SVMS-01X Union Flag Custom II

Template:Infobox/Mobile Weapon Ver.2The SVMS-01X Union Flag Custom II (aka GN Flag) is an upgrade of the SVMS-01E Union Flag Graham Aker Custom. Appearing in the final episode of the first season of Mobile Suit Gundam 00, it is piloted by Graham Aker.

Technology & Combat Characteristics

The GN Flag is the SVMS-01E Union Flag Graham Aker Custom hastily modified and fitted with a GN Drive Tau at Graham Aker's request through the influence of Billy Katagiri's uncle, Homer Katagiri. Most of the original means of propulsion, such as the plasma engine backpacks, are removed to make room for the GN Drive Tau, save for a few maneuvering thrusters for use in close combat.

The GN Drive Tau does not integrate elegantly with the Flag, and uses a swing mechanism to switch position depending on uses. When the drive is attached to the suit's rear, it primarily serves as a means of propulsion, but this is not without problems as the GN Drive Tau also disrupts the Flag's body balance. In order to power the GN Beam Saber, the GN Drive Tau swings to a latch behind the left shoulder. This beam saber, confiscated from GNW-001 Gundam Throne Eins, is the suit's primary weapon and is equipped via a cable that provides it with GN particle feed. This is because the base Flag is not designed to be used with GN technology.

Due to the modifications, the suit can no longer transform. A major flaw of the suit's design is that it lacks the G-force dampeners (that other GN Drive powered suits are equipped with), which proved to be detrimental to the pilot's health, as seen when Graham suffered internal bleeding and coughed blood while fighting the Gundam. Designed for the single purpose of defeating a Gundam, specifically GN-001 Gundam Exia, the GN Flag is the physical representation of Graham's vengeance for his fallen comrades (Howard Mason and Daryl Dodge) and his love for challenging opponents in single melee combat.

The unit is overall inferior to the GNX-603T GN-X and certainly weaker than the Gundams, but it proved to be quite formidable against a Gundam with drastically reduced performance after using Trans-Am. Data obtained from building this suit provided the Union's engineers with more knowledge about GN technology, and was helpful in creating other GN Drive Tau powered MS.

Armaments

• 20mm Machine Gun

The 20mm machine gun is mounted next to the drum cockpit. This rapid-fire armament is ideal for shooting down incoming missiles or small vehicles. It is however generally ineffective against heavily armored targets like mobile suits.

• GN Beam Saber

The same beam saber that was taken from the GNW-001 Gundam Throne Eins, it now serves as the GN Flag's main armament. A cable linking the GN Beam Saber to the GN Flag's GN Drive Tau provides GN particles for the weapon.

• Defense Rod

Unlike the normal Flag, the GN Flag mounts two defense rods on its legs instead of forearms. The defense rods also serve as sub-thrusters for the unit.

Special Equipment & Features

• GN Field

The GN Flag can generate a GN Field through a generator located on its right arm. However, because the equipment was hastily constructed, its stability is unsatisfactory.

History

When 30 GNX-603T GN-X units were delivered to the three power blocks, one belonging to the Union was assigned to ace pilot Graham Aker (GN-X #21). However, having sworn on Howard Mason's grave that he would defeat a Gundam in a Flag, Graham instead requested that a modification be made to his custom Flag. Billy Katagiri, the acting chief engineer of the Overflag at the time, used his uncle's influence to acquire one of the Union's 10 GN Drive Tau units and apply its technology onto one of their custom Flags. The result was the GN Flag.

Driven by his obsession with the Gundam which had first awed him, Graham's fight with Setsuna F. Seiei resulted in the destruction of the GN Flag and the near-destruction of Gundam Exia, tearing off its left arm, gouging out its right eye, and decapitating it. What happened to the GN Flag afterwards is unknown, but its data was later used in the development of the GNX-704T/AC Ahead Sakigake and it also had a successor - the GNX-U02X Masurao.

Picture Gallery

Color line art

Head

Face Separated

Head and chest close-up

GN Drive Tau

Union Flag Custom II (Gundam Perfect File)

SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays

Gunpla & Action Figure

Robot Damashii figure

Notes & Trivia

• One of the advantages Billy sees in upgrading the Flag with a GN Drive Tau is the symbolic effect of showing the world of the Union's power by defeating the Gundams with a Flag.
• The 'GN Flag' is one of the few GN-Drive equipped mobile units not to have 'GN' in its official model number; it is certainly the only such unit outside of Celestial Being to make this distinction. In addition, the 'SVMS' part of its model number is negated by the fact that it is no longer a Variable Mobile Suit, nor does it draw power from the Orbital Elevators.
• In some media, the Union Flag Custom II is seen with a Linear Rifle as in the Robot Damashii figure, Gundam Assault Survive for the PSP and Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Gundam Meisters for the PS2.
• While the port of 20mm machine gun can be seen on Union Flag Custom II's drum frame, it is rarely listed among the armaments. Few exception including SD Gundam G Generation Wars.
• The Beam Saber being directly connected to its power generator with a wire is also seen with the OZ-13MS Gundam Epyon and its Beam Sword.

References

Union Flag Custom II vs. Gundam Exia

DVD booklet #7 - SVMS-01X Union Flag Custom II

Lineart & Details

External links

• SVMS-01X Union Flag Custom II on MAHQ.net
• SVMS-01X Union Flag Custom II on Wikipedia.org