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| “ | May God protect the world from my son. And I can't even imagine what Kycilia might be planning. In the end, Hitler's followers ended up trying to kill him. | ” |
—Degwin contemplating the threats, agendas, and fates of his surviving two children.[1] | ||
Degwin Sodo Zabi (デギン・ソド・ザビ Degin Sodo Zabi?) is a character that appears in the anime Mobile Suit Gundam. He was the absolute dictator of the Principality of Zeon during the One Year War.
History[]
Degwin Zabi was instrumental in establishing the Republic of Zeon with his ally Zeon Zum Deikun. As Deikun's Chief of Staff, Degwin Zabi established the National Defense Force for the Republic of Zeon in U.C. 0058.[2] When Prime Minister Zeon Deikun was suddenly ill in U.C. 0068, his close aide Degwin Zabi claimed that the dying Deikun has appointed Degwin as his successor.[3] Degwin Zabi is suspected by most to have a hand in the sudden death of Zeon Deikun, although nothing concrete has ever been uncovered.
On August 15, UC 0069, Degwin Zabi declared Side 3 colony the Principality of Zeon with himself as Sovereign,[4][5] and loyalists of Zeon Daikun faction were purged or exiled.[5]. However, as time passed, he began to feel a sense of emptiness, and at the outbreak of the One Year War, he handed over all power to his children and became politically retired. Degwin is also consumed by the intrafamilial feuding between his ambitious children, most notably Gihren and his daughter Kycilia. Also, Degwin never recovers from the death of his youngest and beloved son, Garma.[6] He fell into a depression since Garma was his favorite child, and leaves most of the day to day operations to Gihren. As a result, Gihren effectively becomes the self-styled "Führer" of Zeon, taking all of his father's remaining power, leaving Degwin as little more than a figurehead.
Although Gihren dismisses his father as a tired old man, Degwin does not hide his disgust for Gihren's ruthlessness. Never having any respect for Gihren's lofty ideals, Degwin once humiliated his son by stating that he would never be Zeon's idea of a Newtype, but only a caricature of Adolf Hitler. He anticipated that as with Hitler, Gihren's own followers would eventually want to kill him.
Although Degwin gives Gihren approval for the Solar Ray laser project, Degwin is genuinely tired of war (after the death of Dozle and brought on mostly by Garma's death) and arranges for a meeting with General Revil to discuss peace negotiations. On December 30, U.C. 0079, the two sides' fleets arrive at the neutral area for discussion, Gihren arranges for the firing of the Solar Ray laser that incinerates Degwin and Revil's respective flagships and much of their accompanying fleets.
Gallery[]
Lineart[]
Anime[]
Mobile Suit Gundam[]
.jpg "Degwin Zabi (Gundam).jpg (23 KB)")
Illustrations & Artwork[]
Games[]
Mobile Suit Gundam: Journey to Jaburo[]
Notes & Trivia[]
- In the novelization of Mobile Suit Gundam, Degwin Zabi actually survives the entire war, and is deposed as Zeon leader after the deaths of Gihren and Kycilia and the takeover by Char Aznable.
- In the original 52 episode plan, Degwin would have met with General Revil aboard the White Base. He would then have met Sayla, recognized her as Artesia Som Deikun, and asked for forgiveness, as well as admitting that he had indeed murdered Zeon Zum Deikun.
- While Degwin Zabi does not make many appearances in the Super Robot Wars series, the SRW OE series hinges its interpretation of the One Year War on his survival. Both himself and General Revil meet to conduct peace negotiations like they do in the original anime, and the player is charged with the preventing his and Revil's assassination by defeat of the Zeon forces loyal to Gihren who will use the Solar Ray. This results in a profound change in the plot which involves Gihren going rogue and founding Neo-Zeon to continue the fight.
- In Universal Century (GQ), he passed away sometime in 0080. A funeral was held. Kycilia believe that Gihren assassinated him by unknown means.
Appearances[]
- Television Series
- Mobile Suit Gundam
- Episode 10, Garma's Fate
- First Appearance
- Episode 11, Icelina- Love's Remains
- Episode 12, The Threat of Zeon
- Episode 42, Space Fortress: A Baoa Qu
- Deceased
- Episode 10, Garma's Fate
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
- Episode 30, Blue Corps, Part 1
- Mentioned only
- Episode 30, Blue Corps, Part 1
References[]
Gundam Perfect File[]
- ↑ Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space
- ↑ (March 2007) 機動戦士ガンダム 一年戦争全史 U.C.0079-0080 (上) (in Japanese). GAKKEN, 150. ISBN 9784056045031.
- ↑ Mobile Suit Gundam Episode 38, Char And Sayla
- ↑ (December 1991) ENTERTAINMENT BIBLE .39 機動戦士ガンダム 戦略戦術大図鑑 ~一年戦争全記録 (in Japanese). バンダイ, 21. ISBN 4891891777.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 (August 1998) 機動戦士ガンダム宇宙世紀vol.1 歴史編 (in Japanese). ラポート, 135. ISBN 9784897992938.
- ↑ Mobile Suit Gundam Episode 10, Garma's Fate