RX-0 Unicorn Gundam

RX-0 Unicorn Gundam (aka Unicorn Gundam, Unicorn) is the titular mobile suit of the serial novel and OVA Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn. It is considered the successor to Amuro Ray's RX-93 ν Gundam in terms of development, and is piloted by Banagher Links. When used for noble reasons by a pilot possessing the proper character, the RX-0 is the "key" to opening a mysterious object known only as "Laplace's Box".

Technology & Combat Characteristics
Produced as a part of the E.F.S.F's reorganization plan, the "U.C. Project", the Unicorn Gundam is a revolutionary design. Featuring the most advanced mobile suit technology of the time, the mobile suit's performance is unmatched. Most uniquely, the entire frame is lined with psyco-frame receptors, drastically increasing the responsiveness of the unit and allowing it to be piloted like an extension of the pilot's body. It utilizes a special "Laplace Program" OS and a system known as the "NT-D (Newtype-Destroyer)", which activates the suit's psyco-frame and dramatically increases the suits performance. Its head is similar in appearance to those of Londo Bell's mass-produced mobile suits, with the addition of a single, horn-like antenna extending from the forehead (hence the name "Unicorn"). In terms of armaments the Unicorn is very lightly armed, with most of its built-in weaponry only being available in Destroy Mode. The RX-0 also incorporates a black box known as "La+", which responds to the Unicorn whenever NT-D is initiated; it's purpose is unknown.

Destroy Mode
Destroy Mode is the form the Unicorn Gundam takes when its NT-D is activated. The transformation is marked by an expansion of the suit's frame. The armor seams separate and lock down into various hard-points, while the newly exposed psyco-frame emits a deep red glow (attributed to a psyco-frame luminescence phenomenon). In this mode, the mobile suit becomes taller and its head transforms to one having standard Gundam features, the visor and face guard transforming to reveal the mouth plate and the antenna splitting into a V-fin.

The machine's performance, its mobility in particular, is dramatically increased when NT-D is active due to the exposure and activation of four additional thrusters. In this form, the suit's psyco-frame scans the pilot's thoughts and directly transposes them into the unit's movements; in other words, the Unicorn can ultimately be controlled by thought alone. However, the stress placed on the mind by manipulating an object more than tenfold the size of an average human is extraordinary. Even with the aid of the psyco-frame the pilot's mind can only endure roughly five minutes of operation before a safeguard is believed to activate, deactivating the psyco-frame and returning the mobile suit to its normal form. Furthermore, the system activates not according to the pilot's discretion, but automatically upon the detection of another Newtype. In addition to performance boost, NT-D allows Unicorn Gundam to take control of an enemy's psycommu weapons.

Full Armor Mode
The Full Armor Mode was an enhancement plan devised by Takuya Irei while aboard the Nahel Argama. In this form the Unicorn's psyco-frame takes on a vibrant green (possibly related to the psyco-frame resonance which resulted in the miraculous phenomenon that pushed back Axis three years prior). It also introduces a large array of weapons, which are added to the backpack and forearms. The new array of weapons includes two backpack-mounted hyper bazookas, numerous missile pods, forearm-mounted Gatling guns, and two additional I-field-equipped shields, one on the backpack and the other on the right forearm. The backpack also features two massive "long-booster" systems to compensate for the increased mass, with one of the additional shields situated between them. The unit's entire weapons load can be disconnected at any time if ammunition was completely spent to avoid becoming dead-weight. When Full Armor Destroy Mode allows the Unicorn Gundam to take control of an enemy's psycommu weapons for a much greater period of time. Aside from the change in psyco-frame color, the transformation of the Unicorn Full Armor's NT-D remains unchanged.

Beam Gatling Gun
Confiscated from the NZ-666 Kshatriya.

Beam Magnum
A highly customized beam rifle designed with an energy condenser, mirroring the output of large mega-particle cannons. Normally, It functions like an ordinary beam rifle, but utilizes a special E-cap magazine mechanism to produce mega-particle cannon yield at the expense of an entire E-cap battery. The Unicorn Gundam is outfitted with 5 spare customized E-Pacs on its backpack.

Beam Saber
Each forearm stores a beam saber. In Destroy Mode, two additional beam sabers deploy from the backpack in a design reminiscent of the RX-78 Gundam.

Hyper Bazooka
Standard-issue equipment to all Earth Federation Mobile Suits. However, its length vaires between Unicorn Gundam's two modes. Fed with 6-round magazines.

Shield
Houses an I-Field barrier generator; the feature is operational in both Unicorn mode and Destroy mode.

Vulcan Gun
Housed within both the shoulder assembly and the head. Both are only usable in Destroy Mode. Hobby Japan lists it as a beam vulcan gun, though standard live rounds can be used.

History
The Attack on the Industrial 7 Colony

The RX-0 Unicorn Gundam is first operated by the Visit Foundation as part of the "UC Project" at the Industrial 7 colony.

In the manga version the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam was first used on a test run. Four ARX-014 Silver Bullet units three with GM heads and one with a Gundam head attack Gundam Unicorn. Cardeas Vist was trying to see Gundam Unicorn's full potential by testing it against Londo Bell's Silver Bullets. The Gundam was outnumbered four to one, then three of the Silver Bullets used their remote beam gun forearms to grab hold of the Gundam and started electrocuting the pilot. Before one of units could take down the Unicorn, the pilot activated the Unicorn Gundam's Destroy Mode and took down one of the units. He then went after the other, destroyed it, and only one Silver Bullet remained. The Unicorn launched at full speed towards the remaining Silver Bullet, but at the last moment the Gundam returns to its Unicorn mode as the pilot dies due to the stran of the NT-D.

In the anime the Unicorn is first seen as it flew by the colony at an extremely fast rate, but Banagher was able to make it out as a mobile suit. The Unicorn Gundam is piloted by a Vist Foundation Pilot, Gael and the head of the House of Vist. Cardeas Vist put a lot of stress on the pilot when they entered a debris field during a test excercise near the Colony Industrial 7. When the test ended Gael notified Cardeas that some people might have seen the MS, but Cardeas said that the people would probably think it was a shooting star.

When an intense battle between the Londo Bell taskforce led by the Nahel Argama along with the ECOAS special forces, and the Neo Zeon remnants known as "The Sleeves" broke out, Industrial 7 became the battleground between the two sides. The battle was halfway over and Banagher was looking for Audrey Burne (the girl he rescued earlier) when he found the Mobile Suit that he saw on the test run. He found Cardeas Vist in the Cockpit of the MS. Banagher and Cardeas talked and before he died, Cardeas entrusted the mobile suit to Banagher and soon realized that Cardeas was his father. Banagher took the Unicorn Gundam and headed out, only to be confronted by Marida who was in the NZ-666 Kshatriya. In the initial skirmish, the Unicorn took her all the way outside the Colony.

As soon as the Unicorn Gundam and Kshatriya got outside the colony and into space where the Nahel Argama is, they separate out so they can face each other in combat. Immediately, Marida deploys the funnels toward the Unicorn. Inside the cockpit as Banagher spot the funels from the Kshatriya approaching at him; suddenly, the NT-D system self-activated. A field is deployed briefly to deflects the beams fire from Kshatriya's funnels allowing Unicorn Gundam to proceed with its transformation. Marida is frightened while watching the Gundam resembled figure transforming. Right after activating its Destroy mode, Unicorn Gundam draws out its Beam Saber as the crews of the Nahel Argama watching and astonished by the Destroy-mode Unicorn Gundam. The Unicorn Gundam engages the Kshatriya, destroying most of its funnels and chopping off two of its binders before it retreats. The Unicorn then transformed back into its normal state with a unconscious Banagher still in the cockpit.

The Second Coming of Char

Shortly afterwards, Banagher deployed the Unicorn a second time, against Full Frontal's MSN-006 Sinanju - itself a testbed frame used in the development of the Unicorn - armed this time with the shield and Beam Magnum. Banagher expends the Beam Magnum's ammunition, in futile attempts to shoot down the Sinanju, but none of his shots connect though one of them, narrowly missing one of the AMS-129 Geara Zulu escort units, nevertheless causes it to explode. The NT-D activates a second time and Unicorn gains the advantage. However, Marida launches in the Kshatriya against him again. During the ensuing match the NT-D's time limit runs out and the Unicorn deactivates. With Banagher unconscious, the Unicorn is captured by the Sleeves and taken to the Neo-Zeon asteroid colony Palau.

Variants

 * RX-0 Unicorn Gundam "Banshee"
 * RX-0 Full Armor Unicorn Gundam