Heine Westenfluss

Heine Westenfluss is a Coordinator and a ZAFT pilot who appeared in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny.

Personality and Character
Heine was decidedly an optimistic, but realistic, soldier who didn't stand too much on ceremony, and was also quite talkative and ernest in his attempts to raise the morale of his fellow pilots. Despite considering himself an elite, Heine was respected by both superiors and subordinates as a capable pilot and officer. Heine also had a sense of pride in his skills, seen when he tried to continue to assault the Freedom Gundam after it had beaten him, despite his GOUF Ignited being damaged, which ultimately led to his demise. Although Heine was part of Athrun's squad after his transfer to the Minerva, Heine was treated almost as a superior to Athrun by his peers, even by Athrun himself. Athrun and the rest of the Minerva crew were left saddened by Heine's death, demonstrating how much they cared for and respected him. Athurn went so far as to almost once again have a grudge against Kira, whom he blamed for Heine's death (even though Kira was not the one who killed him).

Skills and Abilities
Heine Westenfluss is considered an ace pilot of ZAFT, not only wearing the ZAFT red uniform, given to pilots who have graduated at the top of their class, but also wears the FAITH insignia on his uniform, indicating that he's of the FAITH detachment, to which only the best of the ZAFT elite are allowed to join. Being a member of FAITH also means Heine can issue orders to other non FAITH soldiers as well as plan battle operations, Heine also only reports directly to either Chairman Gilbert Durandal or the PLANT Supreme Council. Heine was extremely skilled in battle using his custom mobile suits, an orange Blaze ZAKU Phantom, and later an orange GOUF Ignited. The depth of his skill was seen during the Battle of Dardanelles, where he fought against the ZGMF-X88S Gaia Gundam, not only holding his own against the mobile suit but even pushing it back despite the Gaia being a more advanced mobile suit than Heine’s GOUF Ignited.

Early Life
Heine Westenfluss was born in September 19, CE 52; not much is known about Heine during his upbringing, but what is known is that he joined the ZAFT military academy where he graduated at the top of hisclass in Feburary 21, CE 68. Joining the ZAFT military at the age of sixteen and as a red coat, Heine's fellow soldiers already regarded him as an ace. When the First Bloody Valentine War broke out, Heine was assigned to Hawkins team, and saw combat during the war.

Bloody Valentine War
Heine fought in the First Bloody Valentine War, notably during the Second Battle of Jachin Due where he test piloted the YFX-600R GuAIZ Experimental Firearms Type and used it to fight against Earth Alliance ace Morgan Chevalier. Three weeks prior to the battle, Heine recieved this new suit and trained extensively to use it effectively, which showed during his duel as he and the GuAIZ fought on par with Morgan and his GAT-01A1 105 Dagger. The two both heaviley damaged the others mobile suit, however their battle was interuppted when GENESIS super weapon fired, and Morgan's unit was caught in the blast and was destroyed. Thus Heine ultimatley survived the war, and accquired much recognition for his exploits.

Second Bloody Valentine War Begins
When ZAFT's New Millennium series of mobile suits came out, Heine, having proven himself as an excellent combatant during the Bloody Valentine War, was given a ZGMF-1001/M Blaze ZAKU Phantom in his own custom colors. With the tragedy of the Junius Seven drop and the subsequent declaration of the Second Bloody Valentine War, Heine and the Hawkins Team were once again called out to the front lines.

Battle of Aprilius One
Heine first appeared in Phase 9 (Prideful Fang) of SEED Destiny, taking part in The Battle of Aprilius One in his orange ZAKU, though Heine himself was not shown. The battle ended in victory for ZAFT, and Heine's performance in the battle has been noted as exceptional, as he destroyed a great number of mobile suits and several battleships.

Encounter with Serpent Tail & Promotion
Heine is later made leader of his own team; while on a mission with a wingmate they encounter Gai Murakumo and Elijah Kiel of Serpent Tail and the pairs quickly engage in battle. Gai in his MBF-P03 Gundam Astray Blue Frame ends up killing Heine's wingmate, which prompts an enraged Heine to attempt to kill Elijah, though only succeeds in badly damaging his ZGMF-1017 GINN Elijah Kiel Custom, forcing the mercenaries into a retreat. Impressed by his skill, Gilbert Durandal invites Heine to join FAITH, but Westenfluss declines, as he is not obsessed with promtions, though latter accepts the offer, recieving a ZGMF-X2000 GOUF Ignited in his custom colors (this was not shown in the anime, but explains how he recieved his promotion and GOUF).

Joining the Minerva & Battle of Dardanelles
Heine is officially introduced in Phase 19, where he escorts Athrun Zala, Shinn Asuka, and Lunamaria Hawke to meet Chairman Durandal at Diocuia after the Battle of Gulnahan. After words Heine's team disbands and he joins the crew of the Minvera and latter takes part in The Battle of Dardanelles, with other Minerva pilots, in his orange GOUF. During the battle he fights against Stella Loussier and her ZGMF-X88S Gaia Gundam, where he maintains the upperhand. With the arrival and interference in the battle by the Archangel and ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam, piloted by Kira Yamato, Heine attempts to stop Kira from further disabling of ZAFT mobile suits, only to have his GOUF’s primary offensive functions disabled by the Freedom. Not wanting to be insulted, he attempts a counterattack on Kira when his back is turned, but gets in the way of Stella who also attacks Kira with her beam sabers, resulting in Heine's mobile suit being sliced in half, killing him. His death comes as a shock to the Minerva crew (especially Shinn and Athrun) who mourn Heine's loss.

Trivia

 * In the heat of the battle against the Gaia Gundam in the Battle Of Dardanelles, Heine shouted "This is no Zaku!!" similar to the line that Ramba Ral used when he was fighting Amuro Ray's RX-78 2 Gundam.
 * Heine Westenfluss is voiced by the singer of T.M. Revolution, Takanori Nishikawa, who sang the first opening for Gundam SEED, "INVOKE", as well as the insert songs "Meteor" and "Zips" (in Gundam SEED: Special Edition), the first opening for Gundam SEED Destiny, "IGNITED" and the insert song "Vestige". Heine resembles Takanori in many ways. Both have long blonde hair, both like the orange color, and the name "Westenfluss" is a wordplay of Nishikawa's name, as both Westenfluss and Nishikawa mean "west river"; and "Heine" was a play on his nickname "(Haine)" while he was part of the band "Luis-Mary". The name of his mobile suit, ZGMF-X2000 GOUF Ignited, is most likely a reference to the song he sang for Gundam SEED Destiny, "Ignited".