The NOG-M2D1/E Black Knight Squad Cal-re.A is a mobile suit introduced in the animated film Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom. It is piloted by Orphee Lam Tao and co-piloted by Ingrid Tradoll.
Technology & Combat Characteristics[]
A machine developed independently by the Kingdom of Foundation using PLANT's technology. It features a dual-seat cockpit, with the front seat for the pilot and the rear seat handling fire control. It is equipped with a new-generation armor known as "Femto Technology Armor (FT Armor)."[1]
Armaments[]
- OWC-M1R1/F High-Energy Beam Rifle
- A handheld beam weapon used as the Cal-re.A's primary ranged weapon. It is the same model as the beam rifle used by the NOG-M4F Rud-ro.A. It is stored at the back skirt when not in use.
- OWC-QZ18 AMS Enhanced Sword
- The Cal-re.A is equipped with a pair of Anti Mobile Suit enhanced swords for close quarters combat. They are much smaller than the AMS heavy blades, which are used by the Rud-ro.A. When not in use, the swords are stored on the side skirts.
- OWC-Z199 Hyper Impulse Gun "Adro Onzi"
- A large-caliber beam cannon located in the Cal-re.A's chest, it is covered by a hatch and when fired, the hatch will slide down to reveal the cannon's muzzle.
- OTS-303 Beam Shield "Ameretat"
- The Cal-re.A is equipped with a pair of beam shields, one on each forearm, for general purpose defense against ranged weapons and beam blades.
- OWC-M17 Roc-claw "Morsus Mortis"
- A pair of physical claws attached to the forearms, used as a backup melee weapon.
- OTOS-815/J "Sahasrabhuja" Remote Weapon Pod
- The Cal-re.A is equipped with eight "Sahasrabhuja" remote weapon pods mounted on the wings. Functionally, they are similar to DRAGOON pods, and each pod is equipped with 4 beam guns, and a pair of wing-like beam blades. When not in use, the "Sahasrabhuja" pods are stored on the unit's wings. Roughly 4 beam nozzles are mounted on the tip of each pod (for a total of at least 32 beams), while each pod deploys 2 beam blades simultaneously (for a total of 16 beam blades). Additionally, each Sahasrabhuja pod is equipped with Femto Technology Armor, making them hard to destroy with beam weaponry.
Special Equipment & Features[]
- A special armor technology developed by the Kingdom of Foundation, the Femto Technology Armor can neutralize beam attacks and absorb their energy to recharge the mobile suit's batteries.
- Levitator
- The Cal-re.A's wings use "mock anti-gravity levitation devices," aiding its flight. When deployed, the Levitator emits a light effect akin to the ZGMF-X42S Destiny Gundam's "Wings of Light" or the ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom Gundam's "Wings of the Skies."
- A large support DRAGOON that is remote-controlled by the rear gunner pilot, capable of independent maneuvers to work in tandem with the main mobile suit. It also can be used as a subflight system to carry the Black Knight Squad Cal-re.A into the battlefield.
- Laser eye targeting system
- Like the NOG-M4F Rud-ro.A and the NOG-M1A1 Shi-ve.A, the Cal-re.A emits a red laser from the head's right eye when locking onto enemy targets.
History[]
In C.E. 75, the NOG-M2D1/E Cal-re.A was deployed at the height of the Foundation Conflict. Orphee Lam Tao and Ingrid Tradoll piloted the Cal-re.A to fight Kira Yamato and his ZGMF/A-262B Strike Freedom Gundam Type II. The combined assault of the Cal-re.A and Shura Serpentine's NOG-M1A1 Shi-ve.A pushed the the Strike Freedom Type II to its limits, destroying many of its weapons and stretching its coolant to overload in the process, ultimately forcing the Strike Freedom Type II's Variable Phase Shift Armor to deactivate.[2]
Before they could destroy it, Athrun intervened with the ZGMF-MM07 Z'Gok, shielding the Strike Freedom Type II from Shi-ve.A's needle barrage. The attack destroyed the Z'Gok, revealing the ZGMF-X191M2 ∞ Justice Gundam Type II hidden within its armor. This allowed Kira to detach the damaged Super DRAGOON backpack and combine with the MDE262S Proud Defender to form the ZGMF/A-262PD-P Mighty Strike Freedom Gundam.[2]
In the ensuing battle, the Cal-re.A unleashed its full arsenal of weapons against the Mighty Strike Freedom, but the beam attacks were absorbed by the Mighty Strike Freedom's nanoparticle shield. The Mighty Strike Freedom then used a lightning attack to destroy the missiles launched by the Cal-re.A's Ziggurats, incapacitate the combined rogue ZAFT and Foundation fleet, and disable all of Cal-re.A's Sahasrabhujas. It proceeded to cut through the remains of Messiah with the Disruptor, eliminating the Ziggurats. As the battle progressed, the Mighty Strike Freedom destroyed the left side of the Cal-re.A's body with the Disruptor. In the final moments, the Mighty Strike Freedom impaled the Cal-re.A with the Futsunomitama during close combat, leading to the Cal-re.A's destruction and effectively signaling the end of the Foundation Conflict.[2]
Gallery[]
Linearts[]
Animation[]
.jpg "Vs Cal-re.A (1).jpg (377 KB)")
.jpg "Vs Cal-re.A (2).jpg (768 KB)")
Gunpla[]
Notes and Trivia[]
- カルラ (Karura) is the pronunciation of 迦楼羅, a race of birdlike humanoids in Japanese Buddhist folklore [3], itself transliterated from the name of the Hindu deity गरुड (Garuda).
- The AMO-01 Ziggurat is possibly named after a Ziggurat, which is ancient pyramid-like structure located in Mesopotamia.
- The "Sahasrabhuja" turrets mean "Thousand Arms" in Sanskrit, referring to their remote nature, and referencing how they are mounted on an arm-like structure.
- Similarly, the "Morsus Mortis" claws means "Death's Bite" in Latin.
- The "Ameretat" beam shield is name after Ameretat - the Avestan language name of the Zoroastrian divinity/divine concept of immortality.
- The design of the Cal-re.A resembles the XM-07R Vigna Ronah
Appearances[]
References[]
- ↑ Black Knight Squad Cal-re.A Profile on Seed Freedom Official Website (Japanese)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom
- ↑ Shinchosha (1985). 新潮世界美術事典 [Shincho Encyclopedia of World Art]. Shinchosha. ISBN 4-10-730206-7.
External links[]
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