Lacus Clyne is the daughter of PLANT Supreme Council chairman Siegel Clyne. She is a Coordinator, whose career as an idol singer has brought her enormous popularity in the PLANTs. She is betrothed to Athrun Zala, mainly out of political expediency, but as the Bloody Valentine War goes on, Lacus meets and is slowly drawn to Kira Yamato, pilot of the Earth Alliance's GAT-X105 Strike Gundam.
When she is dispatched on the civilian vessel Silverwind to the ruins of Junius 7, her vessel is attacked by an Earth Alliance Nelson-class battleship led by information by Kenav Luchini to believe that the vessel is actually a military ship. A fight breaks out, but Lacus' lifepod makes it out thanks to the efforts of Junk Guild tech Lowe Guele and his MBF-P02 Astray Red Frame. Her lifepod is subsequently rescued by the GAT-X105 Strike Gundam and brought to the Archangel. Lacus treats friend and foe alike with kindness and respect, and even her fiancé Athrun is sometimes perplexed by her apparent naïveté.
Late in the war, she helps Kira Yamato steal the ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam as a counter to the ambitions of Patrick Zala. Because of this, she and her father Siegel were declared as traitors, and Siegel was gunned down by Patrick Zala's minions. Before her escape from the PLANTs, she has a surprise meeting with Athrun, and her words on her views of the war is what leads to his final decision concerning his choice on who he wants to fight for.
Near the end of the Bloody Valentine, she leaves the PLANTs with her stolen support ship, Eternal and joins the Orb Union owned Izumo class battleship Kusanagi and the recently defected Archangel, to form the Clyne Faction, a group dedicated to stopping the war. When the Junk Guild vessel ReHOME joins the Clyne Faction as a tender ship, Lacus finally meets the man who saved Kira's life (as well as her own) Junk Guild tech Lowe Guele. She finally admits her love for Kira to him when she gives him a ring before the final battle at Jachin Due and tells him to come back to her safely.
At the start of Gundam SEED Destiny, Lacus is living with Kira at Reverend Malchio's orphanage in the Marshall Islands. In addition, ZAFT Supreme Council Chairman Gilbert Dullindal, in need of clout in order to prevent the ZAFT citizenry from panicking and attacking the Earth Alliance full out, has begun to showcase Meer Campbell as Lacus herself, using her to influence the populace. The real Lacus is almost killed when a group of assassins tried to kill her, but Kira fights them off with the Freedom Gundam. She, along with Murrue Ramius, Kira, Andrew Waltfeld, Cagalli, and most of the Archangel crew reunite, to stop the new war.
Lacus later hijacks a shuttle to go into space, to see what the situation is up at the PLANTs. Along with Andrew Waltfeld they rejoin the crew of the repaired Eternal and the Terminal factory satellite. She leaves with the crew of the Eternal to deliver the newly built Strike Freedom and Infinite Justice mobile suits to Athrun and Kira. Kira and Lacus are reunited, and Lacus' words yet again helps Athrun make the decision on what he wants to do concerning the second war.
Lacus is then forced to reveal her presence (and the fact that the ZAFT Lacus is an imposter) when Meer interrupts Cagalli's broadcast following the Second Battle of Onogoro.
Following her worldwide broadcast denouncing Chairman Dullindal's agenda and exposing her imposter Meer Campbell and the sudden attack on PLANT by Lord Djibril's Requiem beam, Lacus will be going back to space aboard the Archangel. The Clyne Faction will vow to stop Chairman Dullindal from implementing his radical "Destiny Plan" which according to Lacus, will involve using genetics to assign behavioural genes to every human being in order to render wars and conflicts obsolete. She later tries to convince Meer to stop working for Dullindal; however, Meer ends up dying in Lacus' arms after taking the shot that was originally meant to kill Lacus.
During the final stages of Gundam SEED Destiny she becomes a key player as she heads the Clyne Faction and the bulk of the forces that stand in the way between Dullindal and the implementing of the Destiny plan.
After the death of Chairman Dullindal, Lacus Clyne is invited back to the PLANTs. In the end she is walking towards the PLANT Surpreme Council, it is still unclear whether she is a member of the council or the Leader of PLANT (Chairwoman). With the Strike Freedom launching from the Eternal, it is unclear whether Kira is part of ZAFT or Lacus Clyne's own personal forces.
Personal Data
Gundam SEED
Genetic type: Coordinator
Age: 16
DOB: Cosmic Era 55, February 5
Blood type: B
Hair Color: Light pink
Eye Color: Gray
Height: 158 cm
Weight: 53 kg
Family: Father (Siegel Clyne), Mother (Name Unknown)
Love interests: Athrun Zala (former fiancé), Kira Yamato (current)
Gundam SEED Destiny
Genetic type: Coordinator
Age: 18
DOB: Cosmic Era 55, February 5
Blood type: B
Hair Color: Light pink
Eye Color: Gray
Height: 160 cm
Weight: 49 kg
Family: Father (Siegel Clyne), Mother (Name Unknown)
Love interests: Kira Yamato (current)
Mobile suit: ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice (She piloted the Infinite Justice Gundam briefly while bring it down to Earth from space for Athrun.)
Quotes from Gundam Seed (Lacus):
- "The choice we're making maybe one of evil as well. For we call for peace, but with weapons in our hands. Nevertheless allow us to break this chain of endless conflict. Give us strength. (A Place for the Soul: Phase-47)
- "Whatever human beings have begun, other human beings can then put a stop to." (What Stands in the Way: Phase-43)
- "We must understand that the people of Earth are our brothers and sisters. We Coordinators haven't somehow evolved into a separate species." (Trembling World: Phase-41)
- "Is it weapons that are the cause of all this fighting or does the real cause lie within the human heart?" (Day of Wrath: Phase-48)
- "Possibly humans can exist without actually having to fight. But, many of us have chosen to fight. For what reason? To protect something? Protect what? Ourselves? The future? If we kill people to protect ourselves and this future then what sort of future is it and what will we have become? There is no future for those who have died. And what of those who did the killing? Is happiness to be found in a future that is grasped with blood stained hands? Is that the truth?" (The Final Light: Phase-49)
- "What is it you believe in? What is it you should you be fighting for now? Is it the medal you received? Or for your father's orders?" (Gundam SEED Phase-36 "In the Name of Justice" confronting Athrun Zala on the stage of the White Symphony)
- "If you want my name, then you can have it. My appearance as well. But even then, you and I are different human beings." (Gundam SEED Destiny Phase-46 The Song of Truth, to Meer Campbell)
Trivia
- In the first series, Lacus Clyne is nicknamed "Pink Princess" and "the Songstress." In the second series, the appellation "White Queen" is often used to describe her, as she appears to be represented as such on Gilbert Dullindal's chess board.
- In the original Japanese version, Lacus is voiced by Tanaka Rie. In the English version, she is voiced by Chantal Strand and her songs are sung by Jillian Michaels.
- Three of her songs Shizukana Yoruni, Mizu no Akashi and Fields of Hope can be found in the various Gundam SEED soundtracks and music albums.
- It is unconfirmed whether Lacus has the ability to go into SEED mode or not. In episode 49 of Gundam SEED, her pupils become dilated, like other characters who go into SEED mode, after Lacus becomes gives a discourse about war and death, but no accompanying seed explosion is seen. The same dilation is seen in Episode 50 of Gundam Seed Destiny when Lacus becomes aware of Kira's battle with Rey Za Burrel, again with no seed explosion.
- The director of Gundam SEED has stated that he drew inspiration from actress Audrey Hepburn for the creation of Lacus' character.