ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom Gundam
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about a fictional weapon from the Cosmic Era timeline of the anime Gundam metaseries.
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.
Contents |
[edit] Information and history
[edit] Design and construction
The ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom is a mobile suit built in secret by Terminal under the guidance of one of its components, the Clyne Faction. It is based on the earlier ZGMF-X10A Freedom and is powered by the new Ultracompact Hyper Deuterion Nuclear Fission Reactor.
The Strike Freedom is armed with new advanced weaponry, giving it several times the combat ability of the original Freedom thanks to advancement in technology which takes place in the roughly two year gap that separates their construction. 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 and also houses weapons. Unlike its predecessor however they are part of the Strike Freedom's weaponary as the blue sections of the eight wing components can detach and operate as remote "Super" DRAGOON units, each mounting one beam assault cannon. These units seem to use the newer ZAFT technology which allows pilots lacking enhanced spatial awareness to operate remote weapons.It should be 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", but was renamed Strike Freedom in honor of the GAT-X105 Strike. Altogether, these features make it possible for the Strike Freedom to attack up to a dozen targets in a single salvo when all the weapons are fired together.
The Strike Freedom also 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 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 Strike Freedom's golden joints is for it to endure ultra-mobility beyond the limits of its design, power is distributed across all parts, producing a luminescent effect in which light is emitted from the PS armor of the joints. There is also a mock "Wings of Light" which visually emulates the same feature found on the ZGMF-X42S Destiny and, later on, on the GSX-401FW Stargazer, although less spectacularly. 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 does not function in the same manner as the Destiny’s (which also spread Mirage Colloid gas to create holographic after-images to confuse enemy pilots when in dogfight) and it could easily be argued that when the DRAGOON units are docked, the Strike Freedom uses their thrusters for similar purposes, without the visual effect.
Like its predecessor, the unit is compatible with the METEOR weapon system to augment its already impressive firepower. The Strike Freedom utilises an updated version of the Generation Unsubdued Nuclear Drive Assault Module complex operating system.
[edit] Service
The Strike Freedom made its debut on CE 74, 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 ends the ZAFT attacks.
When it arrives on Earth, it immediately confronts the ZGMF-X42S Destiny, piloted by Shinn Asuka, breaking up its battle with the ORB-01 Akatsuki (piloted by Kira's twin sister, Cagalli Yula Athha). 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 Kira knowingly squanders an opportunity to do so). Also, it becomes clear that the two mobile suits are roughly equal in power. The Destiny is however forced to retreat when Rey Za Burrel ordered Shinn Asuka to return to Minerva.
When the Destiny returns it is accompanied by Rey Za Burrel in the ZGMF-X666S Legend, 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 as well as the numerical handicap. 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.
The Strike Freedom plays a pivotal role in ending the Second Bloody Valentine War soon afterwards. It 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 now under ZAFT control. After accomplishing this goal the Strike Freedom, sans METEOR, engages the Legend and heavily damages it. 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 war.
[edit] Specifications
[edit] ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom
Manufacturer: Terminal
User: Three Ships Alliance, Orb Union
Unit type: prototype assault mobile suit
First Deployment: Cosmic Era 74
Head height: 18.88 meters
Weight: 80.09 metric tons
Special equipment: Phase Shift armor, Neutron Jammer Canceller, Super DRAGOON (Disconnected Rapid Armament Group Overlook Operation Network) system, hardpoint for docking with METEOR (Mobile suit Embedded Tactical EnfORcer) mobile weapons platform.
Powerplant: Ultracompact Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Fission Reactor
Armament: MMI-GAU27D 31 mm CIWS x2, MGX-2235 "Callidus" multi-phase beam cannon x1, MA-M02G "Super Lacerta" beam saber x2, MMI-M15E "Xiphias 3" railgun x2, MX2200 beam shield x2, MA-M21KF combinable high-energy beam rifle x2, EQFU-3X Super DRAGOON mobile weapon wings x8 (MA-80V beam assault cannon x1)
Pilot(s): Kira Yamato
[edit] Trivia
- The unit was originally to be called the "Super Freedom". The name was later changed to Strike Freedom in honor of Kira's first Mobile Suit, the GAT-X105 Strike.
- When Strike Freedom was shown in the 3rd opening animation its head crest displayed the words "Liberta Modifica", which is "Modified Freedom" in Latin. Starting with Phase-39 the words were changed to read "X-20A VENTI", which is "Twenty" in Italian, a reference to the Strike Freedom's model number.
- Although its name is 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 show; once by Kira and once by Lacus.
- One feature of the Strike Freedom resemble famous systems from protagonist Mobile Suit of the past. The beam shields used by the Strike Freedom were first seen on the Gundam F91 (although, chronologically, the Gundam F90 VSBR Type was the first UC mobile suit to use one).
- The Strike Freedom is available in a wide range of model kits, Also The Strike Freedom rivals its predecessor, the Freedom, in the number of model kits based on it that are produced by Bandai.
- It should also be noted that an earlier mobile suit, unofficially announced to be one of the predecessors of the Strike Freedom, the DSSD's (Deep Space Survey and Development) GSX-401FW Stargazer, also features golden body parts, which also seem to have some effect on the propulsion system. Since Shigeru Morita, one of the series' major staff members, had stated that the Stargazer had a direct link with the Strike Freedom in regards to technical development, one can only assume that it is the same system. It is also theorized, due to Morita's recent 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 or DSSD's Astray's "Lightwave Pulse Thrusters" (the predescessor to Voiture Lumière"), although there has not been any confirmation of this.
- Strike Freedom is Kira's only unit that survived through the series. The Strike and the Freedom were both blown up. Strike was blown up by Athrun in the Aegis and the Freedom was stabbed in the torso by the Impulse.
