ZGMF-X42S Destiny Gundam

ZGMF-X42S Destiny Gundam is the titular mobile suit of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny. The unit is piloted by Shinn Asuka.

Technology & Combat Characteristics
Destiny was designed to be a multi-purpose MS without the need for exchanging equipment in battle; the unit is capable of handling a variety of combat situations. For close combat, the suit features not only two Beam boomerangs that double as beam sabers, but a large Anti-Ship Sword; it's the preferred weapon-of-choice of Destiny's pilot, Shinn Asuka. In addition, the Palm Beam Cannons are used in close combat. For long-ranged battle, it is equipped with a Long-Range Beam Cannon and a optional Beam Rifle. For defense the Destiny mounts a small physical shield as well as two Beam Shield Generators. Lastly the suit is equipped with a standard set of head mounted CIWS.

The most unique aspect of Destiny is its Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Reactor and its Wings of Light. The Wings of Light is a system that greatly increases Destiny's speed and uses mirage colloid properties to create an illusionary effect on Destiny. When activated, the rear releases its propulsion system, taking the appearance of "Wings of Light".Destiny would create multiple illusionary versions of itself to confuse the enemy as Destiny sets up for a high speed melee attack.

The Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Reactor is Destiny's primary power source, providing the necessary power to support all of it's energy consuming abilities. The Wings of Light is by far the most power consuming function to be used; as such, the Wings of Light tends to be reserved for only more difficult opponents. When executed, the unit has a very limited time to destroy its target before Destiny's power is depleted. Should the enemy unit still stand after utilizing its wings, Destiny will be at a temporary disadvantage as its overall systems can't be properly utilized until properly recharged.Because the nuclear reacter made the Deuterion Beam system unnecessary, Destiny can't be easily recharged as Impulse can; the unit has to return into a hanger to recharge in order to return to battle.

Armaments

 * Anti-Ship Sword
 * Stored next to the right wing, the foldable MMI-714 "Arondight" anti-ship sword is one of the Destiny's close-combat weapons for use against large target. It's Shinn Asuka's preferred weapon.


 * Beam Boomerangs
 * The suit is equipped with two RQM60F "Flash-Edge 2" beam boomerangs, one in each shoulder, similar to the ZGMF-X09A Justice. The beam boomerangs also double as beam sabers. Shinn uses it in a manner of tactic to leave the opponent open for a finishing attack, and in his duel With Cagalli Yula Athha in ORB-01 Akatsuki Oowashi pack, shinn uses the first boomerang to cut off the right, and throwing another again, while the other one returning to surely severe the opponent.


 * Beam Shields
 * Like the Legend the Destiny is equipped with two MX2351 "Solidus Fulgor" beam shield generator, with each wrist mounting one generator. These generators allow the Destiny to defend itself from most beam weapon attacks.


 * Long-Range Beam Cannon
 * Stored beside the anti-ship sword, an M2000GX high-energy long-range beam cannon is mounted in the left wing on the suit. When used the cannon unfolds and is gripped by the Destiny's hand. This beam cannon is the suit's most powerful long-range weapon and is capable of destroying most battleships with a single shot.


 * Palm Beam Cannons
 * The Destiny's most unique weapons are its two MMI-X340 "Palma Fiocina" palm beam cannons. These close-range weapons release powerful energy discharges that are capable of destroying the "Slayer Whip" heat rod of a ZGMF-X2000 GOUF Ignited and even the armored head of the massive GFAS-X1 Destroy. Since the "Palma Fiocina" have only been used in close combat throughout the series and in other related appearances, it is unknown whether they are capable of firing over long ranges.


 * During the final battle of Gundam Seed Destiny, Shinn attempted to use the "Palma Fiocina" to parry the beam sabers of Athrun Zala's ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice Gundam. However, due to a possible overload or simply because of the superior power in the beam sabers' concentrated beams, the Destiny's hands exploded.

System Features
The ZGMF-X42S Destiny uses the Gunnery United Nuclear-Dueterion Advanced Maneuver operating system.


 * Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Reactor
 * The Destiny is powered by a hyper-deuterion nuclear reactor, giving it a self-replenishing power reserve. Despite this amazing power source, the Destiny is quick to run out of available power in a fight, with one of its engagements with the Strike Freedom ending in a retreat due to energy depletion.


 * Wings of Light
 * The "Wings of Light" is the Destiny's most unique design feature. Utilizing a variant of the Voiture Lumiere propulsion system in conjunction with Mirage Colloid particles, the Destiny is capable of achieving very high speeds while leaving behind a trail of visible after-images to confuse its enemies. One of Shinn's signature attacks with the Destiny is utilizing the Wings of Light's massive acceleration in conjunction with the "Arondight" anti-ship sword. With the Wings of Light active, Shinn rushes into close combat range with unprecedented speed and impales his target with the Arondight. Most instances of Shinn performing this maneuver have been done against larger, less maneuverable opponents such as the Earth Alliance's Zamza-Zahs, Gelles-Ghes, and Destroys, which lends some doubt as to how effective this attack would actually be against units of similar mobility such as the Strike Freedom and Infinite Justice. The Destiny is only barely able to generate enough power to fuel this system through its Nuclear Reactor.


 * As shown during the final battle of Gundam Seed Destiny and in an FMV cutscene in Dynasty Warriors Gundam 2, the speed and after-images granted by the Wings of Light allow the Destiny to effectively dodge the multi-directional all-range attacks of the DRAGOON System.


 * It is hinted in the animated series that the Wings of Light use up more energy than the nuclear reactor can produce - particularly during Shinn's protracted fight with Kira and the Strike Freedom - although this detail would be retconned in the Special Edition of Gundam Seed Destiny. The Wings of Light were actually reverse engineered from the DSSD's Stargazer's Voiture Lumiere propulsion system, unlike the Strike Freedom, who derived the system directly from the Stargazer.

History
The ZGMF-X42S Destiny is ZAFT’s newest and most advanced mobile suit. Based off of the ZGMF-X56S Impulse Gundam and Shinn Asuka’s combat data, it is designed to be able to handle any combat situation with its varied armament. Most of these armaments were tested on a specialized Silhouette pack mounted on the ZGMF-X56S/θ Destiny Impulse.

The Destiny was personally presented to the pilot Shinn Asuka by ZAFT Chairman Gilbert Durandal, and first entered combat against a ZGMF-2000 GOUF Ignited piloted by defector Athrun Zala. It then went on to participate in Operation Ragnarok, the invasion of Heaven's Base in Iceland, and was instrumental in the ZAFT-EA Defectors victory by first destroying the base's complement of GFAS-X1 Destroy Gundams.

It then participates in the attack on the Orb Union, where it was confronted by Cagalli Yula Athha in the ORB-01 Akatsuki. As his beam rifle and long-range beam cannon were shown to be ineffective against Akatsuki's anti-beam reflection system, he used his anti-ship sword and his beam boomerang to attack Cagalli/Akatsuki and manage to sever Akatsuki's shield-wielding right arm before Kira Yamato and Lacus Clyne made planetfall in ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom Gundam and ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice Gundam to assist Orb and destroyed Destiny's remaining offensive weapons. The ensuing duel with Strike Freedom proved so ferocious that Destiny's powerplant was unable to sustain the fight put up by Kira and his Gundam, forcing Shinn into retreat for resupply as Rey Za Burrel relieved him.

Shinn/Destiny returned to battlefield along with Rey/ZGMF-X666S Legend Gundam to battle Strike Freedom Gundam once again. The team was able to force the Strike Freedom into defensive until the timely intervention of Athrun Zala and his ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice Gundam, who after activating SEED Mode along with Shinn managed to cut off Destiny's left arm before the ZAFT pilots received orders from Minerva to retreat.

Afterwards, Destiny led the assault on the Requiem control station on the moon and was again instrumental in the ZAFT victory. Defeating numerous opposing mobile weapons, Shinn is able to successfully buy enough time for Lunamaria Hawke to infiltrate and destroy the command center with her ZGMF-X56S/γ Blast Impulse.

During the final battle of the War, Destiny was put out of action on the moon by Athrun Zala, with Shinn having survived to see the War's end. It is unknown whether it was repaired or not.

Variants

 * ZGMF-X42S-REVOLUTION Westenfluss's Customized Destiny Gundam

Notes & Trivia

 * Destiny's head crest displays the text "X-42S DUE", which means "Second" in Italian and is a reference to Destiny's series number.
 * The opening song, "Wings of Words", may be a reference to Destiny's Wings of Light.
 * Every different version of the SEED Destiny storyline (as many as 3 different manga, as well as the TV series) has a slightly different take on how the Destiny Gundam was disabled; one has Athrun disabling the machine with its own Anti-Ship Sword before destroying the Requiem cannon with Destiny's weapon.
 * Destiny's model number (ZGMF-X42S) may be a reference to the number 42 being the answer to the "ultimate question" in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy book series.
 * The Destiny's body shape bears a bit of resemblance to the MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam in MS mode.
 * The scene where Destiny apparently drained the Hyper-Deuterion reactor's reserves was edited out of the Special Edition compilations of the series, leading some to consider it an oversight on the staff's part that they later corrected (like Mwu's floating helmet was edited out of the SEED compilations).
 * The Destiny's frame is actually inspired by the Strike's striker packs, as the sword and the long range beam cannon has a close resemblance to the Strike's.
 * Some people call the Destiny's palm cannon "Destiny Finger", a reference to God Gundam's God Finger.
 * In Gundam Seed Destiny: Rengou vs. Zaft Plus and Gundam vs. Gundam Next, whenever Destiny pulls out its Anti-ship Sword, the Beam Rifle simply disappears, although in the anime there's a storage area for it. The same thing happens with the Impulse Gundam when it pulls out its Beam Saber, which coincidentally are both piloted by Shinn Asuka.
 * In Gundam vs Gundam, Destiny is also unlockable and a PSP exclusive unit
 * The Destiny's role is similar to that of Zeta Gundam in the series of the same name; where Destiny, like Zeta is the protagonist's second mobile suit and their first mobile suits were given to a female character.
 * An orange colored Destiny Gundam appeared in the CD case of J-pop artist T.M.Revolution's new album "X42S - REVOLUTION". Also, the Gundam itself has it's own 1/144 HG Gunpla release bundled with the Limited Edition of the Album to tie in with 30th anniversary of the Gundam series. The unit is unofficially known as the Destiny Gundam Heine Westenfluss Custom.
 * The Destiny and the GAT-X105+AQM/E-X02 Sword Strike Gundam draw their anti-ship swords in the exact same fashion.
 * The Destiny and the GAT-X105+AQM/E-X03 Launcher Strike Gundam draw their cannons in the exact same fashion.
 * Some of the Destiny's abilities mirror that of past gundam's, such as The "Wings of Light" mirroring LM314V21 Victory 2 Gundam or it's after image ability mirroring the F91 Gundam Formula 91.
 * The Destiny Gundam is playable suit in Dynasty Warriors:Gundam 2.
 * In SD Gundam G Generation Wars, there are two versions of Destiny. The normal version has access to beam saberang, vulcan, beam rifle, long range cannon and palm beam cannon. When pilot's tension guage reach max level, it will switch to a hyper version which replaces beam saberang and beam rifle attacks with anti-ship sword and beam boomerang attacks respectively, as well as an increased damage of palm beam cannon.
 * Shinn Asuka had many issues with the Destiny Gundam because unlike the Impulse, it cannot change damaged parts during a battle, which Shinn does happen to get his gundam damaged quite often.