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The Second Battle of Jachin Due is a conflict featured in the anime Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, and was both the apex of the Operation Elvis and the decisive final battle of the First Alliance-PLANT War.

Prelude[]

After acquiring the Neutron Jammer Canceller, Blue Cosmos leader Muruta Azrael pushed for the mass-production of Nuclear Missiles in preparation for a decisive campaign against PLANT. Following their victory at the Battle of Boaz, the Earth Alliance prepared for the final phase of Operation: Elvis; an attack on ZAFT military headquarters of Jachin Due, where they intended to launch a nuclear assault on the PLANT Colonies.[1]

After being informed that Boaz was destroyed by nuclear missiles, Chairman Patrick Zala ordered the preparation of the GENESIS superweapon, intending to use it to eradicate the Alliance forces before they could attack the PLANT Colonies. Having received information regarding Boaz, the Three Ships Alliance, intent on stopping the two factions from committing further genocide set course for Jachin Due to intervene in the battle.

The Battle[]

First Phase[]

Once within range, the Earth Alliance vessels opened fire on the forces around Jachin Due, prompting ZAFT ships and mobile suits to counterattack. While the bulk of their fleet engaged the ZAFT forces, the Calamity, Forbidden, and Raider Gundams opened a path through Jachin Due's defenses. With the path to the PLANT Colonies clear, the Peacemaker Taskforce deployed its complement of nuclear-equipped Moebius mobile armors. With nothing standing in their way, the Moebiuses fired their warheads and an EA victory seemed assured. However, the Three Ships Alliance arrived at Jachin Due, and a combined volley from the METEOR-equipped Freedom and the Justice Gundams destroyed the missiles before they could hit the PLANTs.[1]

After the destruction of the first wave of nukes, Lacus Clyne called for the EA and ZAFT forces to cease their fighting, but to no success. From within Jachin Due, Patrick Zala observed the battle and ordered the activation of the GENESIS superweapon. Deactivating its Mirage Colloid Stealth System, the weapon targeted and fired a blast wave of nuclear energy at the EA fleet.[1] The attack decimated the EA forces, destroying over half of their ships and mobile suits, and shifted the course of the battle in ZAFT’s favor. Following GENESIS’ firing, the EA fleet retreated to regroup and assess the damage to their forces. The Three Ship Alliance also used the opportunity to withdraw and reassess the situation.[2]

Reprieve[]

During the battle's reprieve, ZAFT began replacing GENESIS' external alignment mirror with a new one, allowing them to fire the weapon again, and arranged its forces to defend GENESIS. The Three Ships Alliance, after analyzing GENESIS’ capabilities, predict that its final target will be the Earth itself, and made it a priority to destroy GENESIS, in addition to the EA’s nuclear task force.

Having assessed the damage to their fleet, Lieutenant Commander Natarle Badgiruel ordered a withdrawal, deeming their forces in no position to counter GENESIS. However, her orders were countermanded by Muruta Azrael, who, completely bent on annihilating the PLANTs, ordered reinforcements to be sent from Ptolemaeus to rendezvous with their fleet and continue the attack.[2] After repairing their forces to the extent they could, the EA fleet launched to re-enter battle. Noticing the EA's movement, the Three Ships Alliance launched in response, deploying their Gundams: the Strike, Buster, Strike Rouge, Justice, and Freedom as their vanguard. At the same time, Commander Rau Le Creuset launched from Jachin Due in his new ZGMF-X13A Providence Gundam.[2]

Final Phase[]

The battle resumed as GENESIS fired its second shot, this time targeting the Ptolemaeus Lunar Base and the EA reinforcement fleet. The blast completely vaporized the base and over 50% of the reinforcement fleet was destroyed before arriving to the battlefield. After firing, Patrick Zala ordered the damaged mirror to be replaced so that GENESIS could fire again, this time the target being Earth.[3] As the battle erupted, the Three Ships Alliance mobile suits entered the battlefield, attempting to locate the EA vessels carrying the nuclear missiles. During which, Mayura Labatt was killed when her M1 Astray was pierced by a GuAIZ.

On the Dominion, Azrael contacted Captain Sutherland on the Agamemnon-class ship Doolittle and ordered him to deploy the Peacemaker Taskforce to destroy the PLANTs. When Natarle warned him that the attack wouldn't stop GENESIS from firing at the Earth, Azrael held her at gunpoint, asserting that he was the one in command and that the action would be carried out. Natarle gave in to Azrael’s threat when the Archangel closed in on the Dominion and its escorts. Azrael, deeming the Archangel a ship full of traitors, ordered the Dominion to engage and destroy it. In the ensuing battle, the two ships critically damaged each other.

The Peacemaker Taskforce moved into position and launched its Moebius complement towards the PLANTs, escorted by the Calamity, Forbidden, and Raider Gundams. The Three Ships Alliance Gundams moved in to intercept the strike force and engage the EA Gundams. During the assault, the Joule Team led the Jachin Due defense force to attack the nuclear strike force. While the Three Ships Alliance and Joule Team continued their attack on the Peacemaker Taskforce, Juri Wu Nien and Asagi Caldwell’s M1 Astrays were destroyed by Strike Daggers. The Freedom and Justice Gundams destroyed most of the nukes with their METEOR units, but were continuously obstructed with by the EA Gundams. Just as the Forbidden was about to destroy the Aile Strike Rouge with its Plasma Induction Cannon, Yzak in his Duel Gundam stepped in to protect it. The Duel then rush towards the Forbidden and was shot at, and was believed to be destroyed by its pilot, Shani. However, Yzak ejected his Assault Shroud armor and let it take the blast to make it seem like he exploded. The Duel charged in with both beam sabers and sliced off the Forbidden Gundam's arms before impaling the Forbidden's cockpit, killing Shani Andras.[3]

The Gundams of the Three Ships Alliance then proceed to wipe out the Agamemnon-class carriers of the Peacemaker Taskforce. During this the Justice Gundam successfully destroyed the Calamity Gundam, slicing it in half with its METEOR Unit’s beam sword. The Three Ships Alliance Gundams completely destroy the Peacemaker Taskforce, as well as killing its commander, Captain William Sutherland. With the Peacemaker Taskforce destroyed, the Freedom, Justice, and Strike Rouge headed for GENESIS.[3]

Elsewhere, Mu had sensed Rau’s presence and confronted him with the Aile Strike Gundam. While Mu was able to keep up for a short time, the Providence’s DRAGOONs quickly and efficiently crippled the Aile Strike with multiple beam blasts. The heavily damaged Aile Strike was able to escape. While the Aile Strike was attempting to reach the Archangel, Azrael ordered the Dominion to fire on the vessel. However, both Flay Allster and Natarle refused Azrael’s order, with Natarle commanding all hands to abandon ship, while she held Azrael off. After the crew had evacuated, Natarle locked down the bridge, preventing Azrael from escaping, prompting Azrael to shoot her multiple times for rebelling against him. Azrael, desperate for victory, targeted the Archangel’s bridge with the Dominion’s Positron Blaster Cannon. Unable to dodge, Mu positioned the Aile Strike Gundam in front of the Archangel and blocked the blast, protecting the ship, but destroying the Strike. In retaliation, the Archangel fired its own Positron Blaster Cannon directly at the Dominion’s bridge, killing both Natarle and Azrael, before the entire ship was destroyed.[3]

On their way to GENESIS, Kira sensed Rau’s presence and split up from the Justice and Strike Rouge. The Providence Gundam headed straight for the heavily damaged Archangel, but was intercepted by the Buster and Freedom. While the Providence engaged the Freedom, its DRAGOONs made quick work of the Buster, leaving it crippled and unable to fight. As the Duel went to assist the Buster, the Raider, the last remaining EA Gundam, having lost his command ship, fired repeatedly and crazily at the Duel. With his beam rifle destroyed, the Duel grabbed the Buster’s Hyper Impulse Long-Range Sniper Rifle, and fired it directly at the Raider, destroying it.[4] The Duel then took the damaged Buster back to the Archangel.

The Freedom fought the Providence to a standstill, but the Providence slowly destroyed the Freedom’s METEOR Unit piece by piece. As they fought, Kira and Rau entered into a philosophical argument about humanity, meaning, and existence. Rau believing that Kira shouldn't be alive because if people knew he existed they would want to be Coordinators like him, and Kira telling Rau that his strength isn’t the only thing that makes him who he is. During the fight, Kira saw Flay's shuttle and flew toward it as Rau fired at it. Kira blocked the shot with his shield, but one of Rau's DRAGOONs fired from above and destroyed the shuttle. Kira cried out, believing that he had failed once again to protect one of his friends. In a void that he can neither see nor hear, Flay's spirit told him that she was sorry and said that she never understood anything because she was always in pain and afraid. She went on to tell him she was now free and asked him not to cry anymore. His resolve restored, Kira went into SEED mode and chased after Rau.[4]

In the chaos of the battle, the Eternal and Kusanagi broke through ZAFT’s defensive line and fired all their weapons at GENESIS, but their attempts were unsuccessful, as the superweapon’s nuclear-powered Phase Shift Armor proved powerful enough to even resist the Kusanagi's Lohengrin cannons. The Providence attacked the Kusanagi and Eternal, destroying many of the two ship’s weapons and several M1 Astrays. However, before Rau could finish the ships off, Kira intercepted him with the Freedom’s Plasma Cannons and the two continued their battle and argument. With the Freedom destroying several of Providence's DRAGOONS, Rau confronted him in close-combat, telling Kira that the destruction of humanity was something destined to happen, and he would insure it would. Kira refused to accept Rau’s nihilistic beliefs, telling him that he wouldn’t allow his plans to succeed.

Inside Jachin Due, Patrick set the next target of GENESIS for Washington, D.C. on Earth. With little time left, the Justice, Strike Rouge, and an M1 Astray charged toward Jachin Due, took out its defending mobile suits and broke into the fortress. As Patrick ordered GENESIS to fire at the Earth, all the soldiers and crew stood still. One of his officers, Ray Yuki, recommended that they not fire, telling Patrick that they had already won and that there was no need to fire at the Earth. In response, Patrick shot him and prepared to fire GENESIS, despite the fact that ZAFT forces were in the line of fire. Yuki then pulled out his gun and shot Patrick several times. Athrun and Cagalli then barged into the command room and all the officers began to run away. Patrick asked Athrun to fire GENESIS and died from his wounds. Immediately after, an unknown program activated, starting Jachin Due's self-destruct system and ordering GENESIS to fire when Jachin Due exploded.[4] As ZAFT forces began to retreat from Jachin Due, the Archangel joined up with Eternal and Kusanagi under the Duel Gundam’s protection. At the PLANTs, in shock over the self-destruct countdown, Patrick’s allies and supporters were taken into custody by Eileen Canaver and the moderate faction.

As Kira and Rau continued to fight, Rau told Kira that it was pointless to continue fighting because he set GENESIS to fire when Jachin Due self-destructs. As the battle intensified, the two Gundams continuously inflicted heavy damage on each other. Athrun and Cagalli returned to their Gundams and headed for GENESIS. The two were able to infiltrate GENESIS, and when Cagalli asked Athrun what he planned to do, he said he would self-destruct the Justice Gundam's nuclear reactor inside GENESIS to cause a nuclear explosion. Wanting her to turn back, Athrun ejected the Justice’s backpack to block her path. As Athrun was setting the Justice to detonate its nuclear reactor, the Aile Strike Rouge caught up to him and Cagalli convinced Athrun not to sacrifice himself so easily, telling him it was more of a fight to live on. The Justice’s self-destruct was instead set on a timer and Athrun fled GENESIS with Cagalli in the Strike Rouge.[4]

In the final moment of their battle, the Freedom sliced off the Providence's left arm, before having its head destroyed by the Providence’s two remaining DRAGOONs. Charging one last time, Kira impaled the Providence’s torso with the Freedom's beam saber, pierce the cockpit and broke Rau’s helmet, killing him. Immediately after, Jachin Due self-destructed, and GENESIS began to fire. The Providence Gundam was hit by the blast and destroyed, while Kira just barely managed to get out of GENESIS’ path. The Justice Gundam self-destructed, and GENESIS ceased firing and was completely destroyed before it could hit the Earth.[4]

Aftermath[]

While the ZAFT fleet suffer comparatively fewer losses, the destruction of both GENESIS, their main military base Jachin Due, as well as the deaths and arrests of much of their military leadership was a considerable defeat. In the aftermath of the battle, the moderate faction led by council member Eileen Canaver took control of the military, ceasing all hostilities as the crippled Earth Alliance fleet retired.[4]

The Second Battle of Jachin Due became the last battle of the First Alliance-PLANT War, with a ceasefire being declared between ZAFT and the Alliance. Both sides spent the next several months negotiating over acceptable peace terms with the other neutral nations, resulting in the Junius Treaty and the official end of the War.[5]

Kira and the remains of the Freedom Gundam were found by Cagalli and Athrun and the three returned to the Three Ships Alliance. After the battle, the Eternal remained in space and was hidden away for future use, while the Archangel and Freedom Gundam returned to Orb with the Kusanagi, where they were repaired and remained for the next two years. After returning to Orb, the crew of the Archangel were given cover identities and residence within the nation.[6]

Gallery[]

Notes & Trivia[]

  • The Second Battle of Jachin Due is similar to both the Battle of A Baoa Qu and the Battle of Gryps from Mobile Suit Gundam and Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, respectfully. The Battle of A Baoa Qu depicts a large-scale assault by the Earth based faction on the space faction's main military stronghold. While the Battle of Gryps depicts a three-way battle, involving a large laser weapon used to decimate the earth faction's space fleet.
  • The battle is featured in Dynasty Warriors Gundam Reborn as the final stage in Gundam SEED's storyline. The player initially takes the perspective of Athrun, who is attempting to stop the Alliance's nuclear strike force. Unlike the actual battle, Yzak will also defect to the Three Ships Alliance earlier after being spoken down to by Dearka. After defeating the three EA Gundams who are defending the strike force, Yzak returns to ZAFT while Rau defeats Mu, and both the Dominion and the Archangel arrive to engage one another. Following the destruction of the Dominion, control will be shifted to Kira's perspective, who must take control of the bases outside GENESIS to continue chasing Rau.
  • In various Super Robot Wars entries, this battle will differ depending on events and series involved. Sometimes Mu will survive his supposed death, usually by not taking the shot meant for the Archangel. Super Robot Wars DD has the biggest divergence in the franchise -- Mu is still supposedly killed saving the Archangel, but Natarle is rescued by Gai Shishioh of King of Braves GaoGaiGar and the titular Kotetsu Jeeg and Devilman. Gai will tell off Azrael of his heinous ways before Devilman strikes him down. As well, Setsuna F. Seiei is able to rescue Flay from the killing shot by going Trans-Am to catch up to it and deflect it. As a result of this Natarle rejoins the Archangel crew for the Destiny era while Flay seemingly leaves.
  • In Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Tomo to Kimi to Koko de, if players were able to convince Arnold Neumann to tell Natarle his feelings for her, he will convince her to leave the Dominion, leaving Azrael to his fate and saving Mu from his death. Sadly, Flay is still killed by Rau.

Appearances[]

References[]

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