Shinn Asuka

Shinn Asuka (シン・アスカ) is one of the main characters from the Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny television series. A refugee from the Orb Union, he was a pilot aboard ZAFT's LHM-BB01 Minerva during the Second Alliance-PLANT War, initially piloting a ZGMF-X56S Impulse Gundam and then a ZGMF-X42S Destiny Gundam.

Personality & Character
Witnessing his family's death right before his eyes and seeing their mutilated and bloody corpses has had a traumatic effect on Shinn's life. However, during flashbacks of his past he was shown to be a very cheerful and carefree person, it is also hinted that he is a very nice big brother during the beginning where he is shown to have no qualms going an extra mile for his little sister over a cell phone, showing how much he changes through this tragedy.

Since his family’s tragic death, Shinn has become impulsive, stubborn, hot tempered, and occasionally arrogant even to his superior officers. Shinn has also demonstrated to act on his personal feelings despite his common sense and this has also sometimes put him at odds with his superior officers. Nonetheless, Shinn has demonstrated to be a highly determined individual and is extremely dedicated to his role of ending conflicts and protecting innocent lives, so that they do not have to go through the same horrors that he had endured.

Shinn has a great deal of anger towards several major governments, organizations, and individuals that has been contributed due to many factors in his past and his time during war. His anger to these factors has demonstrated to be either negative or positive factors during varying moments of his life. He also has a deep hatred for war and those who cause it, as throughout the Second Alliance-PLANT War he becomes frustrated at the prospect of conflict happening again and is visibly upset when it does. By the end of the second war, Shinn seems to have put most of his anger towards these factors behind him evidenced by joining Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala as an ally despite his previous conflict with them; showing great maturity as a character.

Despite all anger and sorrow, Shinn has shown to be a very kind and gentle person mainly to his two love interests, Lunamaria Hawke and Stella Loussier, both of whom he is very protective of. He still deeply saddened by the world's cruel actions and all the people that have died in his life; despite his conflicted emotions, he fights for wanting to change the world for the better.

Skills & Abilities
Shinn was depicted to be a talented pilot with great drive and focus in better himself in his piloting skills unlike the previous two protagonists Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala who spend all their time in the previous war being troubled by multiple external things. His fighting style has similarities with the previous two protagonist as a one man army type pilot being able to hold his own against the 3 Extended in the stolen Gundams single-handedly and even force them to retreat with Athrun, Rey and Lunamaria supporting. His improvement can be seen throughout the Second Alliance-PLANT War until he was eventually able to take down the Freedom single-handedly. It is even stated by Athrun Zala himself to Kira Yamato, Shinn is a good person who works very hard and improves quickly. Despite his skills, Shinn is not without his weakness, he is shown to be inapt at dealing with mobile weapons. Shinn was completely outmatched by the TS-MA4F Exus's gunbarrel pods and would have been captured alive by Neo if his colleague Rey Za Burrel had not stepped in to help him. This proves to be his personal combat flaws as he took a direct hit from Strike Freedom's dragoons to confuse and broke through his defences in the final battle.

Shinn is talented and favours close range combat. He's also good in medium and long range combat which come in handy due to both of his mobile suits capabilities to handle any form of combat. Despite his talents and natural abilities, Shinn Asuka suffers a great deal from constantly grieving for the loss of his family to the previous war, to prevent the tragedy that causes the sorrow he experiences is the main driving force behind his reason to fight. Later in the series, Shinn Asuka learns to enter into SEED mode by tapping into the anger which stems from his loss of his family and Stellar. While in SEED Mode, Shinn Asuka's fighting style became even more aggressive making him an unstoppable force to just about any pilots with exception of the two Legendary Aces and War Heroes; Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala.

Towards the end of the series after his defeat by Athrun Zala, Shinn went to visit his family's grave with Lunamaria together with Kira Yamato, Lacus Clyne, Athrun Zala and Meyrin. Here, Kira Yamato extended his hand in offering Shinn to protect the world and Shinn accepts signifying him finally moving on from his family's death.

First Alliance-PLANT War
Shinn lived with his parents and his younger sister, Mayu, in the neutral country of Orb. However, the Earth Alliance attacked Orb on June 15 and thus he and his family tried to evacuate.

Only Shinn survived when his family was caught in a crossfire between the GAT-X131 Calamity and the ZGMF-X10A Freedom mobile suits Shinn watched in horror of the death of his family and cried in anguish, though it is not clear whether the Calamity or the Freedom was responsible for the explosion that killed Shinn's family.

Shinn blamed Orb’s rulers, the Athhas, for his family’s deaths, Orb soldier, Captain Todaka, then took care of Shinn and later sent him to the PLANTs. There, he met Lunamaria Hawke and enrolled at the ZAFT military academy.

On the day Siegel Clyne and some of his followers were executed due to Lacus's betrayal, Shinn, Meyrin, Lunamaria and Rey listened to Patrick Zala's speech about the oppression perpetuated by the Naturals against them, out of envy for their developed abilities even though it was Naturals who created Coordinators in the first place.ref.

After graduation, Shinn was assigned to pilot ZAFT's ZGMF-X56S Impulse, and is stationed aboard the battleship Minerva under the command of Talia Gladys along with former military academy classmates and friends Rey Za Burrel, Vino Dupre, Lunamaria Hawke, Meyrin Hawke, and Yolan Kent.

Theft at Armory One
The Extended pilots of the Earth Alliance's special forces team, Phantom Pain - Sting Oakley, Stella Loussier, and Auel Neider - infiltrated Armory One and stole three ZAFT prototype mobile suits, the ZGMF-X24S Chaos, ZGMF-X88S Gaia, and ZGMF-X31S Abyss.

At first, Shinn fought them single-handedly with his ZGMF-X56S Impulse, but the three Extendeds overpower him until Athrun Zala intervened with a ZGMF-1000 ZAKU Warrior, saving Shinn. Athrun then withdrew because Cagalli Yula Athha, who he was protecting, incurred a head injury during the fight. Rey Za Burrel assisted Shinn as he tried to recover the stolen mobile suits, but the Extendeds retreated outside the colony and back to the Mirage Colloid-cloaked Earth Alliance battleship Girty Lue. Neo Roanoke provided cover for the Extendeds, fighting both Shinn and Rey with his TS-MA4F Exus.

Junius Seven Colony Drop
Eventually, Shinn and Rey are ordered to fall back to the Minerva. On board, Shinn is shocked to learn that Athrun had saved him from the Extendeds. He also is irritated to learn that Cagalli is on board as well, for he blames his family's deaths on her father, Uzumi Nara Athha, and he shows this readily in Cagalli's presence.

The Minerva is ordered to aid the Joule Team with the demolition of Junius Seven, which is on a collision course with Earth. This is caused by a rogue ZAFT force that supports the late Patrick Zala. The Minerva pilots, the Joule team, and Athrun kill the terrorists and drive off the Extendeds, but only partly succeed in their demolition efforts. During re-entry, Shinn saves Athrun, whose heavily damaged mobile suit was in danger of being destroyed.

Ambush at Orb
After returning Cagalli and Athrun to Orb, the Minerva is stationed at Orb for repairs during this time Shinn goes to visit the place where his family died at Orb's memorial he then meets Kira Yamato and Lacus Clyne without knowing who they are. During the confrontation Shinn and Kira talk only to have Shinn telling Kira that no matter what happiness there is, people will destroy it again.

The Minerva then leaves quickly because Orb is about to join the Earth Alliance Forces. Yuna Roma Seiran and his father plan to offer them to the Earth Alliance fleet waiting outside Orb territory, and Yuna deploys the Orb fleet to prevent the Minerva from reentering Orb. Because of an unexpected fight, Minerva is severely damaged and is also in a downside situation. With the Impulse, Shinn battles the massive mobile armor YMAF-X6BD Zamza-Zah created by the Earth Alliance Forces. However due to its new technology, the Impulse runs out of energy. With rage and anger, thinking that he has to still avenge his family, Shinn awakens Seed Mode for the first time. Using Seed Mode, Shinn saves the Minerva and also destroys nearly every Earth Alliance ship. Shinn starts to be recognized by enemies and starts to become a ZAFT ace.

Fight over the Indian Ocean and the Battle of Gulnahan
En route to the Black Sea, the Minerva is joined by Athrun Zala in his ZGMF-X23S Saviour. Athrun has re-enlisted into ZAFT as a member of FAITH, which surprises Shinn not knowing Athrun's history as a ZAFT hero. As they fly over the Indian Ocean, they are attacked by Phantom Pain again. While fighting the Gaia, Shinn discovers that the Earth Alliance is forcing civilians to work on their secret military base. Earth Alliance soldiers fire on civilians who are trying to escape, which made Shinn attack and kill the soldiers, and freeing the civilians instead of following orders. Afterwards, Athrun reprimands him with a slap in the face for disobeying orders.

Later, Athrun assigns the key part in breaking through an Earth Alliance fortification at the Battle of Gulnahan to Shinn. When the Minerva arrives at Diocuia, Shinn meets chairman Gilbert Durandal, who awards him the Order of the Nebula medal and tells Shinn about the secret society Logos an organization that Durandal says is behind war.

Meeting Stella Loussier and the Freedom
While stationed in Diocuia, Shinn saves Stella from drowning after she falls from a cliff into the water. Stella becomes frantic when Shinn yells at her for being careless, asking her "Are you trying to die, you twit?!" Stella panicked when Shinn accidentally said her block word, "die", Shinn tries to assure Stella that no one was going to hurt her, she became more scared. Stella yelled out to Shinn that she was scared to die. He grabs her and gives her a hug, telling Stella that she won't die. He tells her that he will protect her. Stella, hearing the same thing that Neo had said, starts crying in Shinn's arms. To calm her, Shinn swears to protect her. They are stuck at the bottom of the cliff until a ZAFT boat arrives to rescue them. They become closer, but when Stella returns to Phantom Pain, her memories of Shinn are erased.

Following the addition of Heine Westenfluss and his ZGMF-X2000 GOUF Ignited, the Minerva is attacked by Phantom Pain and the Orb fleet commanded by Yuna Roma Seiran. The ZGMF-X10A Freedom, piloted by Kira Yamato, and the Archangel intervenes. Kira damages the, LHM-BB01 Minerva, Impulse, the GOUF, and other mobile suits. Heine and his crippled GOUF are sliced in half by the Gaia when he unknowingly moves between it and the Freedom. Since the Freedom intervened, Shinn has been wanting to defeat the Freedom as he was awed by its abilities. Heine's death angers both Athrun and Shinn.

Discovery at Lodonia
The Minerva is sent to investigate the Extendeds facility in Lodonia, the place where the Extendeds are created and trained. Shinn becomes even more angry with the Earth Alliance's Blue Cosmos leaders, asking how can they say tampering with genes is wrong when they do things like this.

Stella attacks by herself, but she is defeated by Shinn and Athrun and becomes a prisoner on the Minerva. Shinn is shocked when he learns that Stella is the Gaia's pilot and one of the Earth Alliance's Extendeds. While tied to a bed due to her violent behavior, she cries out for Neo, and Shinn again attempts to calm her, though she does not recall who he is. When waking up again, tired and less aggressive, she sees Shinn and recognizes him this time, indicating the erasing of her memory was not completely successful.

Battle of Crete
The Minerva heads for Gibraltar, but they are intercepted again by Phantom Pain and the Orb fleet commanded by Yuna Roma Seiran and Captain Todaka. The Archangel intervenes and Cagalli Yula Athha gives a speech, which angers Shinn, who fires at her. Kira destroys the missiles and attacks Shinn. Shinn goes into SEED mode and destroys the Abyss, killing its pilot, Auel, and decimates the Orb mobile suit force. Shinn then directly engages the Orb fleet, sinking several ships. Captain Todaka, is killed when Shinn attacks the Orb carrier Takemikazuchi.

Afterward, Shinn overhears his commander's discussion which concludes that the Extended prisoner Stella will die without the right medical treatment, and her body will be transported to a ZAFT science facility for dissection and testing to study the Extended program. Horrified, Shinn decides to return Stella to the Earth Alliance, and does so with Rey's help. Both are confined as punishment and could have been executed, but are released on Gilbert Durandal's orders.

Battle of Berlin
Stella is designated as the pilot of the transformable mobile armor GFAS-X1 Destroy, and goes on a rampage leveling several cities in Western Eurasia territories that have sided with ZAFT - as an object lesson. She is intercepted by ZAFT over the city of Berlin, but Berlin is heavily damaged and ZAFT forces there are obliterated. Soon after, the Archangel and its mobile suits arrive and battle the Destroy, much to the surprise of the Minerva, which arrives shortly afterwards.

Kira in the Freedom engages the Destroy and is joined by Shinn in the Impulse. When Shinn cuts open the Destroy's cockpit, Neo tells Shinn that Stella is the pilot. Shinn's feelings stop him from finishing the Destroy, and Stella's feelings for Shinn cause her to stop fighting, too. But when the Freedom approaches, Stella panics and prepares to fire the Destroy's chest beam cannons. Kira stabs his beam saber through the Destroy's cannons, causing a chain reaction that destroys the giant mobile armor and mortally wounds Stella. Stella tells Shinn that she loves him and dies in his arms, and Shinn cries out in anguish.

Operation Angel Down, Impulse vs Freedom
After Shinn lays Stella's corpse to rest in a lake, he becomes intent on absolutely destroying the Freedom to avenge Stella. Shinn admits to Rey that the Freedom is perhaps the strongest mobile suit in existence and its pilot is exceptional. Shinn practices computerized battle simulations between his Impulse and the Freedom.

During this period of time the Chairman Durandal presents a speech around the entire world about the organization Logos and claims that by destroying them the war will end, and Shinn easily agrees, later when the Minerva is ordered to subdue the Archangel in the mission code-named "Operation Angel Down", Shinn gets his opportunity for revenge. After receiving the message that Archangel won't surrender, Shinn sees the Freedom. Shinn takes off on the Impulse and starts to fight Kira. Using the analyzed information from Rey that Kira will not attacks people's cockpits, Shinn and Rey devised a plan that will shut down the Freedom's attacks. Kira however activates Seed Mode and cripples the Impulse. However, all backed up and ready, Shinn immediately uses the 2nd Force Silhoutte to repair back the damage. With time running out and Shinn becoming more and more harder to defeat, Kira decides to run. The Minerva then shoots the Tannhäuser Cannon at the Archangel causing an explosion which made Kira falter. Shinn then called in the Sword Silhouette, charged in with the anti-ship sword and stab straight at the Freedom's abdomen, penetrating the Freedom's shield in the process. Afterwards, Shinn is shown with tears, too happy that he defeated probably the No.1 Gundam and also avenging Stella's death. Unknown to Shinn, Kira survives the ordeal.

When Shinn returns to the Minerva after destroying the Freedom, his comrades cheer him. Shinn tells Athrun that he defeated Freedom and killed its pilot, avenging Stella’s death and Athrun’s defeat. Furious by Shinn's rejoicing at the apparent death of Kira, a distraught Athrun punches Shinn in the face. Athrun adds that Shinn killed Kira but Kira never wanted to kill him. Rey counters that destroying Freedom and the Archangel was a direct order from ZAFT's headquarters, that all of them, including Athrun, were obligated to obey.

Athrun's Defection
PLANT Supreme Council Chairman Gilbert Durandal presents Shinn and Athrun with ZAFT's two newest mobile suits the ZGMF-X666S Legend and the ZGMF-X42S Destiny. Durandal later confers with Rey and concludes Athrun will no longer work with them after the apparent "death" of Kira, and decides to frame Athrun. He sends soldiers to detain Athrun, but Meer Campbell warns him. Athrun subdues the soldiers and flees ZAFT's Gibraltar military base with the help of Meyrin Hawke in a stolen ZGMF-2000 GOUF Ignited mobile suit.

Durandal sends Rey and Shinn to hunt down Athrun. Rey tells Shinn that Athrun is a defector working for Logos and that Meyrin is an accomplice, not a hostage. When Rey and Shinn catch up with Athrun, Rey starts to fight Athrun. Shinn initially tries to persuade Athrun to return to ZAFT. Athrun refuses and tries to persuade Shinn not to fight, or to at least let Meyrin go. Shinn was confused to listen to Rey or Athrun forcing himself to SEED mode accusing Athrun of betraying their trust and goes to stabs Athrun's GOUF Ignited with his beam sword, causing it to crash into the ocean and explode.

Unknown to Shinn and Rey, Ledonir Kisaka rescues Athrun and Meyrin. Shinn is shown to be sad and conflicted, believing he killed Athrun and Meyrin. He apologizes to Lunamaria and cries with her, though he feels his action was necessary to achieve the Chairman's goal of peace.

Battle of Heaven's Base - Operation Ragnarök
After some comforting by Chairman Durandal, Shinn prepares for the assault against Logos' Heaven's Base Headquarters in Iceland. In the Minerva mobile suit hangar just prior to "Operation Ragnarok", he encourages Lunamaria about her first sortie with the Impulse, and they console each other about Athrun and Meyrin's deaths. Both blame Logos for the apparent betrayal by Athrun and Meyrin. Shinn kisses Lunamaria and promises to protect her.

Shinn enters the battle and goes into SEED mode. With the help from Rey in the Legend and Lunamaria in the Impulse, Logo's five Destroy units are destroyed. Heaven's Base surrenders and both Talia (Minerva ' s captain) and Arthur Trine (Minerva ' s executive officer) are impressed by Shinn's battle skills. Chairman Durandal is obviously pleased by Shinn's victory.

ZAFT's invasion of Orb - Operation Fury
ZAFT forces occupy Heaven's Base, arresting many Logos members. However, when Shinn learns that Lord Djibril escaped, and is rumored to be hiding in Orb, he becomes furious and vows to hunt Djibril down no matter what.

Shinn has nightmares about Stella's suffering, his fights against the Freedom, the killing of Athrun and Meyrin, and the battles against Logos. Rey tells Shinn that he did the right thing because they were all ZAFT's enemies. PLANT Supreme Council awards a second Nebula Medal to Shinn for his performance in Operation Ragnarok and Supreme Council Chairman Durandal appoints both Shinn and Rey to FAITH. After confirmation that the Seirans (the rulers of Orb at the time) are providing sanctuary to Lord Djibril, ZAFT initiates "Operation Fury", a full-scale assault on Orb in order to capture Lord Djibril.

Using the privileges as a member of FAITH, Shinn launches alone from Minerva in his Destiny and faces Cagalli in the ORB-01 Akatsuki. Shinn attacks the Akatsuki, identifying it as the leader, knowing that destroying it will demoralize the Orb defense, but Kira arrives in the ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom and protects Cagalli. Shocked and enraged that the Freedom has survived, Shinn attacks the Strike Freedom. The two engage in extended battle until Rey orders Shinn to return to the Minerva to resupply and recharge. After this, Shinn and Rey launch to face the Strike Freedom together.

Athrun arrives in the ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice. Shinn is surprised that Athrun survived their last encounter. Athrun demands that Shinn stop attacking Orb and questions the motives of the war but Rey interferes trying to convince Shinn to not let Athrun deceive him. Believing that Athrun is a traitor, Shinn goes into SEED mode and attacks. Shortly thereafter, Minerva Captain Gladys orders the retreat of all ZAFT forces, including Shinn and Rey.

Cagalli's broadcast from Orb is interrupted by Meer (speaking as Lacus Clyne). But then Meer is interrupted by the real Lacus, leaving the crew of the Minerva confused. Shinn asks Rey for his opinion. Rey replies the enemy is using another "Lacus Clyne" as a psychological weapon. Rey then discusses Athrun's survival with Shinn. Lunamaria wonders if her sister Meyrin survived as well and Rey states that she is likely on the Archangel. This conversation upsets Shinn.

Battle of Daedalus
Later Lord Djibril unleashes Requiem and destroyed some of the PLANTs, both Shinn and Rey blame Kira and Athrun for their interference, Rey in particular blames Lunamaria for her failure to shoot down Djibril however Shinn quickly defends her.

The Minerva is ordered to attack the Requiem and the Daedalus base. Shinn is concerned for Lunamaria's safety for she has been given the mission to destroy the Requiem's controls but she convinces him to believe in her. Shinn in the Destiny and Rey in the Legend act as decoys and cripple the defenses of the lunar stronghold. Lunamaria in the Impulse destroys the Requiem's firing controls and Rey kills Lord Djibril. Afterwards their comrades cheer them and Shinn and Lunamaria embrace.

With the last remnants of Blue Cosmos/Logos eliminated, Chairman Durandal unveils his ultimate solution to war - "the Destiny Plan". Chairman Durandal as an expert geneticist will act as the overseer and assign roles to individuals according to their genetic makeup. Everyone will then be governed by their genetic "destiny" and not by their individuality. According to Chairman Durandal, the ultimate goal is to make wars obsolete.

Battle of Messiah
For the Destiny Plan to become a reality, Chairman Durandal has to defeat any nation with the capability and the resolve to challenge him. Before the battle, Durandal calls Shinn and Rey to meet in person at his mobile fortress Messiah. When they arrive, Durandal tells Shinn about his goals and that the ones they are fighting now are remnants of Logos, however Durandal is lying to Shinn when the ones they are fighting are actual Orb forces. Shinn hesitates about putting his full support behind the Destiny Plan. After some convincing arguments from Rey, Shinn agrees. After all the pain Shinn has endured and wanting an end to the war, the Destiny Plan is the only answer to humanity's problems that makes sense to him.

A ferocious and furious battle starts near the location of the Requiem cannon on the Moon. The Impulse, piloted by Lunamaria, tries to stop the Infinite Justice, piloted by Athrun. Seeing Athrun fighting Lunamaria, an enraged Shinn attacks Athrun, then goes into SEED mode. After realizing the terrible mistakes being made by both Shinn and herself, as she witnesses the heated argument between Shinn and Athrun, Lunamaria interposes herself between the two, begging them to stop fighting, which has Shinn hallucinate visions of Mayu, Stella and the Freedom bewilderingly. As Shinn charges madly at a shocked Lunamaria for the kill, Athrun goes into SEED mode as well, saves Lunamaria from Shinn, and cripples the Destiny, which crashes onto the Moon's surface.

While he's unconscious, Shinn has a vision of Stella, in which she tells him that she's finally got her past and thus very happy, and bidden him to see each other in the future. When he awakes with Lunamaria holding and watching over him, he then starts to cry with Lunamaria, after realizing that he was being used by both the Chairman and Rey, as well as the fact that he could have hurt and even killed Lunamaria unknowingly. He and Lunamaria then watch the Requiem explode and the Messiah crash into the moon.

Aftermath
Athrun rescued Shinn and Lunamaria with his Infinite Justice. Later, Shinn payed tribute to his deceased family at the memorial in Orb. Also present were Athrun, Meyrin and Lunamaria. There he expresses his conflicted emotions for his homeland Orb, and then, he encounters Kira, who is accompanied by Lacus. Athrun introduces Kira to Shinn as the pilot of Freedom. Shinn is stunned; he had previously encountered Kira at the memorial several months earlier. Kira makes an overture to Shinn to make peace with him, indicating he doesn't have any grudges against him. Kira asks Shinn to join him and Athrun to fight for humanity's peace, a crying Shinn accepts Kira's offer and reconciles with Kira and Athrun. Afterwards Shinn and Lunamaria smile at each other and leave together. In Gundam SEED Destiny: Special Edition, Shinn is seen along with Lunamaria, Kira, Athrun, Meyrin, and the three ZGMF-XX09T DOM Trooper pilots going to meet with Lacus - who is accompanied by Yzak Joule, Dearka Elsman, Shiho Hahnenfuss, and Arthur Trine - before she enters the PLANT Supreme Council chambers. Shinn is not wearing the FAITH pin insignia in this scene.

Gundam SEED Destiny: The Edge
In Gundam SEED Destiny: The Edge, Shinn's relationship with Athrun is expanded. Although it is still a harsh relationship, he is more respectful to Athrun at times. During the Junius Seven colony drop, when Cagalli unintentionally hurts Athrun's feelings, Shinn reminds her that one of the terrorists had invoked the ideals of Patrick Zala as their reason for carrying out the drop. He then says that Athrun is too pitiful if Cagalli comforts him with mere empty words. Athrun also has a somewhat greater role acting as his mentor, reminding him before the Battle of Gulnahan that he is ZAFT's trump card. Athrun also scolds him when he throws tantrums at the briefing.

Orb Union
Perhaps the most conflicted relationship that Shinn has is with his homeland of Orb. Before his family’s demise, Shinn seem to deeply enjoy living in Orb and enjoyed the peace he and his family had despite the first war that was happening at the time. After his family’s death, although Shinn probably did blame the Earth Alliance for their attack on Orb, he mostly blamed Orb and by extension the Athhas for failing to protect his family and other innocent civilians believing that Orb had failed to live up to the country’s ideals. Since then, Shinn left Orb to go to the PLANTs and intentionally thought he would never go back to Orb again. Two years after leaving Orb, Shinn inadvertently returned to it with the Minerva following the Junius Seven incident. During this time he expressed a desire to go ashore and visit the memorial built for the lives lost during the first war, in which he was brought to tears.

When Orb joined the Earth Alliance to avoid war with them in the future, Shinn was disgusted by this action as Orb was nearly destroyed by them in the previous war. Although he proclaimed he would treat Orb as an enemy and destroy it if it became necessary, at the time there seemed to be no resolve in his words. However as the second war continued and Orb participated in many attacks against the Minerva, joining Logos, and even offering shelter to a Lord Djibril, a mass murderer, caused Shinn to lose what little faith he had in his former country and now saw Orb as an enemy to the world. After the end of the second war, Shinn returned to the Orb memorial once again to pay tribute to his family and admits that despite all his hatred for Orb he could never truly forget about it. Because Shinn has remained in ZAFT after the war ends, it is clear that he has not returned to Orb but it currently unknown on how he feels about Orb now.

Lunamaria Hawke
Prior to his romance with her, Shinn and Lunamaria had a personal and professional friendship with each other extending back to their time in the ZAFT training academy with Shinn affectionately calling her by her nickname “Luna” something only her sister Meyrin seems to do. Despite their friendship, Shinn and Lunamaria are occasionally annoyed by each other’s respective attitudes. Perhaps the most defining moment in their friendship, is when Shinn was ordered to kill Athrun and Luna’s sister Meyrin after they branded as traitors. After returning to the Minerva, Shinn immediately confesses to the one who executed them rather than hide it from Lunamaria. Confused and upset after her sister’s death, Lunamaria immediately broke down into tears with Shinn immediately comforting her in an act of guilt and compassion. Since then, rather than blame Shinn for following his orders Lunamaria instead chooses to blame Logos and reluctantly Athrun for Meyrin’s apparent death.

Since this incident Lunamaria and Shinn continued to be a source of comfort to one another and in process inadvertently began a romantic relationship. Although their relationship has been rather difficult to manage due to Rey’s criticism and Meyrin’s apparent death and return, Shinn and Lunamaria continue to comfort and support each other both on and off the battlefield. At the end of the second war, Lunamaria accompanies Shinn to his homeland of Orb to pay tribute to his family and eventually leave together showing that despite all the conflict and pain that was unintentionally caused by Shinn, they are still together and now seem happy.

Rey Za Burrel
Due to his calm and collected attitude, Rey often acts as the voice of reason for Shinn both on and off the battlefield. Like Lunamaria, Shinn has a personal and professional friendship since their time at the ZAFT training academy. Despite disagreeing with Shinn’s occasionally harsh and rude attitude, Rey does seem value his friendship with Shinn as he finds Shinn’s reasons for hating Orb justifiable and helped Shinn rescue Stella Loussier (albeit for his own personal issues). Despite their friendship, Rey was manipulating Shinn in order to use his skills as a pilot to achieve the Chairman Durandal’s Destiny Plan. Rey’s reason for this manipulation is due to the fact that he has a shorter lifespan because he is a clone, thus Rey wants to mold Shinn into the protector of the Chairman’s ideal world because Rey himself cannot do so. Rey has gone to great lengths to assure his desired role for Shinn as he has been pivotal in Shinn’s decisions such as the attempted execution of Athrun and Meyrin, branding Athrun as a traitor, and revealing his status as a clone to Shinn when he was having doubts about the Destiny Plan. Placing his judgment above all others including his own, Shinn completely trusts Rey but is unaware of the full detail of the facts or manipulations that Rey has told him. After the Second War ended with Rey and Chairman Durandal’s death, Shinn seems to have become aware of their manipulations but it is currently unknown how Shinn view’s Rey at this point.

Stella Loussier
Shinn first encountered Stella near the ocean while he station near their however at the time he is unaware that he encountered Stella during the Armory Once incident and several times on the battlefield while she piloted the mobile suit, Gaia. After saving her from being drowned, Shinn accidently spoke Stella’s trigger word and causing her to become frightened and aggressive. Believing that she was a traumatized war victim; he decided to comfort her by saying that he would protect her. Due to the Extended’s memory programming, Stella memories of Shinn are always erased but miraculously every time she meets him she begins to remember. During her captivity on the Minerva, she and Shinn grow closer during his constant visits and it grew to the point that he would break several military laws to bring her back to Neo Roanoke to assure that she wouldn’t die. During the Battle of Berlin, they encounter each other for the final time and Shinn finds Stella as she lays dying, remembering Shinn once again she declared her love for him as she died afterwards. After Stella’s death, Shinn in grief and anguish decided to avenge her death against the Freedom despite all the destruction the Stella caused in Berlin. After being defeated by Athrun during the final battle of the war, Shinn had a vision or hallucination of Stella where she told him that she was content with her life and that she will meet him again. These words bring a great deal of comfort to Shinn allowing him to finally move on from her tragic death.

Gilbert Durandal
Shinn has a great deal of respect for Chairman Durandal due to his ideals peace and bringing those responsible for starting the current war to justice. However like his friend Rey, Durandal is manipulating Shinn and only sees Shinn as a soldier whose incredible talents and abilities as mobile suit pilot can be used for his own personal agenda. Durandal’s interest in Shinn prior to the conflict, Durandal as a genetics expert was aware that Shinn possessed the SEED factor and commissioned the Impulse to him in hopes that he could defeat Kira Yamato. His manipulations continue later on as he grants Shinn ZAFT’s latest mobile suit the Destiny and make him a member of the FAITH Special Forces. After making the Destiny Plan clear to the entire world, Shinn begins to have doubts about the plan but is convinced by Rey to trust the Chairman’s plan. After the Second War ended with Rey and Chairman Durandal’s death, Shinn seems to have become aware of their manipulations but it is currently unknown how Shinn view’s the Chairman at this point.

Athrun Zala
Athrun is perhaps Shinn’s second most complicated relationship besides that of the Orb Union. Originally, Shinn came to respect Athrun as a mobile suit after witnessing his skills in combat but wondered why a man with his skills would work as a simple bodyguard for the Orb Union. After Athrun joined ZAFT as a member of FAITH and officially become Shinn’s commander, Shinn found it difficult to follow orders from the man who until recently was a bodyguard for the Orb Union. Athrun himself also respects Shinn’s talents as pilot and sees great potential in him however he often worries and criticizes Shinn for his anger and succumbing to his own personal feelings too often. Thus he often acts as Shinn’s unofficial yet unwanted mentor, often disciplining Shinn and advising him against some of his current actions so that Shinn will not make some of same mistakes that Athrun made himself; although Athrun is often harsh and demanding to Shinn due to his own personal issues.

Following Athrun’s defeat at the hands of the Freedom, Shinn began to lose respect for him because he knew that Athrun was beginning to have doubts about the war and with him. Their relationship dissolved even further following Shinn releasing Stella Loussier to Earth Alliance and Shinn apparently destroying the Freedom and Kira Yamato, Athrun’s closest friend. After being branded a traitor by Chairman Durandal and Rey Za Burrel, Athrun fled ZAFT with Meyrin Hawke; Shinn was then ordered to kill them and although Athrun survived this encounter he continued to try and persuade Shinn of the Chairman and Rey’s manipulations; however Shinn’s trust and influence in both of them proved to be greater than his in Athrun’s. Now currently believing that Athrun is a traitor, Shinn currently views him as an enemy and during the second war’s final battle Athrun realized that Shinn could not be persuaded due to his own anger and his faith in the Chairman and Rey and eventually defeated him. Shinn was eventually rescued by Athrun after his defeat, knowing that Shinn’s entire actions are not entirely his fault and Shinn realizing the manipulations he was under, they preceded to make peace with each other. Athrun eventually accompanied Shinn to the Orb memorial where he introduced to Kira Yamato, with Shinn officially joining them as an ally and a friend.

Kira Yamato
While Shinn and Kira unintentionally met each other at the Orb memorial they were unaware of each other’s identities. Although they shared similar feelings about death and destruction, their ideals seem to be vastly opposite as Kira wishes to rebuild from the destruction, Shinn seems to want to destroy those who cause the destruction. While typically knowing each other as enemies in their mobile suits, Shinn personally disliked Kira due to his methods of intervention and began to truly hate Kira for killing Stella Loussier. By the end of the second war, Kira and Shinn meet again at the Orb memorial where Shinn was stunned and felt guilty for all the action he took against Kira. Nonetheless, Kira showed no ill feelings toward Shinn and offered him to fight with him and Athrun as an ally and a friend; an offering that Shinn tearfully and humbly accepted.

Notes & Trivia

 * Shinn has only been seen piloting Gundams rather than any other Mobile Suit.
 * Shinn along with Kou Uraki are the only two protagonists to be defeated in the end in their Gundam storylines. With Kou being unable to prevent Operation Stardust and Shinn being soundly defeated at Messiah.
 * Shinn seems to have forgotten or does not even know that Freedom was involved in the death of his family members two years before he joined ZAFT. Instead of indicating anger or surprise, Shinn looks puzzled in his first meeting with Freedom as a ZAFT pilot as if he's just seen it for the first time, when the Freedom intervened in the war between ZAFT and Orb Forces.
 * Shinn's name may be a reference to Kenichi Suzumura's role in Macross Zero, were the main character was named Shin Kudou and was an orphaned refugee.
 * In the first Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny game, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny: Battle Assault (GBA), Shinn has no SEED Factor animation in his awaken mode. This is due to the game being released before episode 12, Blood in the Water, aired. The only characters with Seed Factor in the game are Kira Yamato, Athrun Zala, and Cagalli Yula Athha.
 * On August 8, 2011, Shinn's voice actor, Kenichi Suzumura, got married to Maaya Sakamoto, none other than Lunamaria Hawke's voice actress.
 * Shinn, along with his family, makes a cameo appearance in episode 36, Decisive Fire, of the HD Remastered Version of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED. He was seen again briefly in episode 39, Trembling World at the ZAFT military academy along with Lunamaria, Meyrin and Rey Za Burrel.
 * The names of the swords of Shinn's two mobile suits may reflect Shinn's status in the series. The Sword Impulse's weapon, deemed "Excalibur" (King Arthur's sword), reflected him as a hero. The Destiny's weapon, deemed "Arondight" (Sir Lancelot's sword), showed him falling into an anti-hero classification. Evidenced by the fact that Lancelot in Arthurian lore was once a hero that became an enemy.
 * Coincidentally, Shinn bears a very similar name to the protagonist of Ultraman Dyna, Shin Asuka. Also, Dyna is capable of switch between three forms, with Flash-type's color scheme is also similar to the Gundams' traditional white, blue, and red.
 * Kazuki Makabe, the protagonist of Fafner: Dead Aggressor, looks very similar to Shinn. This is because both series share the same character designer.
 * Kenichi Suzumura also voices Wilfrid Kijima in Gundam Build Fighters Try.
 * In Super Robot Wars V, Shinn gets a color-themed nom de guerre in a similar vein to The Red Comet and Blue Giant; the character Rosalie from Fukuda and Sunrise's other mecha anime, CROSS ANGE Rondo of Angel and Dragon calls him "The ZAFT Blue Lightning" based on the most prominent color on his ZGMF-X42S Destiny Gundam.