’t activate the Omega Psycommu. Xavier slams into the Red Gundam and pushes it toward the colony. Amate follows Nyaan and learns that she’s a courier. Amate asks about the police earlier and Nyaan answers that they’re good at picking out refugees. Amate is surprised that their destination is in a rundown area, but Nyaan notes that no decent person would do Clan-Bat. Amate rings the doorbell and Nyaan speaks the passphrase to get them inside. A man named Jezzi complains that Nyaan got spotted by the police and almost screwed them over. Another man named Nabu introduces Nyaan to their boss, Annqi. Jezzi asks Amate who she is and she answers that she’s a babysitter or maybe a Mav. Nyaan hands over the installer key, which Jezzi grabs and hooks up to a laptop to decode it. Annqi concludes that Amate and Nyaan aren’t friends and conceals a gun when Amate starts snooping around the room. She asks if Amate is interested in Clan Battle, and Amate asks if you can be free in space. She looks out the window and sees their Zaku. The ground rumbles when the Red Gundam and GQuuuuuuX smash through into the colony.

The Red Gundam uses its two bits to intimidate Xavier without firing them inside the colony. The bits maneuver around and get close to Amate and Nyaan. Xavier grabs one of the bits and swings it around to destroy the other before both suits crash into the ground. The Red Gundam’s shield flies out of control and nearly hits Amate and Nyaan, but the pilot catches it. Xavier picks up Raggucci and Arraga’s Zakus on sensors and drops colored smoke to cover his escape. Arraga believes there’s a lift nearby that goes down to a maintenance tunnel, but Raggucci complains that they can’t find the target if it’s hiding in a building. They land and haphazardly eject their propellant tank, causing wanton destruction on the ground and sending civilians fleeing. Arraga tells Raggucci to rip off every roof to search the area and that it’s fine because they’re illegal buildings constructed by refugees. As the two wreak havoc across the town, Annqi laments that even though Zeon won the war, Spacenoids will never be free. The Police Zakus begin moving in their direction and Annqi tells the others to hide their Clan-Bat Zaku. Amate asks if they’re not going to fight and Nyaan answers that no one’s dumb enough to fight MPs. Amate then grabs the installer key and gets into the Zaku while Jezzi is trying to start it up. Jezzi opens the garage door to move the Zaku before the MPs find it. A Haro tells Amate where the installer device docks and she shoves it in place. After loading new firmware, the Zaku’s monoeye changes from green to red, indicating that it’s armed. Raggucci attacks the Zaku from behind and pushes it toward the maintenance tunnel. Inside the tunnel, Xavier stashes the GQuuuuuuX and is shocked when the two Zakus crash into the tunnel. Raggucci spots the GQuuuuuuX and sees that Xavier’s pilot suit is Zeon. Amate looks at the GQuuuuuuX and decides that it looks stronger. She then slams her Zaku into Raggucci’s Zaku and jumps into the GQuuuuuuX’s cockpit with the Haro. The Omega Psycommu immediately activates and unlocks new controls in the cockpit. The GQuuuuuuX’s head opens a V-fin and the suit deploys its shield when Raggucci fires his machine gun. Amate grabs a heat hawk off the floor and stabs Raggucci’s Police Zaku, disabling it. Arraga arrives and opens fire on Amate, but he accidentally hits the airlock controls. The airlock opens and sucks Amate into space with Arraga giving chase and opening fire. Amate has a Newtype reaction and sees a “kira-kira” vision of shining colors and the Red Gundam. Amate regains control of the GQuuuuuuX and attacks Arraga, using the heat hawk to disable his Police Zaku. She wonders who the pilot of the Red Gundam was. The Red Gundam flies close to the Sodon and Challia realizes that Char isn’t the pilot. Inside the colony, Nyaan slips away as police swarm the area.

At the Izuma Colony’s Military Police headquarters, detectives Ward and Chaichi interrogate a roughed up Xavier, and Ward comments that it’s commendable how a Loum refugee has risen through the ranks as a Zeon officer. On the Sodon, Comoli tells Rassit that Xavier was caught red-handed so the status of forces agreement (SOFA) is inapplicable in this situation. Rassit asks about the GQuuuuuuX and Kowal explains that after destroying a Police Zaku they lost its signal. Osillo asks if they should report this to the Supreme Commander’s office but Rassit doesn’t want to attract the attention of the Special Service. He then suggests talking to Side 6 authorities, but Rassit notes that the Principality will still end up hearing about it. Amidst the arguing, Comoli asks if anyone is concerned with Xavier’s wellbeing. Challia asks what the colony’s weather is today and is told “sunny” so he decides to proceed. Inside the colony, Amate eats dinner and lies to her mother Tamaki about what caused her to get home late. Tamaki asks if she’s bothered by her cram school being so far away, and Amate answers that she feels like it’s a waste of money. Amate mentions that some of her friends are working part-time but Tamaki notes that she should be concentrating on her studies. Earlier, at the Pomeranians headquarters Amate watched Kaine and Nabu poring over data on the GQuuuuuuX. Nabu asked how to say the name and Kaine explained that “GQuuuuuuX” was a placeholder in the system so its real name was something else. Kaine encountered an error message and decided to stop digging because he didn’t want to accidentally trigger a self-destruct system. Nabu complained to Annqi that they couldn’t make any money out of this suit and that keeping it around was a risk, so they should get rid of it. Jezzi objected and asked what they would do about tomorrow’s Clan Battle, noting that if they backed out the cancellation fee would ruin them. Annqi praised Amate for doing well her first time out and Amate responded that she didn’t know how, but the suit just moved the way she wanted. Annqi then asked Amate if she was interested in Clan Battle. While taking a bath, Amate thinks back to Annqi mentioning that their Zaku got trashed, but now they have the GQuuuuuuX to take its place. She says that if Nabu lends his Zaku to Jezzi and Amate forms a Mav with him they could compete and split the winnings. Jezzi objects and says they can’t use a kid with a curfew and Nabu complains that an amateur will just get killed, but Annqi thinks Amate will be back. In the bath, Amate wonders if Annqi would report her to the authorities if she backed out of the battle. But Amate wants to see that “kira-kira” shininess that she experienced earlier. Tamaki enters the bathroom and says she’s gotta head into the office for a work issue. Amate then opens the bathroom window and sticks her head out when she hears an air raid siren go off. Elsewhere, the Sodon forces its way into the colony’s interior and Rassit orders the crew to ensure they don’t disperse Minovsky particles. News outlets across the colony report on the development, and Nyaan meets a contact under a highway overpass to collect her next package from a man in a van. He tells her that if she screws this up again that she’s done. At school, Amate wonders what she should do and searches Foolypedia for the RX-78, which has a section about Char. She then has a Newtype reaction and runs out of class. She runs to the bridge where she saw graffiti yesterday because she realizes it’s the same as the “kira-kira” she saw in the GQuuuuuuX. A boy named Shuji Ito grabs her by the head and asks if she’s also seen the other side. She then awkwardly introduces herself with “Machu,” her childhood nickname. Before she can say anything else, Nyaan pulls up in a bicycle and says the passphrase, which Shuji responds to. Nyaan questions if he can pay her 5,000 hytes and he pulls out a coin to pay her. Machu steps in and tells Nyaan not to interrupt, but she accidentally knocks into Shuji and causes him to drop the coin in the river. Now he doesn’t have any money to pay Nyaan and asks his robot Conch what he should do. Machu suggests that he join her in Clan Battle to get money, but he mentions that he broke his key yesterday. Machu notes that Nyaan is in a tough spot and still hasn’t paid Machu back for causing her phone to be broken. Nyaan counters that there’s only prize money if you win, but Machu is confident that she will. Nyaan thinks to herself that Machu is an amateur and that Shuji is so poor he must have a bad mobile suit. Shuji sniffs Nyaan’s hair and asks her to follow him underground. The three walk along a tunnel to an abandoned chamber filled with Shuji’s graffiti and the Red Gundam. Machu asks Shuji if he’ll do Clan Battle with her and he answers that the Gundam is saying to fight.

Elsewhere, Challia meets with Presidential Aide Cameron Bloom and rides in his car. Cameron asks if Challia is still chasing Char and Challia responds that that’s outside the scope of the SOFA. Challia notes that Zeon has priority rights and Cameron responds that they don’t want a repeat of the Colony 17 incident. Cameron is surprised that the Sodon is still in service and Challia notes that even Zeon has tight pockets. Challia then gets out of the car and leaves behind a printed immigration card for Xavier that’s backdated to yesterday. He also asks Cameron if there’s a drugstore nearby. Later, Xavier is released from police custody and finds Challia waiting for him. They ride the subway and Xavier apologizes for losing the GQuuuuuuX due to his carelessness. Xavier explains what happened and Challia is glad that at least the suit didn’t fall into the hands of the police or hostile forces. Machu shows up at the Pomeranians headquarters and tells them she has a Mav and he’ll join her later. Annqi gives her a pilot suit and tells her to hide her face as well. She explains to Machu that Clan Battles are two-on-two fights and that you win by destroying the opponent’s head. Nabu and Jezzi add that Minovsky particles will be dispersed at the battle site but that MPs will show up as soon as the livestream starts, so she has about five minutes to win. Kaine opens the airlock quickly so that Machu can slip out in the GQuuuuuuX. Annqi tells the others that Machu understands timing and might be the real deal. Xavier sits in a bar with Challia and explains that the girl who stole the GQuuuuuuX was able to activate the Omega Psycommu. Challia receives a notification that the suit is on the move and asks the bartender to turn on the TV. A livestream is about to begin of a Clan Battle between Clan Pomeranians and Clan Four Snake Eyes, and Xavier is shocked to see the GQuuuuuuX and Red Gundam on the Pomeranians side. The match begins and Machu panics and starts moving around too much, which makes her a target of Zaku machine gun battle. Xavier wonders why Char would fight amateurs and Challia explains that it can’t be him out there. He explains that Char would never let a Mav be his vanguard, and Xavier mentions hearing that Char and Challia came up with the Mav tactic during the war. Challia explains that battles with Minovsky particles take place in visual range and that the person who first spots their opponent has the absolute advantage, but only until they fire the first shot. You have to reveal yourself to attack, so if you miss that first shot, your advantage is gone. But pairing up two mobile suits to make up for that lost advantage was named M.A.V. Machu chases after one Zaku and comes under fire from the other. Challia comments that they’re following Mav tactics closely and Xavier wonders if the pilots are former Zeon soldiers. Machu flies around wildly, and Jezzi complains that she’s being targeted because they know she’s an amateur. Challia notes that the GQuuuuuuX is hard to use but the pilot is controlling it well, and Xavier wonders if another Zeknova could be triggered. Machu loses her heat hawk and starts to panic, but she sees the “kira-kira” and hears Shuji saying he’s beside her. Shuji swings Machu out of the way and is attacked by the Zakus in her place. Machu wonders what to do and chases after her heat hawk, with the Zakus chasing her from the front and rear. The rear Zaku tosses its heat hawk at Machu, but she times her dodging so that the heat hawk instead slams into the head of the other Zaku. She then struggles to yank the heat hawk out of the Zaku’s head and Shuji attacks the other Zaku with his mace. Machu is able to rip the heat hawk free and behead the other Zaku, winning the match. Jezzi and the others cheer over their victory and tell Machu to get out of there before the police show up. Shuji tells Machu that the Gundam is saying to leave.