Have you ever thought to yourself that the Unicorn Gundam itself represent the conflict within the show? If you did then there is no need to read further, but if not! You might be interested in some of my interpretations on the subject.

The Unicorn Gundam is also known as “The Beast of Possibility,” which is an adept name considering the machine itself evolves throughout the series and acquires specs that are beyond those that were estimated. The Unicorn Gundam is in this sense a reflection of Banagher and mankind itself. People are not tied down to estimates and no one can estimate what your capabilities are; and most important, what your possibilities are! People are free to transcend what we believe is their destiny.

When we look at the show this becomes clear in the behavior of the people who lost their loved ones during the One Year War (OYW). They are chained down by the past in an endless cycle of hatred where vengeance holds strong. Vengeance is their legacy, destiny and future. This struggle is conceptualized in the tranformation capabilities of the Unicorn Gundam. Two sides fighting one another, both with the same purpose: to avenge those they have lost. When the Unicorn sets out to fight the characteristic V-fin of the gundam appears as if unity between the two factions has been lost and vengeance took the upper hand once again. This is further cemented by the red color the Unicorn acquires when it goes into its “Destroy Mode.” A color noted for aggression, violence, blood and also passion, a passion to kill.

Something about this connected to me and it truly made me think about how perspective is one of the greatest causes of conflict. Both factions in the show fight for many of the same causes, but the thing that makes them different is the side they are on and the perspective they have of the others. People are raised on the beliefs that the other faction is bad and vice-versa. This is why Banagher as a main character is amazing, he is a human with a blank perspective due to being on neither faction’s side. This allows us as the viewers to see the futility in many of the aggressive actions. It makes you wonder if people can not try and sit next to one another and talk from one person to the other instead of from Zeon to Federation. Ofcourse this idealism is not possible in the gundam series as the point of conversing has long been foregone.

Would it not be great then to still be able to get a glimpse of the possibility of mankind? To shed away all the blood and despair. To have that single glimmer of hope that people can hold onto and dream of a better place (most cliché line ever). To once again have a starting point, to wipe out parts of the past and write a present that you can be proud of. How is this expressed in the show though? I believe that the concept of “newtypes” and their unknown capabilities combined with the Unicorn Gundam, which expresses those capabilities is indicative of this dream. Newtypes are those who connect with one another on a completely different level than normal people, they are able to truly understand each other. But how are they defined, even the show does not tell us. The concept of newtypes is still vague and so are their capabilities, or rather possibilities. But this is what makes it great, there is no road we are able to see through newtypes, no destination, only posibilities and it is mankind who can express those in ways that are not limited by anything. But only if they work together. This is once again conceptualized in the Unicorn Gundam. When the minds of people come together they alter the light of the Unicorn from a destroyish red to that of a green full of opportunities. A spring-like green where new life appears and new people express their possibilities.

The power of the Unicorn Gundam in its green state is unknown. We only know that it is able to create miracles, but we are not able to comprehend the inner workings of said miracle. This is indicative of the possibility of mankind and is a beacon of hope. It is as such that I believe the Unicorn Gundam itself reflects the conflict, but also expresses the possibility of mankind.

Antagoniz3r signing off,