Rau Le Creuset

Rau Le Creuset (ラウ・ル・クルーゼ)[1] is a fictional character and as the main antagonist in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED.

Apart from attempts to take down the "Legged Ship" (ZAFT's codename for the Archangel), he shares a strange connection with Earth Alliance mobile armor pilot Mu La Flaga and the two are shown to have a rivalry of sorts throughout the war.

True intentions
Despite his allegiance with ZAFT, Rau bears no loyalty to it, or anyone, for that matter. Rau's true aim is to put an end to humanity and what he sees as a 'world of endless desires'. He believes he can accomplish this through the nuclear arsenal of the Earth Forces and GENESIS, ZAFT's super weapon. Furthermore, he believes he is the person best suited to carry out the judgment and execution of humanity. Rau seemingly does not value human life in the slightest—not even his own. His intentions almost come to fruition at the Battle of Jachin Due, but they are thwarted by Kira Yamato and the crew of the Archangel.

His reputation is high enough that the ZAFT National Defense Committee Chairman, Patrick Zala, reveals to him the real plans for Operation Spitbreak. Le Creuset passes this information to the Atlantic Federation, then betrays Zala again by handing over confidential information regarding the nuclear technology behind the two Gundams, Freedom and Justice. This information is given to the Blue Cosmos Chairman, Muruta Azrael, who is also the director of the Azrael Conglomerate, the Earth Alliance's primary arms supplier.

Neither Zala, members of the Supreme Council, nor ZAFT suspect Le Creuset of treason. Although Rau supposedly answers to Patrick Zala, it becomes quite clear that he is actually manipulating Chairman Zala.

Origins
A chance encounter with Mu La Flaga and Kira Yamato in the abandoned colony of Mendel reveals his true identity and motives. His birth name is Rau La Flaga,[3] the direct clone of Mu La Flaga's father, Al Da Flaga, which means he's a Natural, which is ironic since ZAFT consists of mostly Coordinators (if not all) and Chairman Zala advocates to exterminate all Naturals but Zala doesn't know that Le Creuset is a clone, let alone being direct clone of a Natural.

Considering his own son Mu as "nothing" because he was "diluted" by the inferior DNA of a mother, Al Da Flaga, a powerful and wealthy Atlantic Federation politician, conspired with Professor Ulen Hibiki to create clones of himself, of which Rau would be the first, and his heir, superior in every way to his brother, Mu, who was to be disinherited. Despite the fact that Coordinators had existed for quite some time, direct human cloning was illegal, but Al believed his wealth and influence put him above the law, and Dr. Hibiki agreed to this transaction in exchange for the funds to finance his Ultimate Coordinator project.

Rau possesses spacial awareness, a trait he apparently inherited from his "father" and shares with his "brother" Mu. However, Rau has short telomeres within his DNA that cause him rapid aging problems. This is done intentionally, so that Rau can catch up to Mu in age and replace him. Rau takes a drug that stabilizes his aging; if he goes too long without taking the medication, he suffers intense pain. Rau eventually decides that Naturals and Coordinators are both unfit to live, and plans the destruction of both (thus causing the death of three people of impotrances such as: Al Da Flaga, Ulen Hibiki, and Via Hibiki. Rau unmasked as he assumes the name "Rau Le Creuset" ("le creuset" being French for "The Crucible"), donning his trademark mask to hide the shame of his resemblance to Al Da Flaga, he leaves the Earth to go to the PLANTs and joins the ZAFT military, where his piloting skills, intellect, and powers of persuasion ensure his rise to command.

Rau believes that all people are selfish creatures who will do anything to "get ahead." He justifies this point of view by his very existence: he is the direct result of human hubris - cloning. While he believes that humanity will eventually wipe itself out, he is not satisfied with waiting for that to happen on its own and works towards making that end a reality.

To help this plan, he leaks to the Earth Alliance the N-jammer canceller technology used to create the ZGMF-X10A Freedom and ZGMF-X09A Justice through a disc he entrusts to Flay Allster, who he captures during the Battle of JOSH-A. This eventually leads to the use of nuclear missiles by the Earth Alliance, and the eventual destruction of the ZAFT military asteroid Boaz and ZAFT counters with the GENESIS superweapon.

Second battle of Jachin Due
In the final battle of the war, Rau pilots the ZGMF-X13A Providence, the final ZAFT Gundam. Rau cripples the Strike and the Buster and destroys an escape shuttle launched from the Dominion that contains Flay Allster. He then battles with Kira Yamato in the ZGMF-X10A Freedom.

Rau damages the Freedom using the DRAGOON System installed in the Providence and yells out his beliefs of humanity and their need to be like Kira; however, Kira cripples the Providence with an attack that penetrates the cockpit killing Rau and his mobile suit is destroyed by the self-destruction of GENESIS.

Gundam SEED Destiny
Although Rau dies at the end of Gundam SEED, he appears in flashbacks in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny. Kira is still haunted by his memories of him, and tries to ensure that no one like Rau threatens mankind's future again.

In episode 29, Gilbert Durandal, Rau's former friend and doctor, imagines[5] conversing and playing a metaphysical game of chess with Le Creuset. Le Creuset asks Durandal why he feels humanity is worth saving, and pities him for believing that anything other than disappointment, reminding Durandal of his own failure to save him. Durandal swears that he will do anything to ensure the continued survival of humanity, no matter what the cost of that might be.

Later on during the series finale, Rey Za Burrel, a fellow clone, decides to take on the name of Rau during his battle with Kira.

In games
In the SD Gundam G Generation series, Super Robot Wars J, and the Gundam Wars card game, he is listed as a Newtype. However, the term Newtype was never officially used in Gundam SEED or Gundam SEED Destiny and the category of characters with his abilities was unnamed.

While Rau is still a major villain, in SD Gundam G Generation Advance, Rau is shown piloting a completely different unit at the end - the Freedom Gundam. He is also killed differently - he's killed in a final duel with Mu La Flaga, but only as a special event.