The AMX-004 (AMX-005) Qubeley Mk-II (キュベレイMk-Ⅱ, Kyuberei Mk - Ⅱ) is the successor to the AMX-004 Qubeley featured in Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ. At least two units were built, piloted by Elpeo Ple and Ple Two respectively.
Technology & Combat Characteristics
In terms of technology and performance, the two Qubeley Mk-II units were virtually identical to the original Qubeley. The Qubeley Mk-II's stored an additional two remote funnel weapons in the tail binder over its predecessor, giving the mobile suit a total of twelve remote weapons. The one noticeable difference between the two identical Qubeley Mk-II's is the different color schemes. The first AMX-004-2 Qubeley Mk-II which featured a dark purple color scheme and a hilted beam saber. The second unit, AMX-004-3 Qubeley Mk-II, was largely identical to the first, but instead had a red-and-yellow paint scheme.
Of course since the Qubeley Mk-II units were designed for Newtype pilots they were outfitted with the same miniaturized psycommu system of the first Qubeley so that the pilots can control the remote weapons with their Newtype abilities. One major differences between the two Qubeley Mk-IIs' psycommu systems, was that AMX-004-3 Qubeley Mk-II has a new version of the psycommu system installed that would allow its pilot, through the use of a psycowave amplifying headset, to remote-control the mobile suit from outside the cockpit.
The head parts of the Qubeley MK-II features a psywave sender/receiver, and also features a system that gives feedback to the pilot, a system never seen in other Newtype use MSs. The head is also crafted to act as a stabilizer in flight, thus the odd shape. The shoulder armor of the Qubeley MK-II features 12 thrusters to give it exceptional mobility and speed. They also help the Qubeley MK-II'S AMBAC system. The fingers of the MK-II also mount the same psywave sender/receiver system as the head, and can directly give the funnels instructions.
Armaments
- Beam Gun/Saber
- Stored in the Qubeley Mk-II's forearms is a set of dual purpose beam gun/beam sabers. When used as a beam saber, the weapons are hand-carried. When used as a beam gun, the weapons remain mounted in the forearms.
- Funnels
- The Qubeley Mk-II's most dangerous weapons system are the 12 psycommu controlled remote funnel weapons stored in the mobile suit's tail binder. The remote funnel weapon was based off of the Elmeth's larger remote bit, its smaller in size due to how it uses an energy capacitor system. Because the funnels don't have their own power generator they must recharge aboard the Qubeley after a certain amount of time.
Special Equipment & Features
- Psycommu System
- During the One Year War, the researchers of the Flanagan Institute discover that Newtypes emit powerful thoughtwaves - similar to regular brainwaves, but not electrical in nature - which they call psycowaves. The Flanagan Institute goes on to develop a mind-machine interface called the psycommu (psyco-communicator) system, which receives these thoughtwaves and translates them into computer commands. Using this interface a Newtype pilot can direct remote weapons, and operate huge mobile armors, by thought alone. The Principality forces based at the asteroid Axis succeed in miniaturizing the psycommu system, so that it can be installed in regular-sized mobile suits like the AMX-004 Qubeley. The Federation Forces, meanwhile, concentrate on developing artificially enhanced cyber-Newtypes to operate their psycommu weapons. The headpiece of the Qubeley MK-II features a psycommu wave system that allows it to interface with the funnels.
- Psycommu Controller Headset
- The Psycommu Controller Headset is a technology installed in the second Qubeley Mk-II. The headset is headgear designed to read the psychowaves of the Newtype wearing it, and then transmitting those signals to a mobile suit equipped with a receiver. This allows a Newtype to control psycommu controlled remote weapons even from outside of the mobile suit.
- Ballute System
History
Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
Both Qubeley Mk-II were developed in UC 0088 during the First Neo Zeon War and are based off combat data from the original Qubeley.
The AMX-004-2 served primarily as a test unit for its pilot, a 10-year-old girl named Elpeo Ple, and was used to determine and measure the girl's Newtype abilities. Though the Mk-II's weapons - and Ple's abilities - would be a serious menace to the pilots of the AEUG carrier Argama, the Mk-II would finally be damaged and captured, with Ple defecting to the AEUG to join her adopted "surrogate brother," MSZ-010 ΖΖ Gundam pilot Judau Ashta. Later on in the war, Ple sacrificed herself and her Qubeley Mk-II to protect Judau against the threat of her own "blood" - a powerful Newtype clone named Ple Two.
The AMX-004-2 would be first encountered at the site of an abandoned colony where the crew of the Argama was testing the ship's new hyper mega particle cannon. Unknown to the crew the colony was being used an ambush point by the Endra squadron, a group of pilots who came from the sunken ship Endra. The Gundam pilots were able to scare off the Neo-Zeon pilots but during the retreat a dummy asteroid opened up, revealing the Qubeley Mk-II. Elpeo Ple used her mobile suits funnel weapons to cover her comrades retreat while slightly damaging the Gundam Mk-II and Zeta Gundam. This evoked a response from Judau, whose own Newtype powers lashed out. This has the effect of stopping the Qubeley's funnel attack but it is unclear as to why. On the Argama Captain Bright Noa recognizes the mobile suit as Haman Karn's personal mobile suit and tries to destroy it, but Elpeo Ple manages to pilot the machine out of the beam's path and retreat.
The AMX-004-2 is seen for a second time outside of Axis where it catches Judau's FXA-07GB Neo Core Fighter as the Argama pilot tries to escape from Axis. It is at this time that it is revealed to Judau that Elpeo Ple, who he met earlier inside Axis, is the pilot. The Qubeley Mk-II would make its third appearance a short while later at the Axis palace with a handcuffed Leina Ashta inside the cockpit as Elpeo Ple's hostage. Elpeo Ple is angry with Judau who she said was always worried about Leina and mean to Elpeo, so she leads Judau/ZZ Gundam on a chase through Axis. Judau tries to reason with Elpeo but ultimately his words just make Elpeo angry who uses her mobile suit's funnels while in a park where children are playing. She is stopped when Leina warns that if Elpeo keeps doing these bad thing than Judau would hate her. Because of the situation Judau was forced to retreat from Axis, initially with the Qubeley Mk-II and the girls but they were taken back by Glemy Toto outside the asteroid.
The AMX-004-3 was almost identical to the AMX-004-2 except for its paint scheme and the addition of the psycommu controller headset. The AMX-004-3 would be piloted by Elpeo Ple's clone Ple Two who would briefly pilot the mobile suit against Judau Ashta/ZZ Gundam and Elpeo Ple/Qubeley Mk-II. Ple Two would quickly move onto another mobile suit however, leaving the AMX-004-3's battle record short at best.
Gundam Evolve
While Judau Ashta was traveling with the Jupiter Fleet, a lone Qubeley Mk-II was being pursued by Neo Zeon AMX-014 Döven Wolf and MS-06 Zaku II mobile suits, whom Judau Ashta engaged and destroyed with the MSZ-010S ZZ-GR. After the engagement, the Qubeley arrives safely on board the Jupitris II.
Variants
Picture Gallery
Notes & Trivia
- Qubeley's name is derived from the Greek goddess "Cybele". Cybele embodies the fertile Earth, a goddess of caverns and mountains, walls and fortresses, nature, wild animals (especially lions and bees). Phrygian Cybele is often identified with the Hittite-Hurrian goddess Hebat, though this latter deity might have been the origin of only Anatolian Kubaba. The Greeks frequently conflated the two names, the Anatolian "Kubaba" and the Phrygian "Kybele", to refer to the Phrygian deity.
- Like the original Qubeley, Qubeley Mk-II has the words "2LMES" engraved on its back near the left wing binder. This possibly denotes it being the successor of the Mobile Armor MAN-08 Elmeth.
- In the Gundam Evolve episode, the Qubeley Mk-II appears to use long-distance transport shuttle that breaks apart to reveal the mobile suit it contains.
- Qubeley Mk.II can be unlocked as one of the hidden MS units in Gundam Vs Zeta Gundam when the Mode: ZZ option is unlocked. While the red version used by Puru Two is used for Zeon colors, the original purple/black version used by Puru is used as the Federation colors. To stay consistent with themes, the Neo Zeon emblem is removed from this version.
- Additionally, the Qubeley Mk.II is also the only Zeon suit that can be launched from the Argama instead of a Salamis Kai which is used for either units from the opposing side or mobile suits from the One Year War.
- Elpeo Ple's Qubeley Mk-II appears in Gundam Battle Assault as an alternate 2P color for the Qubeley. However, its size and proportions do not change.
References
External links
Template:Early Universal Century Mobile weapons