ZERO System
Appearances
Anime	Wing
Manga	New Mobile Report Gundam Wing (Manga)
Photo Novel	New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Frozen Teardrop
Movie	Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz
Usage
Era	After Colony
Designer	Colony Liberation Organization
Manufacturer	Quatre Raberba Winner Treize Khushrenada
Operator	Colony Liberation Organization Gundam Pilots Peacemillion White Fang Preventers Lanigreen Republic
Technical Specifications
Functional Purpose	Combat Analysis Tactical Suggestions
Power-plant	Ultracompact Nuclear Reactor

The ZERO (Zoning & Emotional Range Omitted) System is a technology for interfacing the brain of the pilot with the mobile suit's computer (comparable to the Universal Century's biocomputer in the F91 Gundam). It appears in the series Mobile Suit Gundam Wing.

System Description and Characteristics

Only two known mobile suits were ever equipped with this system, the XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero and the OZ-13MS Gundam Epyon. The ZERO system decreases the pilot's reaction times as there is no need for traditional visual interfaces. Furthermore, thanks to the advanced computations performed by the computer, the pilot can become aware of future outcomes and possible courses of action that can be taken to achieve total victory or total defeat. However, due to this direct brain interface, as the human brain cannot process the raw data, the system will cause the pilot to vividly "hallucinate" the possible paths that the pilot can take; as the pilot tries to figure out what is going on, the system can overload the brain with too many statistics and estimated values, causing temporary insanity.

Examples of this include when Quatre Raberba Winner used the Wing Zero and went on a rampage throughout the colonies, and when Heero Yuy first used the Epyon in battle and went berserk, killing every soldier on both sides. However by the end of the series both Heero and Zechs learn to "properly control" the ZERO system allowing them to properly use the data that the system gives them.

History

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing

The System first appears within Wing Gundam Zero under the control of Quatre Raberba Winner. Distraught by the death of his father, Quatre's mind is already weakened and the Zero System overwhelms him, causing him to go on the aforementioned rampage and destroying several colonies. Heero Yuy and Trowa Barton are sent by OZ to stop him in the Mercurius and Vayeate mobile suits. When Quatre's attack cripples Trowa's suit, Heero manages to talk Quatre out of his stupor induced by the Zero System. After the two are brought back to OZ custody, Heero is forced to pilot the Wing Gundam Zero and test the suit's Zero System. In doing so, it drives him temporarily insane and makes him believe the Gundam Scientists are his enemy. Knocked out of the cockpit, he falls to the floor and has a vision of Relena before losing consciousness.

The next time Zero System is used is under the control of the OZ engineer who had run the tests, Trant Clark, who has escaped with Wing Zero and fled to L2. Here, he forces Duo Maxwell to testpilot the suit under threat of destroying the colony that he and Hilde Schbeiker are hiding in. Duo reluctantly goes along with the test, but the System too drives him into temporary insanity in which he hallucinates several clones of Deathscythe and destroying the colony, killing Hilde. Awakening from the hallucination to find he has attacked the surrounding suits Trant brought with him, Trant pulls Duo out of the cockpit before attempting to pilot it himself to escape OZ's pursuit. Trant fails, however, and is overwhelmed by the effects of the system on his brain, dying likely from hemorrhage.

The next time the Zero System is seen is within the cockpit of the Gundam Epyon, which uses a modified version of Zero called the Epyon System. Treize Khushrenada gifts the Epyon to Heero, who uses it to defend the Sanc Kingdom. However, the system once again overwhelms him, causing Heero to go on a destructive killing spree and destroying even retreating enemy suits. Meanwhile, Zechs Merquise finds the abandoned Wing Zero floating in space, and takes it to Earth to defend Sanc during the same time. when the two meet, they battle each other fiercely, until both are overwhelmed by their respective suits and collapse from their cockpits. Once awake, they trade Gundams, Zechs taking Epyon to defend Sanc and Heero taking Wing Zero.

Later during the White Fang conflict, Gundam pilot Heero Yuy and White Fang leader Zechs Merquise developed a modified version of the ZERO system that was derived from their respective Gundams. They were given to Gundam pilot Quatre Raberba Winner and White Fang supporter Dorothy Catalonia so that they could lead their respective forces with their maximum potential strategic abilities. Heero installed his into Quatre's Sandrock Kai (which Quatre would later remove) and Zechs developed his into a helmet for Dorothy to use to control and coordinate the movements of mobile dolls in combat from inside the battleship Libra.

Endless Waltz

Picking up Wing Gundam Zero on rendezvous to Earth, Heero uses the ZERO System to battle Wufei in Earth's atmosphere. Briefly losing his confidence, the System shuts itself down as Heero plunges into the ocean. Interestingly, the System seems to move the suit on its own briefly, as Heero asks it if it can fight one more time before rising up again to stop the Mariemaia Army.

Frozen Teardrop

In the novel New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Frozen Teardrop, the ZERO System has been developed further as a software program used to store, restore, and view memories as data. Preventer agent Kathy Po uses a pair of Virtual Reality glasses to view past events of the After Colony era using this software, and it is also used to restore the memories of the cryogencially frozen Heero Yuy once he is defrosted. The Zero System is equipped within the cockpits of both the Epyon White and Snow White mobile suits and also reappears within the original Epyon. Users of the Zero System seem to be unable to be contacted or communicated with while the system is active.

Gundam Wing Technical Guide Information

The Zero System was developed to be an interactive interface between a human pilot and a Mobile Suit. The system computes the results of possible courses of action, and the pilot considers these and mentally feeds directions back to the system. What this means is that the pilot knows the result of his actions before he performs them.

The system is programmed to think tactically, so that the options that it feeds the pilot might include civilian death or unnecessary destruction. It is up to the pilot to guide the system and lend it a conscience, so the relationship becomes a balance of emotion and logic.

Another advantage of Zero System is its ability to offer physical stimulus back to the pilot, allowing him to feel the strain that the MS is undergoing. This causes great physical and emotional stress on the pilot, but allows the MS to become an extension of the pilot's thoughts and movements.

Due to the extreme mental strain on its users, Zero System could never be used on a wide scale. It can literally tear a users mind apart if they are not strong willed.

Only the cockpits of Gundams Wing Zero and Epyon were fitted with a built in version of the the Zero System, but a modified version of Epyon's Zero System was adapted by Zechs for use as the centralized system of Libra’s MD fleet, and Gundam Sandrock Custom was fitted with a form of Wing Zero's software during episode 44.

Variants

Zero System 2.0

This modified system provided better and more detailed information than the systems in either Wing Zero or its rival, the OZ-13MS Gundam Epyon. However, these improvements came with a price; just as the benefits were strengthened, so were the flaws. While the original Zero System merely urged its pilot to follow certain courses of action, Version 2.0 actually forced them to follow these paths.

Zero System 2.5

This system provided much better technical data and information, but had the drawback of taking control of the mobile suit sometimes when activated. It should be noted, however, that Zero 2.5 lacked the mental effects which its predecessors possessed.

Gallery

Schematic of the Zero System interface.

Schematic of the Zero System interface within the cockpit.

The detailed Zero System interface as it appears in the Rhythm Emotion opening animation.

The Zero System's interface.

Zero System scanning the Peacemillion

The updated Zero System interface in Wing Zero Custom.

The Zero System loads on Sandrock Kai's onboard computer.

The Zero System's software is stored on a large data disc.

The Zero System in Wing Zero overloads as Heero falls into the atmosphere.

Wing Zero's chest glows when the Zero System is active.

The Epyon System makes use of a helmet to interface with the pilot.

The Epyon System's loading screen from the pilot's POV.

The pilot's view while using Epyon System.

Heero Yuy tests the Zero System.

Heero using Zero System.

Heero using Zero System in Wing Zero Custom's cockpit.

Zero tells Heero that the Gundam Scientists are his enemy.

The Zero System can cause vivid hallucinations, such as this one Heero has of Relena.

Heero's mind is overwhelmed.

Heero Yuy is overwhelmed by the Epyon System.

Zechs using Zero System.

Data overwhelms the pilots of Wing Zero and Epyon.

Trant Clark under the influence of the Zero System.

Trant Clark is overwhelmed by the Zero System.

Duo Maxwell under the influence of the Zero System.

Trowa under the influence of the Zero System.

The Zero System returns Trowa's memories to him.

Wufei using Zero System.

Wufei under the influence of the Zero System.

Quatre takes command of the Zero System.

Dorothy Catalonia controls mobile dolls using a modified Epyon System, touchscreen and helmet.

Dorothy and Quatre fight a tactical battle using their modified Zero Systems.

Add a photo to this galleryAdd a photo to this gallery

Notes

• In Super Robot Wars series, the Zero System will be activated once the required points of morale/will (usually at 130 points) of the pilot in the unit with Zero System ability has been reached. In the earlier series, at the time when the Zero System has been activated, all of the pilot's stats point of the pertinent unit will be increased by 10 points. While in the recent series, it increases Accuracy and Evasion by 20 points and 10 points for Melee, Ranged, Defense, and Critical stats (note that there is no animation that indicated the activation of the Zero System in the earlier series whereas the pilot's stats are increased, while it is shown by an animation in the latest series). Wing Zero (Custom) and Epyon are the only units with Zero System ability so far.
  • In Super Robot Wars Z2 Saisei-hen, Zero System is getting two new features, namely:
    1. The morale/will requirement to activate the Zero System reduced to 110, if Heero has gained his Ace Bonus.
    2. The stats point which enhanced by the effect of Zero System will rise even higher, if the Wing Zero has been fully upgraded.
• Neither Wing Zero (Custom) or Epyon has Zero System ability in the Another Century's Episode and Gundam vs Gundam series.
• In Gundam Musou 3, both Wing Zero and Epyon will activate their Zero System (Epyon System for Epyon) once they have defeated 250 enemies. In this game, the Zero System serves as an enhancement for defence stats.
• Whenever Zechs defeats Heero in Gundam Battle Assault 3: Featuring Gundam SEED, Zechs will say that he has more control over the Zero System than Heero.
• In the latest PV for Gundam Extreme Vs, Wing Zero(TV)'s movelist is expanded to add the Zero System as an additional weapon, surrounded in a transparent sphere with red lines, mirroring the same phenomena shown in the cockpit as seen in several scenes in the show as well as the second opening.
• In SD Gundam Capsule Fighter Online, the ZERO System is used in both variants of the Wing Zero, Epyon and Wing Zero Custom. When the unit is down to 50% HP, it increases attack speed and search range, displays all enemies on radar and maximizes attack output.

References

External Links

This article uses Creative Commons licensed content from Wikipedia's ZERO System article. The list of authors can be seen in the page history there.