The Gundam Wiki
Advertisement
The Gundam Wiki

SEED factor stands for Superior Evolutionary Element Destined-factor,

Seed mode

Kira Yamato's SEED

a controversial and as yet unproven theory about the continuation of human evolution. Both Coordinators and Naturals can possess "the SEED", and those who do are thought by some to be the next stage of human development. This bears some similarity to the Newtype theory of the Universal Century, but the abilities of those with SEED factor appear to be unrelated to Newtype potential. While acceptance of SEED theory is limited, Orb engineer Erica Simmons and prominent religious leader and peace activist Reverend Malchio are known adherents of the theory.

SEED mode represents the ability for an individual with the SEED factor to enter into a state of enhanced awareness and peak physical ability. While in this state, the person (usually a mobile suit pilot, but not necessarily) demonstrates heightened reflexes and extremely quick information processing. This ability is usually triggered by extreme situations or from recalling significant traumas, often arising out of a need to protect someone else in a critical situation.

It is demonstrated visually by cutting to the image of a jewel-like seed, its color matching the color of the experiencer's eyes, dropping from the above and exploding in a shower of light just above the eyes. The physical characteristics are the shrinking of the pupil and growth of the iris. When in SEED mode, a person exceeds his or her normal physical and mental limits. ZAFT pilot Andrew Waltfeld once compared this to the berserkers of Norse legend, but this seems to be inaccurate. In SEED mode, a person actually has an increased, not decreased, level of control.

There are in fact two ways that SEED mode can be activated:

S2

The First Method

The first method is when a character suddenly resolves to protect their allies or to strike down their enemies. SEED mode is shown as a falling seed which bounces once and explodes.



S1

The Second Method



The second method is that if a character has entered battle with a particular resolve, they may trigger SEED mode at will, and it is instead represented as a spinning seed which explodes in a vertical nova.





Kira Yamato, and Cagalli Yula Athha originally entered SEED mode via the first method, which is also the method that is never used in GSD. Athrun Zala has always used the second method to enter SEED mode, and Kira also attained this ability after he made his decision about what he really needed to fight for and again after being beaten by Athrun. Also, in the Second Battle of Jachin Due, Lacus Clyne may have entered SEED mode after a long philosophical soliloquy about the nature of warfare and death. During the Battle of Messiah, Lacus sensed Kira and was in SEED mode yet again.

SEED mode can only be entered by a character who will commit themselves fully to a battle for some strong reason. For this reason, Athrun Zala and Cagalli Yula Athha have both been unable to demonstrate their SEED abilities in earlier parts of Gundam SEED Destiny, due to Athrun's doubts about whether ZAFT is really justified to fight this war, and Cagalli's reservations about whether her interventionism is the best way to protect Orb from the war. Kira Yamato, however, has been able to activate his SEED mode at will all throughout Destiny, because he is motivated to protect his friends and indeed the entire world from aggressive powers.

Some fans who are new in the SEED universe think that only Coordinators have SEED abilities, which often leads them to wonder if Cagalli Yula Athha is actually a Coordinator. The explanation for this common mistake is that the writers have a preference for Coordinators. This is also the reason why almost every important pilot in the series is either a Coordinator, a Newtype, or an Extended. Hence, Cagalli is apparently the only Natural pilot with SEED abilities. Cagalli's genetic type is never fully explored and while Lord Uzumi clearly states that she is a Natural and it would appear in the flashbacks that her biological mother is pregnant with her (indicating she was to be born without genetic enhancements while Kira develops in an artificial womb), it is possible since she is Kira's twin that she may have undergone some genetic enhancement though this is unlikely.

Notes

  • In Super Robot Wars series, the SEED factor will be activated once the required points of morale/will (130 points in general or 120 in Super Robot Wars J) of the pilot with the SEED factor ability has been reached. In the earlier series, at the time when the SEED factor has been activated, all of the pilot's stats point will be increased by 10 points. While in the recent series, the SEED factor funcionate as an enhancement for Accuracy and Evasion by 20% and Damage by 10%. Fans have seen this as an improvement as a flat 10% damage increase shows more of a result than + 10 to melee and attack
    • Unlike in Destiny, Cagalli retains her SEED ability, particularly in K where she joins the group early on, and the newer function has made her the preferred pilot for the Akatsuki over Mu. Also with the removal of the Coordinator skill and the newer function, the value of characters with SEED has risen.
  • Shinn Asuka has an inverted SEED factor animation in Super Robot Wars series.

Gallery

Cosmic Era technology
Standard Technology
Ablative Gel | Elecar | Flare Motor | Haro | Mass Driver | Meteor Breaker | Mobile Phone | Space Colony | Space Suit | Transmitter Tag | ZAFT Dry Dock
Medical Technology
Artificial Womb | Cloning | Cradle | Gamma Glipheptin | G.G. Unit | Stabilizing Pill
Mobile Weapon Technology
Armure Lumiere | Assault Shroud | Deuterion Beam Energy Transfer System | METEOR | Multi Lock-on System | Mobile Suit Booster | Operating Systems | Voiture Lumiere
Mobile Suit Weapons
Aerial Battle-use Composite Weapon "Adler" | Anti-ship Sword | Beam Rifle | Beam Saber | Core Splendor System | DRAGOON system | Gerbera Straight | Lohengrin Launcher | M68 "Cattus" 500mm Recoilless Rifle | M69 "Barrus Kai" Heavy Ion Cannon | Wired Gunbarrel
Defensive Technology
Anti-Beam Coating | Anti-Beam Depth Charge | Beam Shield | Laminated Armor | Lightwave Barrier | Phase Shift armor | Positron Reflector | Trans-Phase armor | Variable Phase Shift armor | "Yata-no-Kagami" Anti-beam Defensive Reflection System
Striker Packs Technology
α Force Silhouette | β Sword Silhouette | γ Blast Silhouette | AQM/E-X01 Aile Striker | AQM/E-X02 Sword Striker | AQM/E-X03 Launcher Striker | AQM/E-X04 Gunbarrel Striker | AQM/E-X09S Noir Striker | AQM/E-A4E1 Jet Striker | AQM/E-M11 Doppelhorn Striker | AQM/E-YM1 Multiple Assault Striker | EX-A1 Gunner Wizard | EX-K Slash Wizard | EX-M Blaze Wizard | EW454F Ootori Striker | Flight Unit | G-Flight | Mk438/B Multi Striker | P202QX IWSP | P204QX Lightning Striker
Mirage Colloid Technology
After-image Creation | Geschmeidig Panzer | "Maga no Ikutachi" Energy Absorption Claws | Mirage Colloid Stealth System | Quantum Computer Virus Transmission System
Conventional Weapons
Anti-Aircraft Gun | Automatic Pistol | Combat Knife | Dual Turret | EA Rifle | Folding Knife | Gatling Gun Turret | Linear Artillery Turret | NODIESOP.CO M83A2 | Orb Pistol | Orb Rifle | "Pillbox" Anti-Air Turret | POSEIDON CO pistol | Positron Blaster Cannon | Quadruple Anti-Aircraft Beam Cannon | Railgun Turret | Rocket Launcher | Semi Automatic Handgun | Sniper Rilfe | Surface-to-air Missile Launcher Emplacement | Time Bomb | ZAFT Handgun | ZAFT Rifle
Superweapons
Cyclops System | GENESIS Alpha | GENESIS | Gungnir | Hyper-Deuterion Engine | Neo-GENESIS | Neutron Jammer | Neutron Jammer Canceller | Neutron Stampeder | Nibelung | Nuclear Missile | Requiem
Advertisement