Shinn Asuka

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Shinn Asuka
Shinn Asuka in Gundam SEED Destiny
Genetic type:	Coordinator
DOB:	September 1, CE 57
Age:	16 [GSD]
Nationality:	Formerly Orb Currently PLANT [GSD]
Allegiance:	ZAFT [GSD]
Rank:	Red Coat (ZAFT) [GSD] FAITH (ZAFT) [GSD]
Family:	father (unnamed, deceased) mother (unnamed, deceased) Mayu Asuka (sister, deceased)
Height:	168 cm [GSD]
Weight:	55 kg [GSD]
Blood type:	O
Hair Color:	Black
Eye Color:	Red
Mobile Suit:	ZGMF-X56S Impulse [GSD] ZGMF-X42S Destiny [GSD]

Shinn Asuka (シン・アスカ Shin Asuka) is a fictional character of the television anime series Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny. His voice actor is Kenichi Suzumura in the original Japanese version and Matthew Erickson in the English dub. Although Shinn starts out as the series' protagonist, later conflict pits him against the established protagonists of the original Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, ending Shinn’s narrative dominance.

Contents 1 Background 2 Theft at Armory One and Junius Seven Colony Drop 3 Second Bloody Valentine War 3.1 Ambush at Orb 3.2 Fight over the Indian Ocean and the Battle of Gulnahan 3.3 Meeting with Stella Loussier 3.4 Battle of Dardanelles 3.5 Discovery at Lodonia and Reunion with Stella 3.6 Battle of Crete 3.7 The Battle of Berlin 3.8 Operation 'Angel Down' 3.9 Athrun's Desertion 3.10 The Battle of Heaven's Base - Operation Ragnarök 3.11 ZAFT's Invasion of Orb - Operation Fury 3.12 The Requiem Attack on Aprilius One 3.13 The Battle of Daedalus and the Destiny Plan 3.14 The Battle of The Messiah 4 Resolution 5 Gundam SEED Destiny: The Edge

[edit] Background

Shinn grew up in the neutral country of Orb where he lived peacefully with his parents and his younger sister, but this came to an abrupt end when the Earth Alliance attacked the nation on June 15. Only Shinn survives when his family is caught in a crossfire between the GAT-X131 Calamity and the ZGMF-X10A Freedom. It is never made clear which mobile suit, if not both of them, is directly responsible for the deaths of Shinn's family. Orb soldier Captain Todaka then took care of him and later sent him to the PLANTs, where he joins ZAFT and graduates as one of the top students in his class as a “Redcoat.”

After graduation, Shinn is assigned to pilot ZAFT's ZGMF-X56S Impulse mobile suit, and is stationed aboard the battleship Minerva under the command of Talia Gladys along with former miltary academy classmates Rey Za Burrel, Vino Dupre, Lunamaria Hawke, Meyrin Hawke, and Yolant Kent.

[edit] Theft at Armory One and Junius Seven Colony Drop

The first battle that Shinn ever fought was when the three Extended pilots of the Earth Alliance’s special forces team Phantom Pain - Sting Oakley, Stella Loussier, and Auel Neider - infiltrated Armory One and stole the three ZAFT prototype mobile suits Chaos, Gaia, and Abyss. At first, Shinn fought the three of them single-handedly with his ZGMF-X56S Impulse, but the three Extendeds overpowered him and Athrun Zala intervened with a ZGMF-1000 ZAKU Warrior in order to save him. Athrun was then forced to flee because his lover Cagalli Yula Athha incurred a head injury during the fight, but Rey Za Burrel and Lunamaria Hawke soon joined the fight in their respective mobile suits - the ZGMF-1001 ZAKU Phantom and the ZGMF-1000/A1 Gunner ZAKU Warrior - to help Shinn recover the stolen mobile suits. However, the Extendeds managed to make it outside the colony and back to the Mirage Colloid-cloaked Earth Alliance battleship Girty Lue, and Neo Roanoke provided them cover by fighting against Shinn and Rey with his TS-MA4F Exass.

Eventually, Shinn and Rey were ordered to fall back to the Minerva, and once he was on board, Shinn was shocked to learn that Athrun was the one who saved him from the Extendeds. He also is angered to learn that Cagalli is on board as well, for he pins the blame for his family's demise on her father, Uzumi Nara Athha, and he shows this readily in Cagalli's presence when the Minerva is en route to aid the Joule Team with the demolition of Junius Seven, which was on a collision course with Earth. This was caused by a rogue ZAFT force that supported the late Patrick Zala while piloting High Maneuver Type GINNs. Although Shinn and the other Minerva pilots succeeded in killing the terrorists and driving off the Extendeds, and the Minerva managed to break the colony into smaller pieces, the demolition is still insufficient, and the remaining pieces land on Earth, destroying many cities and other locations, while pieces that hit the sea cause massive tidal waves. And thus began the Second Bloody Valentine War.

[edit] Second Bloody Valentine War

Shinn is furious after learning that the Earth Alliance attempted to destroy the PLANTs with nuclear weapons at the Battle of Aprilius One, and the rest of the series chronicles his descent into madness as he fights battle after battle.

[edit] Ambush at Orb

After returning Cagalli Yula Athha to Orb, the Minerva was forced to leave somewhat prematurely because Orb was about to join the Earth Alliance. Little did they know that Yuna Roma Seiran planned to offer them up as a gift for the Earth Alliance fleet waiting outside their territory, and he deployed the Orb fleet to prevent them from reentering Orb. This angers Shinn, and he activates his SEED mode for the first time and ends up destroying the entire Earth Alliance fleet, including the massive mobile armor YMAF-X6BD Zamza-Zah. After destroying the Earth Alliance fleet, Shinn looks back at the Orb fleet, which just so happens to be commanded by Captain Todaka, with anger in his eyes.

[edit] Fight over the Indian Ocean and the Battle of Gulnahan

While en route to the Black Sea, the Minerva are soon joined by Athrun Zala in his ZGMF-X23S Saviour, who by this time has officially reenlisted into ZAFT as a member of FAITH, which irritates Shinn. As they fly over the Indian Ocean, they are once again attacked by Phantom Pain. While fighting the Gaia, Shinn discovers that the Earth Alliance was forcing civilians to work on their secret military base. Seeing the EA soldiers fire upon the civilians as they attempted to escape and hearing about the destruction of the Minerva's companion submarine Nyiragongo by Auel Neider enrages Shinn, and he goes on a rampage killing all the Earth Aliance soldiers and freeing the civilians. Athrun reprimands him with a slap in the face and says war is not some game to play the hero.

Shinn later proved himself instrumental in breaking through an Earth Alliance fortification at the Battle of Gulnahan.

[edit] Meeting with Stella Loussier

While stationed in Diokia, Shinn meets Stella Loussier face to face when he saves her from drowning after she falls from a cliff and panics due to her inability to swim. Already at this point it is stated that Stella is afraid of dying, as she becomes frantic when Shinn yells at her for being so close to the edge of the cliff without knowing how to swim, asking her "Did you want to die?!" To calm her, Shinn swears to protect her, and while they are stuck on a small island overnight (much like Cagalli and Athrun in Gundam SEED) they become closer and possibly start to develop feelings for each other at that point. But when Stella returns to the Phantom Pain, her memories of Shinn are erased.

[edit] Battle of Dardanelles

Following the addition of Heine Westenfluss and his ZGMF-X2000 GOUF Ignited, the Minerva is once again attacked by Phantom Pain along with the Orb fleet commanded by Yuna Roma Seiran.

As the Minerva is about to fire its Tannhäuser positron cannon on the Orb fleet, the cannon is destroyed by the ZGMF-X10A Freedom, piloted by Kira Yamato. The Archangel intervenes and Cagalli tries to stop the Orb fleet from attacking the Minerva. Her attempt fails as Yuna Roma Seiran declares her to be an impostor and orders the leading Orb ship to fire on Cagalli's MBF-02 Strike Rouge and on the Archangel.

After Orb commits itself to the battle, the Earth Alliance fleet also joins in, contributing the three Gundam units stolen at Armory One and a number of Windams and Dagger Ls. Heine, Lunamaria, and Rey then sortie to back up the ZGMF-X56S Impulse and the ZGMF-X23S Saviour, both of which have already sortied to defend the ship.

The Archangel and the Freedom launch attacks intended to deter combat between mobile suits and disable aggressive units. Kira quickly damages the Impulse, and cripples the GOUF, Gaia, and Abyss.

In anger, Heine and Stella both attack the Freedom, but Heine and his GOUF are sliced in half by Stella when he unknowingly moves between her and Kira. The Earth Alliance disengages from the battle after most of their mobile suits are destroyed or disabled. The Orb fleet also withdraws. Heine's death angers Shinn and lights a fuse in him that would ultimately culminate in battle with Kira later on.

[edit] Discovery at Lodonia and Reunion with Stella

While the Minerva is sent to investigate the Extendeds facility in Lodonia, the place where the Extendeds are created and trained, Shinn becomes even more angry with the Earth Alliance's Blue Cosmos leaders, asking how can they say tampering with genes is wrong when they do things like this.

Then Stella attacks the Minerva all by herself, but she is defeated by Shinn and Athrun and becomes a prisoner on the Minerva. Shinn is shocked when he learns that Stella was the Gaia's pilot and one of the Alliance's Extendeds. While tied to a bed due to her aggressive behavior towards the people on board, she cries out for Neo, and Shinn again attempts to calm her, though she doesn't recall who he is. When waking up again, tired and less aggressive, she sees Shinn and recognizes him this time, indicating the erasing of her memory wasn't completely successful.

[edit] Battle of Crete

As the Minerva heads for Gibraltar, they are once again intercepted by Phantom Pain and the same Orb naval fleet commanded by Yuna Roma Seiran and Captain Todaka. Furthermore, the Archangel, along with Kira Yamato in the Freedom and Cagalli Yula Athha in MBF-02 Strike Rouge, unsuccessfully tries to stop the Orb forces again by disabling various units and ordering their withdrawal.

The Abyss and Chaos units engage Shinn in the Impulse and Athrun in the Saviour. With only two mobile suits of limited mobility in the Earth's atmosphere on the ship's upper deck as cover, the Minerva is attacked by the Orb mobile suit force, several groups of Murasame units. The attack is repelled, but the Minerva is heavily damaged, including damage to both the catapults, the mobile suit hangar, the main deck and most of the upper armor. Rey Za Burrel's ZAKU Phantom is damaged and Lunamaria Hawke's ZAKU Warrior is destroyed along with Athrun's Saviour, but luckily all three pilots survive the battle.

Shinn destroys the Abyss, killing its pilot Auel Neider, decimates the Orb mobile suit force, then directly engages the Orb fleet, sinking several ships. The Orb aircraft carrier Takemikazuchi explodes and sinks. Captain Todaka choses to go down with his ship, but orders his most loyal crewmembers to join the Archangel and fight for Orb's true ideals, rather than returning to the Earth Alliance.

Afterward, Shinn elects to return Stella Loussier to the Earth Alliance, and he does so with Rey's help.

[edit] The Battle of Berlin

However, Stella is soon designated as the pilot of the masive mobile suit GFAS-X1 Destroy, and goes on a rampage leveling several cities in Western Eurasia - former Eurasian Federation territories that have sided with ZAFT - as an object lesson on the cost of siding with ZAFT. She is quickly intercepted by ZAFT over the city of Berlin, but Berlin is heavily damaged and ZAFT forces in Berlin are obliterated. Soon after, the Archangel and its mobile suits (including a group of MVF-M11C Murasame's from the Takemikazuchi) arrive and battle the Destroy, much to the surprise of the ZAFT ship Minerva, which arrives shortly afterwards.

Kira Yamato in the Freedom engages the Destroy and is joined by Shinn in the Impulse. When Shinn cuts open the Destroy's cockpit, Neo Roanoke communicates that Stella is the pilot. Shinn's feelings stop him from finishing the Destroy, and Stella's feelings for Shinn cause her to stop fighting too. But then the Freedom approaches and Stella panics and prepares to fire the Destroy's chest beam cannons despite Shinn being in the way. The Minerva also prepares to attack the Destroy, but Kira disables it, saving Shinn and the Minerva, and mortally wounding Stella. Stella tells Shinn that she loves him and dies in his arms, and Shinn throws his head back and cries out in anguish.

[edit] Operation 'Angel Down'

After the death of Stella, Shinn is intent at killing Kira in revenge, perhaps to the point of obsession, even though Athrun Zala tells him that Kira is not his enemy. Shinn admits to his companion Rey that Freedom is perhaps the strongest mobile suit in existence and its pilot is exceptional and practices computerized battle simulations between his Impulse and Freedom.

When the Minerva is ordered to subdue the Archangel in the mission code-named "Operation Angel Down," Shinn gets his opportunity for revenge. Using a strategy devised by Rey Za Burrel after analysing battle footage, Shinn takes advantage of Kira's trying to disable enemy mobile suits without killing the pilots and uses his Impulse's ability to replace damaged parts. Shinn & Impulse manage to defeat Kira & Freedom, causing the Freedom to explode.

Afterwards, Shinn is shown with tears of joy for being able to avenge Stella's death. Unknown to Shinn, Kira survives the ordeal. A section of Freedom's torso including Kira's cockpit remains intact and is rescued by Cagalli in her MBF-02 Strike Rouge.

When Shinn returns to Minerva after destroying the Freedom, his comrades cheer him as the "Super Ace." Athrun also witnesses the commotion and Shinn walks over to tell Athrun that he defeated Freedom and killed its pilot, redeeming his and Athrun's humiliation suffered during their prior encounters with the Freedom. Angered by the supposed death of Kira, Athrun punches Shinn in the face, saying that Shinn killed Kira but Kira never wanted to kill him. Rey Za Burrel counters that destroying Freedom and the Archangel was a direct order from ZAFT's headquarters and there is nothing wrong by following orders.

[edit] Athrun's Desertion

Later on, Rey Za Burrel tells Shinn to activate his ZGMF-X42S Destiny to accompany him in ZGMF-X666S Legend to hunt down Athrun Zala, who he says is a defector. Athrun flees ZAFT's Gibraltar military base with Meyrin Hawke in a stolen GOUF Ignited mobile suit. When Rey and Shinn catch up with Athrun, Rey starts to fight Athrun, Shinn initially tries persuade Athrun to return to ZAFT. After Athrun refuses due to anger Shinn activates his SEED mode and stabs Athrun's GOUF Ignited with his Arondight anti-ship sword, causing it to crash into the ocean and explode. Unknown to Shinn and Rey, Colonel Kisaka (Cagalli's former bodyguard) rescues Athrun and Meyrin. Shinn is shown to regret killing Athrun and Meyrin. He apologizes to Lunamaria and cries with her, though he feels his action was necessary to prevent any harm to ZAFT and to achieve the Chairman's goal of peace.

[edit] The Battle of Heaven's Base - Operation Ragnarök

After some comforting by Chairman Durandal, Shinn prepares for the assault against LOGOS Heaven's Base Headquarters in Iceland after the Chairman's ultimatum expires. In the Minerva mobile suit hangar just prior to "Operation Ragnarok," he encourages Lunamaria about her first sortie with the Impulse, and they console each other about Athrun and Meyrin's deaths. Both blame LOGOS for their betrayal. Shinn kisses Lunamaria and promises to protect her.

When LOGOS launchs five GFAS-X1 Destroy units, one of them piloted by Sting Oakley, the last of the Extendeds, the allied Earth Alliance fleet was wiped out and ZAFT begins suffering casualties. Shinn, Rey and Lunamaria launch from the Minerva to join the battle. True to his word, Shinn blocks a shot headed for Lunamaria's Impulse with Destiny's beam shield. Shinn goes into SEED mode. Between this and the Destiny's capabilities, the Destroy units are no match for Shinn as evidenced when he brutally kills Sting Oakley. Shinn, Lunamaria, and Rey successfully eliminate the Destroys.

LOGOS's Heaven's Base Headquarter surrenders and both Talia (Minerva's captain) and Arthur (Minerva's XO) are impressed and perhaps intimdated by Shinn's battle skills. Chairman Durandal is obviously pleased by Shinn's victory.

[edit] ZAFT's Invasion of Orb - Operation Fury

ZAFT forces occupy Heaven's Base, arresting many LOGOS members. However, when Shinn learns that Lord Djibril escaped, and is rumored to be hiding in Orb, he becomes furious and vows to hunt Djibril down no matter what.

Shinn has nightmares about Stella's suffering and his fights against Freedom, the killing of Athrun and Meyrin, and the battles against LOGOS. Rey tells Shinn that he did the right thing because they were all ZAFT's enemies. PLANT's Supreme Council awards a second Nebula Medal to Shinn for his performance in Operation Ragnarok and Supreme Council Chairman Gilbert Durandal appoints both Shinn and Rey to the elite FAITH. After confirmation that the Sarans (the rulers of Orb at the time) are providing sanctuary to the Lord Djibril, ZAFT initiates "Operation Fury," a full-scale assault on Orb in order to capture Lord Djibril. Cagalli launches in her new ORB-01 Akatsuki mobile suit, leading the Astray and Murasame squadrons to defend Orb. Exercising his FAITH powers, Shinn launches alone from Minerva in his Destiny and immediately faces off against Cagalli.

Cagalli is determined to stop Shinn, but he dodged or blocked all of Akatsuki's shots with the beam shields. Angry that he cannot hit the Akatsuki effectively, Shinn instead slices up a Murasame squadron supporting the Akatsuki. In a close-quarter melee fight Destiny damages the Akatsuki, but Kira arrives in the ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom and protects Cagalli.

Shocked and enraged that Kira has survived, Shinn turns his attention to the Freedom. The two engage in extended battle until Rey orders Shinn to return to the Minerva to resupply and recharge. After this, Shinn and Rey launch to face Strike Freedom.

The battle continues, with Shinn and Rey working together against Kira. Athrun arrives in the ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice. Shinn is surprised and angry that Athrun survived when his blue GOUF exploded in their last encounter. Athrun demands that Shinn stop attacking Orb and questions his motives for war. Believing that Athrun is a traitor, Shinn goes into SEED mode. Athrun also goes into SEED mode, and slices off Destiny's right wrist (the one holding the anti-ship sword), causing a small explosion. Shinn is stunned because he had deemed Athrun to be useless in combat up to that point.

The Archangel destroys several ZAFT support ships and submarines and Lord Djibril successfully escapes. Minerva's captain Talia Gladys orders the retreat of all ZAFT forces, including Shinn and Rey.

Cagalli's broadcast from Orb is interrupted by Meer Campbell (speaking as Lacus Clyne). But then she (Meer) is interrupted by the real Lacus Clyne, leaving the crew of the Minerva confused. Shinn asks Rey for his opinion. Rey replies the enemy is using another "Lacus Clyne" as a psychological weapon.

[edit] The Requiem Attack on Aprilius One

Meanwhile, up in space, Lord Djibril unleashes the Requiem beam and destroys some of the January and December PLANTS. Rey blames the failure to kill Lord Djibril on themselves (especially Lunamaria). In turn he blames Kira for his interference and Shinn then blames on Athrun for his interference.

[edit] The Battle of Daedalus and the Destiny Plan

Shinn, along with the rest of the Minerva, are ordered by Chairman Durandal to attack the Requiem and the Daedalus base. Shinn and the Destiny manage to cripple the defenses of the lunar stronghold. Lord Djibril is killed by Rey as he was trying to escape.

With the last remnants of Blue Cosmos/LOGOS eliminated, Chairman Durandal unveils his ultimate solution to war - The Destiny Plan. Chairman Durandal as an expert geneticist will act as the overseer and assign roles to individuals according to their genetic makeup. Every individual will then be governed by their genetic "destiny" and not by their individuality. The ultimate goal in this endeavour is to make wars obsolete, according to Chairman Durandal.

[edit] The Battle of The Messiah

To have the Destiny Plan become a reality, Chairman Durandal has to defeat any nation with the capability and the resolve to challenge him. Before the battle, Durandal calls Shinn and Rey to meet in person at his mobile fortress Messiah. When they meet, Durandal tells Shinn about the Destiny Plan and his goals. Shinn hesitates about putting his full support behind the Destiny Plan. After some convincing arguments from Rey, Shinn finally decides that his role is to end the war and bring peace through the Destiny Plan. Shinn pledges his loyalty to Chairman Durandal. After the pain Shinn experienced, the Destiny Plan seems to be the only answer to the world's problems that makes sense to him.

The battle has already started near the location of the Requiem cannon on the moon. Lunamaria in the Force Impulse tries unsuccessfully to stop Athrun in his Infinite Justice. Seeing Athrun attacking Lunamaria, an enraged Shinn attacks at Athrun. Shinn then goes into SEED mode. Lunamaria moves between the two, trying to stop the fight. Athrun goes into SEED mode as well, saves Lunamaria, and cripples the Destiny, which crashes onto the moon's surface.

Shinn is last seen in Lunamaria's arms, crying, and watching Messiah crash into the moon, with Gilbert Durandal and best friend Rey on board.

[edit] Resolution

During the brief time that he is unconscious after his defeat, Shinn has a vision of Stella Loussier. Her words, though disjointed and cryptic, seem to imply that because of Shinn, she had truly lived for the first and only time in her short life. This seems to put Shinn at ease.

At the end of Final Plus, Athrun Zala rescues Shinn and Lunamaria with his ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice. Later, Shinn is seen paying tribute to his deceased family in ORB. Also present are Athrun, Meyrin and Lunamaria. There he expresses his conflicted emotions for his homeland ORB, and confesses that he had wanted to visit ORB before. He encounteres Kira Yamato, who is accompanied by Lacus Clyne. Athrun introduces Kira to Shinn as the pilot of Freedom. Shinn is stunned by the identity of the pilot whom he tried to defeat numerous times; he had previously encountered Kira at the memorial several months earlier. Kira makes an overture to Shinn to make peace with him, indicating he does not have any grudges against him, and "absolves" him for his past transgressions. Kira asks Shinn to join him and Athrun to fight for humanity's peace, if there were to be another war. After a brief contemplation, a crying Shinn finally accepts Kira's offer. In Gundam Seed Destiny Special Edition Shinn is seen along with Kira, Athrun, Lunamaria, Meyrin, and the 3 DOM pilots going to meet with Lacus - who is accompanied by Yzak Joule, Dearka Elsman, Shiho Hahnenfuss, and Arthur Trine - before she enters the Supreme Council chambers. Shinn is not wearing the FAITH pin insignia in this scene.

[edit] Gundam SEED Destiny: The Edge

In this manga series, Shinn's relationship with Athrun is expanded. Although it is still a love-hate relationship, he is more respectful to Athrun at times. During the Junius 7 colony drop, when Cagalli unintentionally hurt Athrun's feelings, Shinn reminds her that one of the terrorists had invoked the ideals of Patrick Zala as their reason for carrying out the drop. He then says that Athrun is too pitiful if Cagalli comforts him with mere empty words.

Athrun also has a somewhat greater role acting as his mentor, reminding him before the battle of Gulnahan that he is ZAFT's trump card. Athrun also scolds him when he throws tantrums at the briefing. On another occasion, Athrun grabs Shinn by the collar when Shinn once noted that the FAITH pilot has gotten to where he is by killing many people. He then reminds Shinn that nothing can be solved by using guns.

Lunamaria also mentions to Athrun that during their days at the academy, Shinn had repeatedly rebuked their officers and instructors. Athrun replies that Shinn's nature isn't bad; he is just "more crude" in many areas.

After Shinn's first time in SEED mode (defending the Minerva during the Earth Alliance ambush at Orb), he replies to Lunamaria's queries that he isn't sure how he did it. When he saw the Orb vessels firing, he got enraged at the thought of dying here; "suddenly, my mind just turned blank". When Luna suggests that his rage had gotten to him, he doesn't think that was exactly the case.