ELS horde
Extraterrestrial Living-metal Shape-shifters (aka ELS, pronounced "elses")[1][2][3] are a group of extraterrestrial lifeforms not native to the Solar System and the main antagonists featured in Mobile Suit Gundam 00 The Movie -A wakening of the Trailblazer-.
Overview[]
The ELS are a race of sentient aliens that have the unique ability to assimilate nearly all life and technology. Their bodies are made of liquid metal that are capable taking on various solid forms. While not an aggressive race, their ways of learning and understanding their environment is based on assimilation; by absorbing objects and entities and taking their forms. By assimilation the ELS are able to increase their total mass as well as their energy capacity. However, before Setsuna F. Seiei successfully established dialogue with ELS, assimilation often tends to be fatal for a human being. ELS have no concept of individuality and the totality of their knowledge is shared across all the ELS through a network similar to Quantum Brainwaves through vast distances.[4]
The ELS can choose to take the form of any object it has assimilated, including humans, and mimic their abilities as well. The main limit to the form they could take is the mass of the ELS present. But the ELS when reduced into masses smaller than humans they would either attempt to merge or go into hibernation as they lack the energy storage. In addition the replicated form may not always be identical to that of the original object as the more complex an object is harder it is for the ELS to accurately mimic that object.[4] The ELS can also respond intelligently to changing circumstances. For instance, after the initial volleys of attacks from the absolute defense fleets, the ELS chose to form itself into warships and mobile suits to level the playing field, and protected its core with a barrier in response to additional shots from the Celestial Being's superweapon. It is implied that rather than being aggressive, the ELS assimilated humans and their creations and entered combat as a form of imitation. As the ELS use Quantum Brainwaves to communicate and coordinate they are attracted to humans with Quantum Brainwaves such as Innovades, Innovators, or humans that show potential of evolving into Innovators as they consider it an attempt of communication.
Classes of ELS[]
Small ELS[]
These are the most common types of ELS, typically smaller than a mobile suit, coming in blade, conical, and prism shapes.
Medium ELS[]
Less common than small ELS, the medium ELS are roughly the same size as space battle cruisers, and target battle cruisers or large MAs such as the GNMA-Y0002V Gadelaza. Any mobile suits caught within the path of medium ELS will be instantly assimilated, as opposed to being slowly assimilated by the smaller ELS. Most of them take on similar structures as jellyfish.
Large ELS[]
Only one large ELS was present, and it was spherically shaped, with a diameter of around 3,000 kilometers, making it comparable in size to the Moon. It served as a command center for the ELS horde, and was capable of assimilating planets, and even deflecting a beam shot from the 80m GN Laser Cannon of the Celestial Being.
Mobile Suits & Mobile Armor mimicked or assimilated by ELS[]
- The imitations of the mainstay Earth Sphere Federation Forces mobile suits are replicated by the ELS through assimilation, and are known as ELS GN-X. They resemble the original GN-XIV, but with an elongated, sharp cone at the back, while the four eye sensors in the head are replaced by a single glowing violet eye. Units with imitation of the NGN Bazookas have the weapons directly integrated into the arms, while those with imitation of the GN Short Rifle and GN Long Rifle have the rifles at the end of the forearm. They can also generate a beam saber from the palm.
- An extremely grotesque ELS version of the Arios Gundam Ascalon, it has an elongated neck, and various other changes, such as a single glowing violet eye replacing the eye sensors in the head.
- Seen only in the alternate manga version of the movie (which depicted events very differently, thus separate from the main continuity), it is an ELS replica of the 00 Raiser Condenser Type. The only visible changes from the original MS are the GN Sword III appears to "grow" out directly from the right arm and eye sensors in the head are replaced by a single glowing violet eye.
- An ELS assimilated version of the 00 Qan[T] appearing in the epilogue of the film. It is unknown when the 00 Qan[T] got assimilated after Setsuna went to the ELS' home planet. The unit sports an entirely different design.
- Seen in the manga version of the movie and in Mobile Suit Gundam 00I 2314, it if this is the assimilated form of the original Gadelaza or an ELS replica of the original Gadelaza. The ELS version differs from the original in that its surface is smoother and has a different color scheme.
- One version of the Sakibure is used solely by the ELS. Most versions of the Sakibure have ELS within their heads.
- When the original GNZ-001 GRM Gundam was about to be assimilated by a group of ELS GN-Xs, Setsuna F. Seiei traveled to the ELS home world and made peace with the ELS. Instead of being assimilated, the GRM Gundam, as well as its Meister Leonard Fiennes were both assimilated with ELS. The GRM Gundam E has a much smoother and curved design appearance than its predecessor. Also, the face vents on the MS are gone, and the GN Mega Launcher is more curved in design.
History[]
Searching For a New Home[]
The ELS evolved in a gas giant environment, slowly developing in complexity and size until their home planet was ringed by huge megastructures of ELS. When their star died, the white dwarf that was created was inadequate to provide enough energy to the ELS. Thus the remnants of the ELS home planet released a Large ELS roughly the size of Earth's moon into deep space to look for a similar environment as their home planet to ensure their survival. This group would then further scatter into several groups. The ELS encountered other planets with living organisms, which they assimilated into their being as a method of mutual understanding. As a result it is believed the ELS may have caused the extinction of entire planets and star systems.[4]
One of the scouting fleets discovered Jupiter in the Solar System which is similar to the conditions of their homeworld. Unbeknownst to humanity, the scouting units arrived at Jupiter in A.D. 2314, encountered the derelict exploration vessel Europa, and assimilated it and the bodies aboard, causing them to become aware of the possibility of life on Earth. There, they detected Quantum Brainwaves emanating from Earth which the ELS considered to be an attempt by Humans to communicate with them.[4]
ELS Conflict[]
Investigating Earth[]
The ELS assimilated Europa was then sent towards Earth as a form of investigation. The Earth Sphere Federation Forces (ESFF) attempted to divert the ship's course, but all initial efforts failed. Therefore, Captain Descartes Shaman was dispatched in the GNMA-Y0002V Gadelaza to destroy it. Shaman was successful, with the expectation that the Europa's remains would burn up in atmospheric reentry. However, some fragments of the ELS survived burn-up, and upon reaching the surface, began infiltrating technology to approach and attempt the assimilation of those with Quantum Brainwaves, the main indicator of Innovator potential, and the means by which the ELS communicated and coordinated itself. Although the Earth Sphere Federation government and the paramilitary group Celestial Being were unaware of this reasoning, they managed to figure out that these people are in danger; the latter's actions then saved the lives of Saji Crossroad and Louise Halevy and their returning comrades, Allelujah Haptism and Marie Parfacy.
Later in space, the ELS approached the CBS-74 Ptolemaios 2 Kai in the form of a second Europa, attracted to the quantum brainwaves of Allelujah, Marie, and Setsuna F. Seiei. The Gundams fought against the ELS, but they outnumbered the three mobile suits, eventually beginning to assimilate Setsuna's GN-0000RE+GNR-010 00 Raiser GN Condenser Type. Soon, Tieria Erde's CB-002 Raphael Gundam arrived to save Setsuna and destroyed the second Europa, before the Gundams eliminated any debris. It is noted that the normal radio signals from Jupiter had recently changed, now containing elements of Quantum Brainwaves. Shaman likens the new signal to a 'cry', but did not hazard a guess to what that meant.
Arrival of the ELS horde[]
After receiving confirmation from the scouting units about life on Earth, the Large ELS teleported itself into Jupiter, causing a huge gravitational effect that destroyed the moon's Io and Ganymede. Surrounded by an armada of Small and Medium ELS, the Large ELS emerged from Jupiter's red spot. The armada begins to approach in-system, reaching Earth within 95 days. In an attempt to understand the aggressors, the ESF send Shaman and a small ESFF fleet to intercept the ELS approaching Mars. Shaman engaged the ELS in an attempt to lure them away, but was intercepted and fully assimilated, along with the rest of the fleet with Celestial Being arriving too late to provide aid.
Believing that they were experiencing the dialogues with other life Aeolia Schenberg had prepared humanity for, Setsuna attempted to use the 00 Raiser GN Condenser Type's Trans-Am Burst System to communicate with the ELS. The information flow was too great for his mind however, causing brain damage and putting him in a coma. The other Gundam Meisters were forced to extract him before withdrawing, with Tieria sacrificing both of his Gundams to save the Innovator. The ELS gave pursuit, only to be fended off by the Solbraves. The latest altercations cause a further reaction, the cry of the ELS so potent that it affects all Innovators and those with Quantum Brainwaves.
The ELS soon arrived at Earth within the predicted 3 months. To protect Earth, the ESF Forces created a Absolute Defense Line which consisted of all available mobile suits and battleships of any type: conventional and GN types. The ESFF fleet fired a barrage of GN missiles at the ELS. It destroyed a portion of their armada, the rest of the ELS emerged from the explosion unharmed, having developed countermeasures against GN technology. The ESFF utilized the colony ship Celestial Being's GN Laser against the ELS, cutting a clean hole through to the Large ELS. The ESFF then charged into the fray. But the ELS soon began to demonstrate their ability to copy what they assimilate; smaller ELS joined together to form mimics of GNX-803T GN-XIV, while bigger ELS transformed into mimics of Baikal-class cruisers. This escalates the situation as the ELS now have equal firepower and retaliated, destroying multiple mobile suits and cruisers, inflicting massive losses on the ESFF. Celestial Being fired another shot at the Large ELS, but the latter forms a barrier that deflects the beam.
Peace Through Setsuna[]
The ELS seemed poise to win and managed to break the defensive line. However, ESF Forces soldier Andrei Smirnov stopped the ELS' first attempt to reach the Earth, though it meant sacrificing his own life. Celestial Being cuts through their lines with the GN-010 Gundam Zabanya and GN-011 Gundam Harute, allowing a reawakened Setsuna and the GNT-0000 00 Qan[T] to make it to the core of the Large ELS, where he uses the Quantum System to properly initiate the dialogue. With the help of Tieria and a miniature Veda terminal installed in his Gundam, Setsuna was able to withstand the exchange. Having learned of the ELS' nature and circumstance, he decides to teleport to their home world to seek mutual understanding. As soon as Setsuna and his Gundam teleports, the ELS cease assimilation and retreat to the Large ELS, which has transformed into an enormous desert flower to indicate a cessation of hostilities.
Legacy[]
Fifty years after first contact, the desert flower remained in orbit of Earth and is now used as a joint Human-ELS space station and its spaceport was used to launch the Sumeragi. ELS have also shared their vast knowledge with humans which allowed Earth to make vast strides in technology.[4] The knowledge of the ELS were particularly important in developing new energy sources and provided methods to drastically improve energy efficiency. The ability of ELS to breakdown and reconstruct matter led to humans developing new types of MS that mimicked this capability which was suggested as a solution to the heavy costs involved with MS-based warfare. However co-existence with the ELS ultimately brought an era of peace by showing co-operation is essential for humanity's future.[5] Humans who had become human-ELS hybrids have become one of the several types of humans living and have noticeable silvery marks from their assimilation. Setsuna and his Gundam also returns to Earth, his body and his machine fully merged with the ELS.[4]
Gallery[]
Animation[]
Manga[]
Illustration & Artwork[]
Games[]
Notes & Trivia[]
- The ELS are the first alien intelligence to have directly appeared in the Gundam franchise. The other alien lifeform to appear in the franchise has been Evidence 01 from the Cosmic Era timeline, both being linked in some way to Jupiter - the ELS teleporting to and emerging from Jupiter's red spot, while Evidence 01 was found near one of Jupiter's moons, Europa. A third alien lifeform, and in the form of a microbe to appear is the Angel Call but unlike the first two, it was first discovered near Saturn. The next appearance of alien lifeform is the inhabitants of the planet Eldora from Gundam Build Divers Re:RISE.
- From a Great Mechanics DX interview, it was mentioned that there were over 1000 ELS massed against the ESF Forces and Celestial Being.
References[]
