Orb Union

Orb Union
Orb Union (オーブ連合首長国, Ōbu Rengō Shuchōkoku)
Data
Purpose	Neutral Country
Led by	Uzumi Nara Athha (C.E. 58 →C.E. 71) Homura Athha (C.E. 72) Cagalli Yula Athha (C.E. 73→onwards)
Sphere of Influence	Orb Archipelago
Subdivisions	Athha family Five Great Clans Kiou family Mashima family Orb Disaster Relief Team Orb National Defense Force Sahaku family Seiran family
Allies	Three Ships Alliance Terminal
Mobile Weapons/Armors/Workers
GAT-X105 Strike Gundam GAT-01 Strike Dagger GAT-X105+AQM/E-X01 Aile Strike Gundam GAT-X105+AQM/E-X02 Sword Strike Gundam GAT-X105+AQM/E-X03 Launcher Strike Gundam GAT-X105+AQM/E-YM1 Perfect Strike Gundam ORB-01 Akatsuki Gundam Power Loader MBF-P01 Gundam Astray Gold Frame MBF-P01-ReAMATU Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu MBF-P01-Re2AMATU Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu Mina MVF-X08 Eclipse Gundam MVF-X08+EW452HW Eclipse Gundam Maneuver Striker Pack Equipped MVF-X08+EW453R Eclipse Gundam Raijin Striker Pack Equipped MAW-01 Mistral
Vehicles
Albatross Transport Ship Orb Elecar Cavalier Aifrid Heli Seiran Family Shuttle Life Boat Orb Union Shuttle Jeep Cargo Truck (EA)
Miscellaneous
Manga	GSA GSE

“	Orb will not attack another nation, will not allow another nation to attack them, and will not intervene in the conflicts of other nations.	”
—Motto of Orb

The Orb Union (aka Orb) is a South Pacific island nation introduced in the anime Mobile Suit Gundam SEED.

Overview

Orb Union is a nation whose territory encompasses several islands to the east of New Guinea. The official name of the mainland is Yalafath, where the Orb capital, Olofat, is located . In addition, there are four cities aside from the capital. It was originally an oil-producing country, but after the depletion of oil, it used its capital to transform itself into an industrial nation . Geothermal power generation, which took advantage of the characteristics of the volcanic islands, has made it possible for the country to become self-sufficient in energy, the Achilles' heel of modern nations, to a considerable extent. Geothermal power generation became the foundation for supporting industries, and acts as the driving force behind Orb's economic development.

In addition to processing and exporting imported resources, Orb succeeded in attracting a spaceport by taking advantage of its equatorial location, and achieved further development as a trading hub between space and Earth. Furthermore, the nation's policy of accepting Coordinators was also based on the idea of survival as a technological nation. The official language is Japanese. The Island nation also has its own Mass Driver, called "Kaguya", a space colony Heliopolis, which serves as a resource satellite, and a military space station Ame-no-Mihashira. Because of Orb's relative political and economic stability and stance as a neutral nation, it is also known as the "Land of Peace."

Government

Orb's government consists of both an elected legislature, comprising the Senate and a House of Representatives, and an aristocracy of five noble clans who once ruled the island nation. The leading member of the Orb government is the Chief Representative (who also serves as the Supreme Commander of the Orb Military) elected from among the five noble clans. The five noble clans have enormous influential power, with the heads of the clans and other important individuals serving as the core of the nation. However, the five clans do not always agree on political matters, which caused some of them to violate the decisions of the chief representative.

As of C.E. 73, the five noble clans consisted of the Kiou family, the Mashima family, the Tokino family, the Seiran family, and the Athha family. The Sahaku family was originally one of the five noble clans, but had since distanced itself from Orb.

Military

Orb's national military was the Orb National Defense Force (オーブ国防軍). Known branches include the Space Force, the Homeland Defense Ground Force, and the Navy. Orb gets most of its weaponry from the indigenous Morgenröte Inc., which is one of the world's top producers of advanced weaponry. The Morgenröte Headquarters and arsenal, as well as the Orb National Defense Headquarters, are located at Onogoro Island, a small island to the south which is under the control of the Orb military.

Territories

Located near New Guinea, the Orb Union is made up of the mainland Yalafath as well as surrounding islands. Some of the smaller surrounding islands supported the Kaguya Mass Driver.

• Yalafath Island - Orb's main island, includes the capital city of Olofat
• Onogoro Island - Orb's military and national defense headquarters
• Kaguya Island - Orb's spaceport and the starting point of the "Kaguya" Mass Driver
• Akatsuki Island
• Sadeyori Island
• Heliopolis - Orb's space colony (Destroyed in C.E. 71)
• Ame No Mihashira - Military space station

History

The Orb Union was created at the end of the Reconstruction War (World War III), which took place at the end of the Anno Domini era. Originally, it was an island nation inhabited by people who had settled in Orb from other countries, but in the past, many Japanese immigrants settled there with their technology and developed the country. It is a confederation of chiefdoms that developed from a small country of five tribes, and as such, the people who ruled the islands before the founding of Orb later reigned as "clans" in the state, and the political form is a council system with a parliament. In C.E. 58, Uzumi Nara Athha became chief representative of Orb and it was also in this year that construction began on the space station Ame-no-Mihashira.

First Alliance-PLANT War

When the first war between the Earth Alliance and PLANT broke out, representative Uzumi declared the nation neutral in the conflict in February 8, C.E. 0070. Nevertheless, the Sahaku family used Morgenröte's resources on the Heliopolis colony to assist the Atlantic Federation in constructing five mobile suits that could be piloted by Naturals, and a massive ship called the Archangel. However, the data used in constructing the Mobile Suits were also secretly used in the construction of Orb's own prototype Mobile Suits, the MBF-P01 Gundam Astray Gold Frame, MBF-P02 Gundam Astray Red Frame, MBF-P03 Gundam Astray Blue Frame, and parts for two others. Unfortunately, ZAFT caught wind of EA's construction and attacked the colony. Only four of the units were captured though; the last one, the GAT-X105 Strike Gundam, remained under Alliance control. After the battle, the entire colony imploded, though its population was evacuated. The Gold Frame would fall into the hands of Rondo Gina Sahaku, the Red Frame would end up in Junk Guild possession, the Blue Frame in Serpent Tail and the parts for the two other mobile suits went missing. These missing parts would later be assembled into the MBF-P04 Gundam Astray Green Frame and MBF-P05LM Astray Mirage Frame.

En route to Alliance headquarters JOSH-A, the Archangel was under heavy attack by ZAFT forces. Their fight moved closer to Orb's borders, prompting its navy to ward them off. However, Representative Uzumi Nara Athha decided to allow the Archangel to be hidden in Morgenröte after hearing that they had his adoptive daughter, Cagalli Yula Athha on board. He later negotiated with the Archangel's commanding officers, requesting that they give copies of the Strike's combat data to be adapted to their M1 Astrays. With Kira Yamato's help, they were able to give their M1s the ability to be piloted by Naturals. The Orb navy then secretly escorted the Archangel so it could make a safe trip to JOSH-A.

However, a few weeks later, the Alliance's Mass Driver at Panama was destroyed, so they were in desperate need of one to help resupply their bases in space. Director Muruta Azrael of the Defense Committee suggested that they take Orb's Kaguya Mass Driver, under the pretense that as a nation of Earth, it should be standing with them against "mankind's enemy." Because taking either side would make enemies for Orb, the government announced that they will oppose the Alliance's ultimatum. As the civilian population is evacuated elsewhere, the Orb military is assisted by the defecting Archangel, who had survived the destruction of JOSH-A, in opposing the Alliance. However, after two battles, it was obvious Orb couldn't win, so Representative Athha helped Orb's remaining forces, including the Izumo-class battleship Kusanagi and the Archangel, escape to space. He and many other high ranking politicians stayed behind to destroy the Mass Driver, ultimately sacrificing themselves. However, the Alliance later was able to recapture its Mass Driver at Victoria. Orb eventually became a protectorate of the Atlantic Federation.

In space, the Kusanagi and the Archangel joined forces with the stolen ZAFT warship Eternal to form the Three Ships Alliance, which played a critical role during the end of the war. When the war came to an end, the members of the Three Ships Alliance moved to Orb under assumed aliases and Cagalli became Orb's Chief Representative. When the Junius Treaty was signed, the national boundaries of Orb were restored to their pre-war state.

Second Alliance-PLANT War

By the time of the Second Alliance-PLANT War, the Seiran family managed to usurp the Parliament and violate Orb's neutrality with predictions of a repeat of the Atlantic Federation's attack on the Union. As a result, Orb entered the Earth Alliance. However, the Seiran family was unable to gain the full support of the military, which remained loyal to the Athha family, including Captain Todaka of the 2nd Defense Fleet and the military became weakened as a result of its low opinion of the Seirans, resulting low morale and motivation to fight. Chief Representative Cagalli Yula Athha was abducted soon afterward by her brother, Kira Yamato, and the crew of the Archangel during her wedding to Yuna Roma Seiran, the son of Prime Minister Unato Ema Seiran. Despite his personal sentiment, Todaka was promoted to Captain and chosen to lead the Orb expeditionary fleet in the nation's first active support of the Alliance. This effort ended in a disaster at Crete, when the flagship Takemikazuchi and most of the other ships present were sunk by Shinn Asuka in his ZGMF-X56S/β Sword Impulse Gundam. Captain Todaka ordered the Takemikazuchi abandoned and remained behind to go down with his ship. After the Battle of Crete, many of the surviving members of the Orb expeditionary fleet joined the crew of the Archangel, including Todaka's second in command Amagi, who became the Archangel's new executive officer.

After Gilbert Durandal's speech about Logos and the attack on Heaven's Base, Lord Djibril fled to Orb where he met with the Seirans. Durandal ordered ZAFT to attack the country in hope of taking Orb down in the process of eliminating Logos. However, due to the Archangel's intervention, Djibril escaped and ZAFT forces withdrew, as there was no longer any reason to continue their assault. During the battle, the Seirans and many Orb politicians were killed, giving Cagalli the chance to regain her position as the leader of the Orb Union. Afterwards Orb, together with the Kingdom of Scandinavia and the Atlantic Federation, opposed Durandal's Destiny Plan and thus the now ZAFT-controlled Requiem. Orb later became the target for ZAFT since it was the last nation that presented a major threat to the Destiny Plan as the Earth Alliance lost most of its military power. Orb sent its three Izumo-class vessels to assist the Archangel and any dissident fleets against the Destiny Plan. After Requiem was destroyed and Durandal killed, Orb made peace with PLANT.

Notable Citizens

Nobility

Athha family

• Cagalli Yula Athha
• Homura Athha
• Uzumi Nara Athha
• Kira Yamato

Sahaku family

• Koto Sahaku
• Rondo Gina Sahaku
• Rondo Mina Sahaku

Mashima family

• Tatsuki Mashima
• Toyah Mashima

Seiran family

• Yuna Roma Seiran
• Unato Ema Seiran

Kiou family

• Umito Mitsu Kiou
• Miyabi Oto Kiou

Suse family

• Ken Norland Suse
• Ken Norland Suse's Adoptive Father

Commoners

• Sai Argyle
• Miriallia Haw
• Murrue Ramius
• Ledonir Kisaka
• Asagi Caldwell
• Juri Wu Nien
• Mayura Labatt
• Todaka
• Erica Simmons
• Alex Dino
• Tatsumi Hori
• Kuzzey Buskirk

Gallery

Lineart

Map of Orb mainland of Yalafath as well as Kaguya Mass Driver.

Comparison with Taiwan and Japan's kanto region (from Mobile Suit Gundam Seed - C.E. Mechanics & The World, p.223.)

Anime

Map of the Orb Archipelago

Orb's Naval Fleet

Games

Generic Orb pilot (C.E. 71), from Super Robot Wars X-Ω

Generic Orb pilot (C.E. 73), from OMNI vs. ZAFT II

Generic Orb soldier, from Super Robot Wars Z

Generic Orb pilot (C.E. 73), from Super Robot Wars Z

Orb pilot (C.E. 73), from G Generation Wars

Orb pilot (C.E. 73), from G Generation Wars

Orb operator (C.E. 73), from G Generation Wars

Orb officer (C.E. 73), from G Generation Wars

Orb pilot (C.E. 71), from G Generation Wars

Orb pilot (C.E. 71), from G Generation Wars

Orb technician (C.E. 71), from G Generation Wars

Orb crewman (C.E. 71), from G Generation Wars

Orb operator (C.E. 71), from G Generation Wars

Orb officer (C.E. 71), from G Generation Wars

Orb mechanic, from G Generation Cross Rays

Female Orb Pilot, from G Generation Cross Rays.

Notes & Trivia

• The US release of Gundam SEED Destiny uses Naval Ranks when it comes to military in space ships.
• Orb Union is reminiscent of the Sanc Kingdom from Mobile Suit Gundam Wing due to both their pacifistic ideals and the resultant invasion from the Earth Alliance / Blue Cosmos and the United Earth Sphere Alliance / Organization of the Zodiac, respectively.
• The Orb Union is referred to as the Orb Emirates in the NYAV English dubs of Gundam SEED and Gundam SEED Destiny.

Appearances

Television Series

• Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
  • PHASE-01, False Peace
    • First Appearance
  • PHASE-02, Its Name: Gundam
  • PHASE-03, Collapsing Land
  • PHASE-04, Silent Run
  • PHASE-05, Phase Shift Down
  • PHASE-06, The Vanishing Gundam
  • PHASE-07, The Scar of Space
  • PHASE-08, The Songstress of The Enemy Forces
  • PHASE-09, The Fading Light
  • PHASE-11, The Awakening Sword
  • PHASE-12, Flay's Decision
  • PHASE-13, Stars Falling in Space
  • PHASE-15, The Respective Solitudes
  • PHASE-17, Cagalli Returns
    • In Flashback(s)
  • PHASE-19, Fangs of the Enemy
    • Flashback(s) Only
  • PHASE-20, On a Calm Day
    • Mentioned only
  • PHASE-23, Fateful Encounter
    • In Image(s)
  • PHASE-24, War for Two
    • In Flashback(s)
  • PHASE-25, The Land of Peace
  • PHASE-27, Endless Rondo
  • PHASE-28, Kira
  • PHASE-29, The Turning Point
  • PHASE-30, Flashing Blades
    • Flashback(s) Only
  • PHASE-31, Grieving Skies
  • PHASE-32, In the Promised Land
    • Flashback(s) Only
  • PHASE-33, Gathering Darkness
    • Flashback(s) Only
  • PHASE-35, The Descending Sword
    • Flashback(s) Only
  • PHASE-36, In the Name of Justice
    • Flashback(s) Only
  • PHASE-37, Divine Thunder
  • PHASE-38, Decisive Fire
  • PHASE-39, Athrun
  • PHASE-40, Into the Dawn Skies
  • PHASE-41, Trembling World
    • In Flashback(s)
  • PHASE-42, Lacus Strikes
    • In Image(s); Appears in a video recording
  • PHASE-43, What Stands in the Way
    • Flashback(s) Only
  • PHASE-45, The Opening Door
    • Flashback(s) Only
  • PHASE-46, A Place for the Soul
    • Flashback(s) Only
  • PHASE-47, The Nightmare Reborn
    • Flashback(s) Only
  • PHASE-50, To a Future that Never Ends
    • Flashback(s) Only
• Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny
  • PHASE-01, Angry Eyes
  • PHASE-02, Those Who Call For War
  • PHASE-07, Land of Confusion
  • PHASE-08, Junction
  • PHASE-10, A Father's Spell
  • PHASE-11, The Chosen Path
  • PHASE-12, Blood in the Water
  • PHASE-13, Resurrected Wings
  • PHASE-14, Flight to Tomorrow
  • PHASE-15, Return to the Battlefield
  • PHASE-20, Past
  • PHASE-22, Sword of the Blue Skies
  • PHASE-23, The Shadows of War
  • PHASE-24, Differing Views
  • PHASE-25, The Place of Sin
  • PHASE-26, The Promise
  • PHASE-27, Unfulfilled Feelings
  • PHASE-28, Survivors and Sacrifices
  • PHASE-29, Fates
  • PHASE-30, A Fleeting Dream
  • PHASE-38, A New Flag
  • PHASE-39, Kira of the Skies
  • PHASE-40, Legacy of Gold
  • PHASE-42, Freedom and Justice
  • PHASE-43, A Call for Counterattack
  • PHASE-44, Lacus Times Two
  • PHASE-45, Prelude to Revolution
  • PHASE-48, To a New World
  • PHASE-49, Rey
  • PHASE-50, The Final Power

OVAs and ONAs

• Mobile Suit Gundam SEED After-Phase Between the Stars

Movies

• Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom

Manga

• Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Astray
  • Chapter 1, RED & BLUE
  • Chapter 11.5, Magic Bullet of Dusk
• Mobile Suit Gundam SEED X Astray
  • Chapter 0.5, Chapter X Prologue
    • Mentioned only

Games

• Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Never Ending Tomorrow

References

Orb Union File 01 (Official Gundam Fact File, Issue 136, Pg 27)

Orb Union File 02 (Official Gundam Fact File, Issue 136, Pg 28)

Orb Union File 03 (Gundam Perfect Files, Issue 84, Pg 23)

Orb Union File 04 (Gundam Perfect Files, Issue 84, Pg 24)

This article is part of Project: SEED

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Please read the linked project page before editing this article.

Project Leader: User:CD298