Gundam GQuuuuuuX is a piece that has lots to doubtlessly speak about, particularly as a result of it each makes use of and deviates from lots of established Gundam lore. It is a followup to my general evaluate of the collection, the place I now wish to take the time to place forth what I contemplate my greatest GQuuuuuuX concept because of the present’s closing episode: The Gundam QuuuuuuX cell go well with is possessed by the spirit of the unique Amuro Ray. And by unique, I imply unique.
Earlier than I elaborate, I wish to make two notes. First, there can be MASSIVE SPOILERS.
Second, I’ll be discussing the actor Furuya Toru, the unique voice of Gundam protagonist Amuro Ray, somebody who’s develop into persona non grata as a result of revelations of adultery and home abuse. Whereas I personally have soured on him due to this and am deeply disenchanted by his actions, he nonetheless performed a task within the finale that I believe is supposed to have better implications than simply being a enjoyable callback. Thus, the evaluation under takes into consideration what I imagine is the impact of his inclusion.
With that, let’s start.
Within the closing episode, as Machu within the GQuuuuuuX is preventing Shuji within the original-design RX-78-2 Gundam, the GQuuuuuX unlocks the true type of its Omega Psycommu. Inside the rush of the kaleidoscopic “kira kira” Newtype house, the voice of Furuya Toru speaks to Machu and Shuji and says, “I can’t bear to see the Gundam taking Lalah’s life once more.”
One would assume that that is the Amuro from “Rose of Sharon” Lalah’s universe, however right here’s the catch: Lalah by no means died there. Whereas extraordinarily related, the Lalah we see within the Elmeth is established to be completely different from the Lalah within the unique 1979 anime and the movie trilogy. In her world, Char dies as a substitute of her, and the shock causes her to slide into alternate timelines the place he survives. In reality, in line with Shuji, most of the time it’s Char who dies as a substitute.
For this reason I imagine that that is “our” Amuro Ray, the one we noticed undergo Cellular Swimsuit Gundam and on. And on prime of that, I believe this was his destiny after the top of Char’s Counterattack.
Moreover, whereas not a direct reinforcement of the above level, I wish to level out the importance of the true title of the Omega Psycommu that’s contained in the GQuuuuuuX. Challia Bull reveals that it’s really known as the Endymion Unit, and people conversant in Furuya’s voice roles would possibly discover that it sounds acquainted. It’s because Prince Endymion is the unique title of Tuxedo Masks in Sailor Moon earlier than he reincarnated as Chiba Mamoru, and Furuya performs this character within the Nineteen Nineties anime. In different phrases, the Endymion Unit is a reference to a personality performed by Amuro Ray’s actor—one who failed to avoid wasting his lover and was reborn right into a watchful protector who helps information Sailor Moon. Even when solely meant to be a enjoyable reference, the thematic parallels are laborious to disregard.
Additionally, the best way the GQuuuuuX seems to be when the Endymion Unit is unleashed may be very paying homage to Neon Genesis Evangelion, the place the EVAs themselves include the souls of different characters who (for essentially the most half) watch over their pilots.
One factor that GQuuuuuX additionally does is suggest that the vaunted esper-like talents of Newtypes are quantum in nature, in that they’ll see a number of potentialities and select the proper one, considerably just like the Physician in Physician Who. Maybe Char’s Counterattack Amuro ascended to a better stage of this, and in spirit type traversed alternate universes to search out the Rose of Sharon.
If all this have been to be true, that leaves me to marvel about one thing else: If the GQuuuuuuX homes the spirit of the unique Amuro Ray, the place is the unique Char Aznable? May it’s that the Pink Gundam, i.e. the RX-78-2 of the GQuuuuuuX world, is definitely possessed by Char? When the GQuuuuuuX Char pilots it, does that imply we’re getting Double Char? Have been that to be the case, this might imply Amuro and Char have determined to work collectively to avoid wasting this Lalah from residing by limitless tragedy.
