The GNDY-0000 Gundam Astraea II is a mobile suit introduced in Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Revealed Chronicle and was piloted by Tieria Erde.
Technology & Combat Characteristics[]
The Gundam Astraea II is a test machine for the Double Drive System which utilized two GN Drives, resulting in the mobile suit having double the GN Particle output of a Gundam equipped with a single GN Drive.[1][2][3][4] The Astraea II was designed to have the GN Drives installed in two places, on its back and on a adjustable frame attached to its left shoulder.[2][5] In AD 2308, an attempt was made to activate the mobile suit using two GN Condensers instead of two GN Drives, but it failed.[1] The Astraea II was later activated using a combination of a GN Drive and a GN Condenser.[5] Both setups were due to a lack of spare GN Drives.[2][5] Due to the effects of the Double Drive System, the functionalities of equipment using GN Particles, including the Astraea II's basic armaments such as the the GND Beam Rifle and GND Shield, could be enhanced.[2]
The Astraea II also served as a design basis for a mobile suit equipped with the more powerful Twin Drive System.[5] As both Double Drive System and Twin Drive System utilized two GN Drives, it was thought that testing of Astraea II would benefit the development of a Twin Drive System equipped mobile suit.[5] Additionally, the Astraea II incorporated several new technologies that would eventually lead to the 4th generation Gundams.[2] Furthermore, hardpoints were situated throughout its body for testing a variety of equipment for the new generation of Gundams, making the Astraea II highly expandable.[2] An example of such an equipment was the Proto XN Unit, a support equipment that carried a pair of swords known as GND Buster Sword III.[5][6] While the name of Astraea II was taken from the Gundam Astraea, a 2nd generation Gundam that also served as a test model, both mobile suits were completely different machines in terms of design.[2]
Armaments[]
- GND Beam Rifle
- A beam firearm that served as the prototype of the next generation GN Beam Rifle, it has greatly increased power due to the Double Drive System.[5] When not in use, the GND Beam Rifle is stored on the right side skirt armor.[5]
- GND Shield
- The defensive equipment of the Astraea II, up to two GND Shields can be mounted on the left forearm's gauntlet.[2][5] The GND Shield can also be mounted on the adjustable frame attached to the left shoulder, or to the optional Proto XN Unit.[2][5]
- GND Buster Sword III
- A pair of large swords mounted on the sides of the optional Proto XN Unit.[5][6] Besides serving as two handheld swords when utilized in Twin Blade Mode, the pair of GND Buster Sword IIIs could also combine into a single giant sword when utilized in Long Sword Mode.[5][6] Additionally, each sword can be fitted with attachment to form the GND Buster Sword III Rifle Mode, a large two-handed rifle, for long-range attacks.[6] Although a powerful and highly versatile armament, the GND Buster Sword III consumes a lot of GN Particles when used.[5]
- GN Beam Saber
- Stored on the right side of an optional backpack that covers the back-mounted GN Drive, this melee weapon is handheld when used and emits a beam blade.[2][5]
Special Equipment & Features[]
- Double Drive System
- Also known as "GN Double Drive", it utilized two GN Drives to grant double the GN Particle output of a Gundam equipped with a single GN Drive.[4][5] However, its capabilities pale in comparison to the Twin Drive System, a more advanced system that also utilized two GN Drives.[5]
- Optical Camouflage
- The Astraea II seemed to be able to deploy an external camouflage membrane over itself when stationary, blending it into its environment and making it look invisible.[1]
- Proto XN Unit
- An optional, enhancement equipment designed around the high-powered particle effect generated by the Double Drive System.[6] It was also said to be a support equipment for the new 4th generation Gundams.[5] The Proto XN Unit was equipped with a pair of large swords known as GND Buster Sword III, and a pair of arm joints that assisted in the deployment of the two swords.[5][6] The Proto XN Unit was also capable of storing GN Particles, and could be used for defense after attaching a GND Shield to the central area.[5] Depending on battle circumstances, the Proto XN Unit can be mounted on the back of Astraea II or on the adjustable frame attached to the left shoulder.[5][6] When equipped with this Proto XN Unit, the Astraea II was known as the XN Astraea II.[6]
- Backpack
- When the Astraea II is powered using a combination of a GN Drive and a GN Condenser, an optional backpack equipped with a GN Beam Saber can be used to cover the back-mounted GN Drive.[5] At the same time, the adjustable frame equipped with the GN Condenser would attach to an extension connected to the left side of this backpack instead of directly to the left shoulder.[5] The Proto XN Unit can be mounted on this backpack.[5]
History[]
The Gundam Astraea II was developed by Celestial Being in AD 2308 to test the Double Drive System, but due to a lack of spare GN Drives, an attempt was made to activate it using two GN Condensers instead. Unfortunately, this failed. Sometime later in space, while Celestial Being was secretly rebuilding its strength after its defeat by the UN Forces, the Astraea II was successfully activated using a combination of a GN Drive and a GN Condenser. Gundam Meister Tieria Erde was then assigned to pilot the Astraea II, and tasked by Ian Vashti to collect resources from the base in the B13 area as well as to test the Proto XN Unit at the same time. Ian also instructed Tieria to forget about the resources and retreat if he encountered any enemy as they could not afford to lose any more of the precious few Gundams or Gundam Meisters they had left.
Upon arriving at the B13 area, Tieria in the XN Astraea II sighted from afar three enemy mobile suits, two red-colored units and one black-colored unit, approaching the base. Noting the two red units resembling the Gundam Exia and Gundam Dynames, Tieria wondered if the three enemy machines were made using data from Veda. He contemplated retreating as the enemies had yet to notice him and resources could be collected from other bases. However, while he felt battling the enemy machines to be pointless, he could not help but gave in to his rage and charged at the three machines. Evading attacks from the two red units, Tieria easily sliced them apart using the pair of GND Buster Sword III. After that he discarded the GND Buster Sword IIIs, which had consumed too much particles, and ejected the rest of the Proto XN Unit as well, reverting the XN Astraea II to the Astraea II form.
The Astraea II was only equipped with its GND Beam Rifle and a GND Shield, but Tieria found this was sufficient for fighting the final enemy unit. The black enemy unit fired its bazooka once at Astraea II and immediately retreated when the attack missed. Tieria quickly gave chase and fired several shots while evading the enemy's counterattack. After destroying the enemy's bazooka, Tieria took out the enemy machine with two shots, one in the chest and another in the head. While this battle would alert the enemy that stole Veda to Celestial Being's activity, Tieria reasoned that they would be fine as the enemy did not know where they are.
Gallery[]
Anime[]
Notes & Trivia[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Revealed Chronicle Episode, Episode GN Arms
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 MS profile on the order page for Metal Build Gundam Astraea II on P-Bandai USA
- ↑ Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Revealed Chronicle Episode, Devise
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Japanese profile of Double Drive System on special page for Metal Build Gundam Devise Exia on Tamashiiweb.com
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Revealed Chronicle Episode, Episode Astraea Ⅱ
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 Equipment profile on the order page for Metal Build Proto XN Unit on P-Bandai USA