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Gjallarhorn (ギャラルホルン Gyararuhorun?) is a military faction that appears in Mobile Suit Gundam IRON-BLOODED ORPHANS.

History[]

Post Disaster 001[]

Gjallarhorn is a peacekeeping organization established by Agnika Kaieru and the nations of Earth, and its origin can be traced back to the Calamity War era. To prevent humanity from facing extinction due to the Calamity War, a group of like-minded individuals from across all nations and power blocs gathered together to end the fighting. To that end, they developed the Alaya Vijnana System and the Gundam Frames to possess the decisive edge necessary to end the war. They later became the organization known as Gjallarhorn. Gjallarhorn successfully ended the Calamity War and used their military power to maintain peace, and keep an independent eye on the four economic blocs; Arbrau, the Strategic Alliance Union, African Union, and Oceanian Federation, that they established with the cooperation of Earth leaders.

Post Disaster 323[]

In recent times, however, Gjallarhorn will use the means of violence to maintain peace. They possess many mobile suits and monopolized the technology required to produce Ahab Reactors. Unfortunately, the organization became corrupt with many leaders and officers now willing to use bribery and intimidation, and they interfere in affairs beyond their jurisdiction to remain in power.

The Commander of Gjallarhorn Mars Branch, Major Coral Conrad staged an assault on the base of the Chryse Guard Security to kill Kudelia Aina Bernstein, who has started Mars' bid for independence from Earth, so as to gain favor with the Earth Branch. After failing, he sent Crank Zent to eliminate the base leaving no evidence about their defeat, but this also failed. Around the same time, McGillis Fareed and Gaelio Bauduin arrived at the Mars Branch headquarters for inspection. Coral attempted to bribe them but was rebuffed by McGillis. During a sortie around Mars' orbit, Coral was killed in battle by a reformed Chryse Guard Security, now called Tekkadan.

Despite this, to maintain the status quo, Gjallarhorn continued to harass Kudelia and her escort, Tekkadan, and attempted to wipe them out through intermediates and tried to capture her on the Dort Colonies. However, thanks to the machinations of McGillis, Gjallarhorn failed to prevent Kudelia from reaching Arbrau; instead, Gjallarhorn's attempt to interfere with Arbrau's prime minister election was exposed during the Battle of Edmonton, leading to its neutrality among the economic blocs being questioned. This led to all four economic blocs deciding to develop their own military forces.

Post Disaster 325[]

With their shield of neutrality gone, Gjallarhorn lost much of its respect and trustworthiness in the eyes of the world, and enters a period of instability. The situation eventually devolves into a full-blown civil war, with McGillis and allied young officers launching a coup to take over and reform the organization. He is opposed by the Arianrhod Fleet led by Rustal Elion. Despite capturing Gjallarhorn headquarters, taking a number of its ruling council, the Seven Stars, hostage, as well as claiming Gundam Bael for himself, McGillis' forces are defeated by the Arianrhod Fleet, and McGillis himself is killed by Gaelio.

In the years following the "McGillis Fareed Incident", Gjallarhorn was reformed into a more democratic organization with Rustal as its new leader. Working together with the Martian Union, both groups hope to keep the peace and prevent further exploitation of the weak by signing the "Human Debris Abolishment Treaty".

Organization[]

Gjallarhorn is a powerful organization with substantial influence both on Earth and in Space, controlling the Ariadne communications network that makes long-distance space travel and communication possible in spite of the interference caused by Ahab reactors. Gjallarhorn has four known departments: Inspection, Regulatory, General Affairs and Police.[1] The Inspection Bureau is an elite group consisting of the organization's top executives and those who have blood ties to the Seven Stars, and its primary function is to conduct internal inspection of other departments.[1] It has its own battle cruisers and mobile suits, and can use them without requiring permission from the Regulatory Bureau.[1] McGillis Fareed and Gaelio Bauduin were introduced as officers of the Inspection Bureau.

The Regulatory Bureau is the organization's military unit and is directly involved in peacekeeping operations through the use of battle cruisers and mobile suit teams.[1] When people refer to Gjallarhorn, they are usually referring to the Regulatory Bureau.[1] The Regulatory Bureau has several fleets including the powerful, moon-based fleet known as Arianrhod Fleet.[1] Otherwise known as the Outer Lunar Orbit Joint Fleet, it is the Gjallarhorn's largest fleet and is dedicated to protecting the Earth Sphere.[1] There is also the Outer Earth Orbit Regulatory Joint Fleet, which is tasked with defending the Earth's orbit but it is viewed by some as just being around for show.[1] In fact, due to the rapid response of the Arianrhod Fleet to any threats to Earth, the Outer Earth Orbit Regulatory Joint Fleet had little to no sortie record.[1] The Mars Branch is also a part of the Regulatory Bureau.[1] Coral Conrad was the commander of the Mars Branch, while Ein DaltonCrank Zent and Orlis Stenja were officers in the Mars Branch.

The General Affairs Bureau is responsible for accounting and personnel affairs, while the Police Bureau is responsible for police operations.[1] Each department have their own ranks, which are given based on the roles performed.[1] There seems to be some mistrust within Gjallarhorn, especially between the Mars and Earth branches, as Earth soldiers consider Martian soldiers inferior. According to Naze Turbine, the Gjallarhorn forces in the Earth sphere (which includes the space colonies) are much better trained and motivated than those of the Mars and Jupiter branches.

For more than 300 years, the organization was managed by the Seven Stars, a group of seven family clans whose head of family during the Calamity War were believed to be second only to Agnika Kaieru.[2] These seven family clans have maintained their influence since then.[2] It is unclear why members of the Kaieru family were not included. The Seven Stars ruling system is eventually disbanded due to the death of the successor to three of its seven families.

Uniform & Rank Structure[]

Gjallarhorn Inspection Bureau ranks

Ranks of Gjallarhorn's Inspection Bureau (Fan translation of image from 'Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Mechanics & World' book)

Gjallarhorn Regulatory Bureau ranks

Ranks of Gjallarhorn's Regulatory Bureau (Fan translation of image from 'Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Mechanics & World' book)

Gjallarhorn seemed to have a rank structure not based on insignia but by uniform and colors. In the Mars branch, the officers wear a light gray uniform, while the branch commander wears a red uniform. For the Earth branch and the Inspection Bureau, the officers wear a blue and white uniform, while inspectors like McGillis Fareed and Gaelio Bauduin wear a blue and white uniform with a cape over the left side and a small sword on the left as well. Meanwhile, members of Arianrhod wear a teal variation of the uniform. Carta Issue, as commander of the Outer Earth Orbit Regulatory Joint Fleet, wore a white-and-green commander's uniform, while her close subordinates wore green uniforms, with the earth-based part of the fleet wearing the blue and white uniform. When the unit was later placed under the command of McGillis, they adopted blue uniforms, while McGillis himself wears a slight variant of his previous white-and-blue uniform.

It is observed that higher the ranking, the more lines a soldier will have on his/her cuffs and his/her shoulders, which are of gold color for all uniforms. A higher ranking commander will also have the front flap of the uniform folded back to the left in a triangle. For foot soldiers, there are two uniforms; one consists of a plain blue and white uniform with a visored helmet while the other is a black and gray sealed suit with body armor and a closed helmet intended for heavy combat.

Gallery[]

Notes & Trivia[]

  • Gjallarhorn seems to bear some resemblance to other earth-based military factions like Titans, OZ, and A-Laws.
  • Gjallarhorn also resembles ZAFT as both organization's hierarchy are mostly determined by its uniforms and colors. However, unlike ZAFT, Gjallarhorn still uses traditional military ranks.
  • Gjallarhorn, the organization's namesake, is a horn originating from Norse Mythology. Gjallarhorn is from the old Norse meaning "yelling horn" or "loud-sounding horn". In addition, the organization headquarters and orbital station network on Earth are named after Vingólf and Gladsheimr, two notable locations in Norse Mythology respectively.
  • Arianrhod, the namesake of the organization's largest fleet, is a mythical figure within Welsh mythology.
  • The helmet of Gjallarhorn guards bears a slight resemblance to Zechs Merquise's helmet from Mobile Suit Gundam Wing.
  • The j in Gjallarhorn's name (pronounced like a y) is treated as silent in the English dub.

References[]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 'Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Mechanics & World' Book
  2. 2.0 2.1 Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Mechanics & World 2' Book
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