Dearka Elsman

Dearka Elsman (ディアッカ・エルスマン) is a fictional character in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED. Dearka is a handsome, brown-skinned, blond-haired man. He has a humorous and somewhat arrogant personality and is a pilot of ZAFT's Le Creuset team. He has a tendency to make fun of Naturals and weaklings with his usual sarcasm. Dearka is the pilot of the stolen Earth Alliance's GAT-X103 Buster and harasses the assault ship Archangel time and time again. Dearka's father, Tad Elsman, is a chancellor of the PLANT Supreem Council (representing the PLANT Febuarius) and a supporter of Patrick Zala.

Gundam SEED
During his time at the military academy, Dearka had the lowest marks of the Le Creuset team. It is speculated that Yzak Joule mentored Dearka in some of his classes. The Le Creuset team infiltrated the Orb colony Heliopolis. At a Morgenroete factory, they locate the five Earth Alliance mobile suits. Dearka took the Buster and escaped back to the Vesalius. However, only four of the mobile suits were captured; the last one, the Strike, unknown to them, was being piloted by an Orb Coordinator named Kira Yamato.

After an unsuccessful search for the Archangel in the Orb Union, the Le Creuset team continue to fight Kira Yamato and his GAT-X105 Strike. After his Buster Gundam was damaged by Mu La Flaga's FX-550 Skygrasper and with the Archangel's main guns locked on him, Dearka was forced to surrender. Dearka is then held captive on the Archangel, until the ship defects to the Orb Union. During this time he befriends Miriallia Haw and though she attacked him in anger, when she saw Flay Allster wielding a gun and preparing to kill Dearka due to her hatred for Coordinators, Milliallia tackled Flay and saved his life. Later after seeing how both the Earth Alliance and ZAFT had become controlled by corrupt people, Dearka retakes his Buster and fights along with the Clyne Faction, with his primary reason to defend Miriallia and the other Naturals.

During the Battle of Mendel, he confronts his close friend Yzak Joule, who accuses him of betraying both ZAFT and the PLANTs. Dearka admits he really is not betraying them, it is just that after being in the Archangel's brig he learned to gain some respect for the Naturals after befriending Miriallia when she saved his life. Dearka knows he can't return to ZAFT because of Patrick Zala's current goal of exterminating all of the Naturals since he has now decided to refuse to follow orders of killing Naturals indiscriminately. Although Yzak refused to believe it and thinks that Dearka is being deceived, Dearka responds by questioning who among the two of them is truly being deceived. During the Second Battle of Jachin Due, Buster is heavily damaged in battle, but survives thanks to Yzak who got him back to the Archangel. Rather than rest in the medical bay, Dearka decided to observe the remainder of the battle on the Archangel's bridge. After the war, Dearka decided to return to ZAFT now that the PLANTs were under stable leadership again.

Gundam SEED Destiny
Dearka becomes part of the Joule Team that is headed by Yzak after the war. His arrogant and sarcastic attitude has toned down, though he remains Yzak's cool headed contemporary. He initially pilots the ZGMF-1000/A1 Gunner ZAKU Warrior during the Junius Seven Drop and then pilots a custom ZGMF-1001/M Blaze ZAKU Phantom in the final stages of the war.

Gallery
Dearka Elsman and Miriallia Haw

Trivia

 * Originally in Gundam SEED, Dearka was a red elite, wearing a red uniform that is given to elite soliders. In Gundam SEED Destiny, however, he wears the regular green uniform which is given to average soldiers. Although it was never stated clearly, it was likely that Dearka was demoted to a common soldier as punishment for his defection. Though in the Gundam SEED Destiny Special Edition 4 ending credits he can be seen wearing a black commander's uniform.
 * His family ethnic origins is in Egypt so which makes Dearka an Arab.
 * Prior to the beginning of Gundam SEED Destiny, it is implied that he was in a releationship with Miriallia Haw, but she dumped him.