ZGMF-X42S Destiny Gundam

The ZGMF-X42S Destiny is ZAFT's newest and most advanced mobile suit. The Destiny is a general-purpose mobile suit designed to act as ZAFT's "trump card", and handle any combat situation single-handedly with its superior speed and firepower. As such, its power eclipses that of the Second Stage models like the ZGMF-X56S Impulse. The Destiny is powered by a "hyper-deuterion" reactor, which is a nuclear reactor that incorporates a derivative of deuterion beam technology for currently unknown purposes, and includes a hyper capacitor system that is likely used to temporarily increase the system's power output. Its armament includes the standard high energy beam rifle and head-mounted CIWS, a folded anti-ship sword mounted behind the right shoulder, a folded high energy, long-range beam cannon behind the left shoulder, and a pair of shoulder-mounted beam boomerangs that can also extend to become beam sabers. In addition, it has some unusual equipment: palm-mounted beam cannons, a pair of beam shield generators on its knuckles, and "Hikari no Tsubasa" ("Wings of Light") beam wings that are used as a propulsion system, enabling the Destiny to move at very high speeds. In conjunction with a form of Mirage Colloid technology, this system causes the Destiny to leave a trail of visible after-images that can confuse enemy sensors. Surprisingly, it also has a small mobile shield which can expand like that of the Impulse. This is most likely used in conjunction with beam shield generators on its knuckles. Many systems of the Destiny were originally tested as a silhouette for the ZGMF-X56S/&#952; Destiny Impulse. However, its power consumption was substantially higher than the standard Impulse silhouettes, and it was thus deemed unsuitable for actual combat. Even though the Destiny employed a new engine, it seems to be a high energy demand suit, as it managed to drain the energy in the Second Battle of Orb.

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

The Destiny is piloted by former ZGMF-X56S Impulse pilot Shinn Asuka, stationed on the battleship Minerva. It is presented to him personally by PLANT Supreme Council Chairman Gilbert Dullindal, and its design was based around his piloting data recorded from the Impulse. The Destiny's combat debut is against a stolen ZGMF-2000 GOUF Ignited, piloted by ZAFT defector Athrun Zala. It then participates in Operation Ragnarok, the invasion of Heaven's Base in Iceland, where it plays a pivotal role in defeating the base's GFAS-X1 Destroy squad. Shortly thereafter, the Destiny participates in the invasion of Orb, where it is confronted by Cagalli Yula Athha's ORB-01 Akatsuki, Kira Yamato's ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom and later Athrun Zala's ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice Gundam. While Destiny and Strike Freedom seemed fairly evenly matched, Shinn was eventually ordered to retreat due to the loss of several weapons and his hyper capacitor running low on energy. Whether this is a sign of the hyper-deuterion reactor being inferior to standard fission reactors or simply a matter of Destiny having unusually high power consumption requirements is not yet known.

Ultimately, the Destiny seems to have suffered from a significant lack of firepower. Although its wings of light gave it mobility that even Kira Yamato piloting the Strike Freedom found difficult to match, Destiny had but a handful of weapons. A rifle, a cannon, an anti-ship sword, two beam boomerangs/sabers, and two palm cannons; only two of which could be used simultaneously. By contrast, the Strike Freedom could rely on two beam rifles, two railguns, one central (chest mounted) beam cannon, and eight DRAGOON pods, while the Infinite Justice came equipped with beam sabers, beam-edged wings on its backpack, leg beam cutters, a beam boomerang which can double as a beam sword when mounted in the shield, and a grappling anchor(never saw use). In short, no matter how well Shinn fought, and he was never one for clearheaded combat to begin with, he simply didn't have as many options as his primary opponents did.

In the end, the Destiny is badly damaged near the mobile fortress Messiah by Athrun Zala's ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice, but Shinn was able to survive. Shinn and Lunamaria were picked up by Athrun after the battle. This scene can be seen in "Gundam Seed Destiny Final Plus", a remake of the last episode with some new scenes.

ZGMF-X42S Destiny
Manufacturer: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty User: Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty Unit type: prototype general purpose mobile suit Overall height: 18.08 meters Weight: 79.44 metric tons Special equipment: Phase Shift armor, "Hikari no Tsubasa" beam wings (Wings of Light) Powerplant: Ultracompact hyper-deuterion nuclear reactor with hyper capacitor Armament: MMI-GAU26 17.5mm CIWS x 2, MX2351 "Solidus Fulgur" beam shield generator x 2, RQM-60F "Flash Edge 2" beam boomerang/saber x 2, MMI-714 "Arondight" anti-ship sword x 1, M2000GX high-energy long-range beam cannon x 1, MMI-X340 "Palma Fiocina" beam cannon x 2, MA-BAR73/S high energy beam rifle x 1, mobile shield x 1 Pilot: Shinn Asuka

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.