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gremoria411 · 1 year ago

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Gonna quickly skim over Astaroth and Vual first;

While Astaroth’s Ars Goetia entry relating to the Warren Family’s (and thus its own) fall, it’s interesting that a large part of IBO Gekko is the revelation of how other elements of Gjallarhorn fell, with Astaroth playing a significant part in revealing that (Nadira and Zalmfort). Even it’s initial fighting against Rosario Leone could be taken as evidence of this, since it reveals his “fall” from being an ally of Tanto Tempo.

“Wherefore the Magician must hold the Magical Ring near his face, and that will defend him. He giveth true answers of things Past, Present, and to Come, and can discover all Secrets. He will declare wittingly how the Spirits fell, if desired, and the reason of his own fall”.

I’d also like to call out the line regarding holding the magical ring near his face to defend him.

Argi Mirage is stated to be able to form a neural link with the Astaroth through his prosthetic arm, though it’s not nearly as strong as Alaya Vijinana. Given how Alaya Vijinana is shown to affect people, and given that Argi seems to be shown holding his hand in front of his face a lot, it’s possible that Argi’s prosthetic is meant to substitute for a ring, with Argi being the Gundam’s “summoner”.

Next, the Vual;

“His Office is to Procure the Love of Women, and to tell Things Past, Present, and to Come”.

Tell of things past, present, and to come - fairly straightforward, Vual is of the past and it’s defeat ties up exactly what went down with Daddy Ted’s assassination - IE why Argi was hired in the first place, whereas Leone exists as a foe to essentially tip off Volco that Ville Klassen has something to do with his family’s demise - explaining the past, setting up a fight to come. Rosario’s a starter villain, is what I’m getting at. It’s possible that has the series gone on, it would have eventually led to a reveal relating to the Gundam Seere, thus acting as a harbinger of Argi finally understanding the events of the past (though I confess that’s utter supposition).

Secondly, to procure the love of women. Rosario is backed up by Nanao Narolina, a very seductive character who ultimately betrays him.

So, while Vual might procure the love of women as allies, it’s ultimately only a temporary boon, as these sorts of demonic pacts often are. (I’m not considering the other kind of “procurement”, but Nanao’s sexual personality coupled with Vual’s “office” is what made the connection)

Right, the Gundam Haagenti

I confess annoyance that I hadn’t caught the feminine design prior (or, rather, that I had but without considering the wider context of it). Then again, I do have a fondness for heeled suits, so it’s perhaps excusable I didn’t make the connection.

It’s possible the reason for the wires on the throwing fans is just that the fans themselves are difficult to manufacture, so retrieval is a priority. It’s also possible that the fans are representative of the “gryphon’s wings” mentioned in the Ars Goetia listing. The multiple mentions of transmutation may refer to Rustal Elion, since he changes the current governing system into another one.

Hm. Japanese property though it is, apparently somebody on the Gjallarhorn design team had a thing for Katanas, since the Barbatos, Vidar, Haagenti and Waltraute all use them (then again I’m no expert, so perhaps they’re different kinds of Katanas).

IBO reference notes on . . . the Gundams (part 2)

[Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3]

The way I've broken this down, the different Gundams group nicely into vague categories, with this set of middle-sequence machines showcasing a variety of additional enhancements compared to the more straightforward early-sequence entries from the last post.

It appears the engineers became increasingly creative as the ID numbers escalated. At first blush, that makes sense, since presumably the mobile armours didn't take the appearance of a new fighting force lying down. An arms race of sorts might well have been a natural outcome. However, with both Bael and Gamigin right at the start of the list, we have to conclude that pilot ability was of paramount importance when it came to racking up kills.

Again, spoilers for everything.

ASW-G-29 Astaroth

Astaroth seems to have been intended for independent aerial operations in atmosphere. As such it was equipped with wings that deploy from the shoulders and an elongated backpack that can flip-up to act as a stabiliser (seen below in an official promotional shot of the HG kit).

Basically, it came with its own in-built Base Jabber/Tickbalang. This afforded it much greater range than a standard Gundam. Interestingly, the wings are sufficiently tough they could be repurposed as shields/blades for close-quarters combat, presumably because they were manufactured using the same techniques as the rest of the armour.

I should note that while we can take the red colour scheme as original, the Warren Family crest on the chest and wings is explicitly a later addition. The Warrens gained status in Gjallarhorn by digging up Astaroth on the Moon after the Calamity War was over; we know nothing about its first pilot beyond where they left their machine.

The additional gimmick here is the sword, which uses Ahab particles in combination with a special nanolaminate coating to disrupt standard nanolaminate armour. This is probably the nearest IBO gets to a beam saber-like weapon and while we haven't seen it in action at any point in canon, it required hooking the sword direct into the 'suit's reactor via a connector plug built into Astaroth's arm. According to the kit manual, this technology was not especially stable, hence why it didn't see wider deployment.

When not in use, the sword sheathes inside a giant club, which continues a trend for Gundams to be armed with either piercing or smashing weapons as the primary means of attack. This is not to say they eschew guns completely; you can see here Astaroth came with a shotgun and obviously there's Gamigin's Gatling gun. But these are likely meant mainly for dealing with plumas, which we see in Season 2 are relatively vulnerable to normal bullets -- unlike a mobile armour, which requires something capable of breaching its defences and destroying its central processor as quickly as possible.

From the Ars Goetia:

The Twenty-ninth Spirit is Astaroth. He is a Mighty, Strong Duke, and appeareth in the form of an hurtful Angel riding on an Infernal Beast like a Dragon, and carrying in his right hand a Viper. Thou must in no wise let him approach too near unto thee, lest he do thee damage by his Noisome Breath. Wherefore the Magician must hold the Magical Ring near his face, and that will defend him. He giveth true answers of things Past, Present, and to Come, and can discover all Secrets. He will declare wittingly how the Spirits fell, if desired, and the reason of his own fall. He can make men wonderfully knowing in all Liberal Sciences. He ruleth 40 Legions of Spirits. His Seal is this, which wear thou as a Lamen before thee, or else he will not appear nor yet obey thee, etc.

'Riding a dragon' certainly fits the self-propelled flight option quite well, as the winged form does with Astaroth appearing as an angel, and we might interpret the γ nanolaminate sword as a viper if we squint -- or possibly this is the 'noisome breath'. Additionally, the idea of declaring how a spirit fell sits interestingly in the context of Gundam Astaroth's modern history, with it having been the prized possession of the Warren Family until they were framed for embezzlement and disgraced, and subsequently becoming involved in the mafia-like internal strife of the Tanto Tempo shipping company.

ASW-G-32 Asmoday

Found mint-in-box, Asmoday seems to have never actually been deployed in battle. Indeed, it is discovered repurposed as a secondary power supply for an Ariadne Network relay station. This is a unique case, since every other Gundam frame we know about either definitely saw combat or is heavily implied to have done so.

With respect to the previous comment about armaments, Asmoday comes equipped with giant tonfas that can extend to a frankly ludicrous length and are designed to act as armour-breaching pile-drivers. It also has claws built into its feet, allowing it to grab on to targets, marking a further development in how weapons are integrated into the 'suits. This feature is similar to one found on the Hugo mobile suit, which was developed in the middle of the Calamity War for space-combat. Possibly this means Asmoday was intended for the same purpose.

Its hand-held weapons are a sword/javelin combination that can shoot out on a cable and a mid-range rifle. Both are relatively uninteresting in their own right, but fit the standard pattern of the setting for mobile suits to carry both a melee weapon and a gun. It also carries smoke-screen grenades.

Asmoday's status when found provides a rare glimpse into the Calamity War's immediate aftermath. The Ariadne route leading to its location was long abandoned by the present and passed through the middle of a debris zone. The space station in which Asmoday was stored bore the Falk Family coat of arms; indeed, Kalf Falk, a Seven Star, was its administrator. This suggests that by the point Asmoday was plugged into the power grid, the Seven Stars were already established as ranking members of Gjallarhorn, placing that development right at the end of the War or perhaps even before it was over.

That they would need to use Asmoday in this manner also implies power sources were thin on the ground at the time. Given the sheer scope of the War, that's not an unlikely outcome. The artificial gravity effects of Ahab reactors continue to hold debris zones together three hundred years later, so we know a great many of them were lost in battle. Furthermore, in the present day, Gjallarhorn has come to completely monopolise the manufacture of Ahab reactors. A contributing factor to this may have been the destruction of the infrastructure that previously existed to produce them. This is pure speculation on my part, but it would gel with someone so highly placed in their organisation needing to deploy a Gundam as a glorified back-up generator.

From the Ars Goetia:

The Thirty-second Spirit is Asmoday, or Asmodai. He is a Great King, Strong, and Powerful. He appeareth with Three Heads, whereof the first is like a Bull, the second like a Man, and the third like a Ram; he hath also the tail of a Serpent, and from his mouth issue Flames of Fire. His Feet are webbed like those of a Goose. He sitteth upon an Infernal Dragon, and beareth in his hand a Lance with a Banner. He is first and choicest under the power of Amaymon, he goeth before all other. When the Exorcist hath a mind to call him, let it be abroad, and let him stand on his feet all the time of action, with his Cap or Head-dress off; for if it be on, Amaymon will deceive him and cause all his actions to be bewrayed.* But as soon as the Exorcist seeth Asmoday in the shape aforesaid, he shall call him by his Name, saying: “Art thou Asmoday?” and he will not deny it, and by-and-by he will bow down unto the ground. He given the Ring of Virtues; he teacheth the Arts of Arithmetic, Astronomy, Geometry, and all handicrafts absolutely. He giveth true and full answers unto thy demands. He maketh one Invincible**. He showeth the place where Treasures lie, and guardeth it. He, amongst the Legions of Amaymon, governeth 72 Legions of Spirits Inferior. His Seal is this which thou must wear as a Lamen upon thy breast, etc.

*This sentence was apparently badly translated and should more accurately run: "When the exorcist employs his [Asmodai’s] offices, let him [the exorcist] be strong, wary [lit. “warned”], standing on his feet, for should he be overwhelmed, he will be exposed in everything: but if the exorcist does not do this he will be deceived in everything by Amaymon." Just in case any of you were going to attempt the invocation.

**copyist's error, apparently: should be 'invisible'.

Head of a ram? Check. Lance? Eh, a tonfa that big is basically a blunt lance. Webbed feet? Kind of. And the bit about guarding the place where treasures lie does fit with where Gundam Asmoday was found.

[Note: I am aware the Japanese materials use the more common spelling 'Asmodeus', making this the only instance where the name of a Gundam varies between languages. But the official English text all uses Asmoday so I'm sticking with that.]

ASW-G-35 Marchosias

And then there's this thing. Do you like swords? How about some more swords on your swords? Well, Marchosias has you covered!

Oh, and we know at least one thing about its original pilot: she took duelling etiquette to heart. Or just thought zooming around like Zorro on steroids looked incredibly cool.

Like Astaroth, Marchosias' main sword stows in a sheath that could be used as a club. But it was also equipped with extra arms for better slicing/dicing action. The result is a one-mecha army that can take down a mobile armour with incredible efficiency.

We already knew from the Gusion refits that Gundam frames can support additional sets of limbs. That this should be the case is worth pausing over. Gundams are designed to allow people to surpass their limits. Marchosias gives us a view into just how far they could go beyond the human-like starting point.

What effect would this have on the pilot? Did this set-up place a higher load upon them during battle? We see nothing similar among the other Calamity War Gundam configurations. Only Kimaris' trooper form comes close and that seems more about increasing stability than adding extra offensive options. Perhaps therefore this approach was deemed too risky or too complicated to pursue further.

Moreover, Mikazuki starts to miss his tail when outside Barbatos Lupus Rex; was it the same for Marchosias's pilot? Having four additional limbs to keep track of must have done some wacky things to her sense of self. And how was that seen by her comrades? In light of later attempts to dehumanise augmented people, it's hard not to suspect this Gundam would be excellent propaganda for that cause.

Perhaps this explains why she retreated to Venus after the War was over. I've been saying 'she' because the current leading candidate for the identity of Marchosias's pilot is Erda Afam, great-grandmother to Wistario Afam, protagonist of the Urdr Hunt game. Marchosias -- in its rebuilt form as Hajiroboshi -- was not abandoned like Asmoday but deliberately hidden in the depths of the Radonitsa Colony. While we have yet to learn the full story, the details so far point to at least one Gundam pilot who didn't want to be part of the Seven Stars' post-war reorganisation of the world.

From the Ars Goetia:

The Thirty-fifth Spirit is Marchosias. He is a Great and Mighty Marquis, appearing at first in the form of a Wolf having Gryphon’s Wings, and a Serpent’s Tail, and Vomiting Fire out of his mouth. But after a time, at the command of the Exorcist he putteth on the Shape of a Man. And he is a strong fighter. He was of the Order of Dominations. He governeth 30 Legions of Spirits. He told his Chief, who was Solomon, that after 1,200 years he had hopes to return unto the Seventh Throne. And his Seal is this, to be made and worn as a Lamen, etc.

Following its rebuild into Hajiroboshi, we get a glimpse of the underlying operating system, so we can see that again, the IBO sigil has been reworked from the original seal.

'Strong fighter' might well be an understatement here! The griffon elements described also find expression in the winged appearance of the 'suit.

ASW-G-47 Vual

Vual is the odd Gundam out. By which I mean, it adds absolutely nothing to our understanding of them whatsoever. Like Gusion, we have no hints as to what its original configuration was. Unlike Gusion, this is explicitly stated to be because it was discovered without any armour. The above is a hodge-podge of Astaroth components and other elements of unknown provenance. Indeed, while you can't see it in this shot, its left arm is basically naked.

Of the parts seen here, the torso, right arm, waist armour, thighs, left shin, feet, and backpack are all from Astaroth. The rest, it seems, comes from Tanto Tempo's stores as a more complete set of the armour can be seen on the rebuild, Vual Yuhana.

But yes. We know zilch about the original Vual, what it was designed for, or what happened to it during the War. Which itself speaks to the ways in which the past can be erased over the course of three hundred years. As significant as the Gundams were, only people invested in that long-gone history (McGillis Fareed, Uso Mendou, Cyclase Meyer etc.) care to look into the details. To a businessman like Rosario Leone, this is merely a particularly powerful mobile frame that can be repurposed for his use.

From the Ars Goetia:

The Forty-Seventh Spirit is Uvall, or Vual, or Voval. He is a Duke, Great, Mighty, and Strong; and appeareth in the form of a Mighty Dromedary at the first, but after a while at the Command of the Exorcist he putteth on Human Shape, and speaketh the Egyptian Tongue, but not perfectly. His Office is to Procure the Love of Women, and to tell Things Past, Present, and to Come. He also procureth Friendship between Friends and Foes. He was in the Order of Potestates or Powers. He governeth 37 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, to be made and worn before thee, etc.

I'd probably do use the first seal as the basis for the IBO equivalent. The angle on the offset cross is more interesting and aligning the middle pair looks nicer. The promotion of friendship between foes in the Ars Goetia text works nicely for Vual being rebuilt and deployed to help the protagonists of the Moon Steel manga, piloted by on-again, off-again foe-turned-ally Sampo Hakuri.

ASW-G-48 Haagenti

To get this out of the way: yes, they gave the only confirmed lady in the original Seven Stars a mobile suit with a dainty, curving aesthetic and inbuilt stiletto heels (they look somewhat more practical from the back but even so).

However, to give it its due, Haagenti is actually a really cool and unique design. First we've got frankly over-sized thrusters on an otherwise light-weight machine, implying this is an exceptionally nippy fighter. Then we have the twin swords which are noted to be heavier than they appear, allowing it to deal a lot of damage. And finally, there are the fan-blades built into its forearms.

I'm sorry, allow me to rephrase that. There are the RAZOR DOOM YO-YOS built into its forearms.

I, personally, would not question Angelica Elion's aesthetic choices to her face, even if I genuinely dislike that much salmon pink on a war robot (I stress the problem is it being *salmon* pink. Urgh).

Its official bio mentions it used a large-bore gun as well, but oddly not the yo-yos, so given the gun hasn't been shown, I wonder if there was a mix-up there. In any case, this is a rare case of bladed ranged weaponry on a Gundam frame. The only equivalent I can think of are the disc-launchers on Kimaris, which are clearly not as reusable.

Going back to Asmoday's implementation of something seen on another mobile suit, Hugos are also equipped with grappling hooks, so cable-mounted weapons have precedent. Whether Haagenti employed the kind of smart-cables seen on mobile armours, however, is an open question. The animation from Iron-Blooded Orphans G suggests not, but I wonder if something like these yo-yos would be practical without the ability to control them more precisely.

Indeed, given how effective Barbatos Lupus Rex is in battle, it's curious we don't see any Calamity War Gundams explicitly using a technology that would have been available at the time. Hashmal's tail and Harael's claws represent the closest the Post Disaster setting comes to implementing the 'funnel' drone technology found in other Gundam shows (plumas being more autonomous than funnels/bits are usually depicted). Yet Haagenti is the only Gundam we can even hypothesise as using something similar.

Were smart cable-mounted weapons less effective against mobile armours and pluma swarms than they proved against individual mobile suits? Was the technology less available than its existence aboard the armours implies? Or was it too closely associated with the enemy to use, either out of principle or because the armours were intimately familiar with how it worked? So far, no clues are available.

What we can be certain of is that Haagenti's dainty appearance belies an incredibly strong showing during the War. The Elions wound up becoming an immensely powerful member of the Seven Stars, commanding Gjallarhorn's single biggest fleet. Their Gundam itself, however, was consigned to storage in the vaults on Vingolf, a relic of a by-gone age.

From the Ars Goetia:

The Forty-eighth Spirit is Haagenti. He is a President, appearing in the Form of a Mighty Bull with Gryphon’s Wings. This is at first, but after, at the Command of the Exorcist he putteth on Human Shape. His Office is to make Men wise, and to instruct them in divers things; also to Transmute all Metals into Gold; and to change Wine into Water, and Water into Wine. He governeth 33 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, etc.

It's certainly got the bull horns, though no wings to speak of. Beyond that, this seems to be another case where the Gundam doesn't inherit much from the demon.

And that's where we'll leave it for this instalment. Not sure if I will have the third part up tomorrow but I will try to post it soon in any case.