History Characters / MobileSuitGundam

* NonActionBigBad: Gihren's a schemer and an orator, not a frontline combatant. He directs Zeon's strategy and orders their atrocities without ever lifting a finger to fight himself.

->Voiced by: Creator/DaisukeGori (JP), Creator/TesshoGenda (JP, compilation movies and, starting with ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriorsGundam 3'', every game where his dialogue is newly recorded, French Tickner (EN, TV series), Peter Spellos (EN, Movies)

* DeflectorShields: The Big Zam comes equipped with them, making it impervious to beam weapons.

** Supplementary material also states that he had a mistress named Marlene Karn (Maharaja Karn's daughter and [[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Haman Karn]]'s older sister) who was supposedly quite the looker as well.

->Voiced by: Creator/TesshoGenda (JP, TV series), Creator/MakioInoue (JP, Movies), Bill Mondy (EN)

* OnlySaneMan: Frequently shown as this to Amuro.

* WillTheyOrWontThey: The entire show is more-or-less this for her and Amuro, intensity of a raging war varying. The answer is [[spoiler: he finally refers to her ''very'' affectionately in the GrandFinale with his PsychicPowers, but we don't know. MaybeEverAfter.]].

* TeamMom: Lt. Sleggar verbally announces her to be like a mom to the White Base crew.

* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: If Zeon is Japan and Gihren is Tojo, then Degwin is Hirohito, a man who has a grand name and prestige, but no actual power.

* WomenAreWiser: Frequently shown as this to Amuro.

* ForWantOfANail: [[spoiler:Garma's fate can be averted in the video game ''VideoGame/GihrensGreed'', and if certain conditions are met he will break away from Gihren's command and form his own Zeon faction]]. Further played with in ''[[VideoGame/GundamVsSeries Gundam Vs. Zeta Gundam]]'', where [[spoiler:Garma can also be saved from his doomed assault on the White Base, but unlike in ''Gihren's Greed'' Char will just find another way to kill him later]].

->Voiced by: Yumi Nakatani (JP), Lenore Zann (EN, TV series), Dian Andrews (EN, Movies)

* WillTheyOrWontThey: The entire show is more-or-less this for her and Amuro, intensity of a raging war varying. The answer is [[spoiler: he finally refers to her ''very'' affectionately in the GrandFinale with his PsychicPowers, but we don't know. They don't get together in the sequels]].

* TrueBeautyIsOnTheInside: Mirai is by no means uneasy on the eyes, but she's a shining example of this. The big reason why she's in the middle of a LoveDodecahedron is because all her suitors see past appearances for the person that she is-- even Cameron, who grows to genuinely love her beyond their ArrangedMarriage.

* WillTheyOrWontThey: The entire show is more-or-less this for her and Amuro, intensity of a raging war varying. The answer is [[spoiler: he finally refers to her ''very'' affectionately in the GrandFinale with his PsychicPowers, but we don't know. MaybeEverAfter]].

** If you consider Zeon a stand-in for Japan, then he is the Hideki Tojo to his father's Hirohito [[note]]in which case Degwin's glasses can also be viewed as a ShoutOut to the Emperor[[/note]]. A ruthless politician and military leader who operates through a figurehead, perpetrates war crimes on foreign territories he claims to be liberating and fuels those under him with his charismatic speeches.

** Haman Karn and her Axis/Neo-Zeon, appearing in the second half of ''Zeta Gundam'' and as the BigBad of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ'', were Zabi loyalist forces that fled to Axis and invaded Earth, at least purportedly in [[EvilChancellor Haman]]'s case, to reestablish the Zabi family dictatorship Gihren had once presided over. On the other side of the BigBadEnsemble, [[spoiler:[[TheStarscream Glemy Toto]] is his biological son ([[AllThereinthemanual side material reveals]] he was a test-drive baby born of Gihren and an unknown Newtype woman) who seeks to usurp Haman and reestablish the Zabis with himself at the helm.]]

** Haman Karn and her Axis/Neo-Zeon, appearing in the second half of ''Zeta Gundam'' and as the BigBad of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ'', were Zabi loyalist forces that fled to Axis and invaded Earth, at least purportedly in [[EvilChancellor Haman]]'s case, to reestablish the Zabi family dictatorship Gihren had once presided over. On the other side of the BigBadEnsemble, [[spoiler:[[TheStarscream Glemy Toto]] is a clone of him (or possibly his [[BastardBastard illegitimate son]]) who seeks to usurp Haman and reestablish the Zabis with himself at the helm.]]

* HeroesWantRedheads: Specifically, Matilda. Also inverted, considering Amuro's a redhead himself, and Frau definitely wants him.

* HeroesWantRedheads: Miharu, for a start, and he also has a bit of a crush on Matilda ([[HeadTurningBeauty along with the rest of the crew]]).

* CantCatchUp: To Amuro (or Sayla and Kai for that matter).

* TheLoad: He isn't, but partway through the series he feels like it.

* PintSizedPowerHouse: He can even throw Ryu.

* TeamMom: Is nicknamed "the mother of the White Base".
* TrueBeautyIsOnTheInside: She's not meant to be pretty. She's also a shining example of this, and that's why she's in the middle of a LoveDodecahedron.

* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:Dies executing a HeroicSacrifice to ensure the safety of the Gundam and his comrades in the ''White Base''.]]
* NumberTwo: Seems to share this role with Mirai.

* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:Meets his end when he accidentally falls off a flight of stairs and succumbs to his injuries.]]

* KilledOffForReal: He and Degwin Zabi [[spoiler:are killed together when Gihren fires the Solar Ray]].

* KilledOffForReal: Dies performing a HeroicSacrifice to save ''White Base''.

* EagleLand: Mixed. He's brash, cocky, arrogant, and a shameless flirt, but an excellent pilot and a decent guy once you get past his unrefined exterior.

* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:Makes a kamikaze attack on the Big Zam to give Amuro an opening. He does not survive it]].

* OutrankingYourJob: As a Lieutenant JG, he's serving under Mirai, who's an ''Ensign'' and the ship's first officer. The job he's actually performing (pilot) is perfectly suited to his rank, but he's technically the senior officer aboard ''White Base'' and ranks equally with TheCaptain. There ''is'' an apocalyptic war going on, though; these things happen.

* BrattyHalfPint: Times three. Complete with "loud", "obnoxious", and "trouble-making".
** Semi-subverted as the kids also do go out of their way to be useful whenever possible, especially during the above incident in Jaburo.

* KilledOffForReal: Once Gihren has the WaveMotionGun "accidentally" fire on his vessel when he was going to make peace with the enemy.

* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:Shot through the head by Kycilia after he goes too far and orders the death of their father]].

* KilledOffForReal: In an epic DyingMomentOfAwesome, trying (futilely) to stop the Gundam.

* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:Char offs her via a rocket launcher to the head in the finale]].

* KilledOffForReal: The first member of the Zabi family to meet his death by getting shot down by the ship he was intending to kamikaze his own into.

* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:When cornered by the White Base crew, he opts to blow himself up with a grenade rather than be captured]].

* KilledOffForReal: Is killed when Ryu Jose rams his Core Fighter into the Magella Top, killing them both.

* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:He does not survive his final duel with Amuro's Gundam]].

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Earlier transliterations spell his name as "Makube", meant to be pronounced "Mah-Koo-Bay" with inflection on the first syllable. The official transliteration since the beginning of the 2000s was M'Quve, pronounced "Muh-Koo-Vay" with inflection on the second syllable. This second spelling and pronunciation is odd for a number of reasons. Most noticeably, it makes his name appear to be Swahili in origin. But given ''Gundam's'' tendency for characters of ambiguous race or ethnicity, M'Quve, despite his European looks, could very well be a mixture of anything.

* KilledOffForReal: Her death by getting in the way of Amuro and the Gundam's beam saber is one of the most infamous deaths of the series, and one that hangs over both Amuro and Char for years to come.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Official sources tend to waffle between the spellings "Sun" and "Sune" for her last name. Also, the 1980 Italian dub rendered her given name as "Lara" instead of "Lalah", [[JapaneseRanguage probably as a result of the lack of an L/R distinction in Japanese]].

* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:See DeathByFallingOver. She gets heavily injured, gets wrecked by her own injuries and falls off her downed plane.]]

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Her name is pronounced either "Eesehlina" (English) or "Eeserina" (Japanese).

* KilledOffForReal: Dies falling out of the Gunperry. Her death was a kick to the teeth for Kai.

* FourStarBadass: Dear ''Lord'', yes. Dozle's an admiral and gives Amuro one of his hardest fights.

* FourStarBadass: Has the rank of Admiral.

* EvilMakesYouUgly: Tomino invoked this by designing her appearance with traits he found unappealing, namely a [[LeanAndMean wire-like, almost skeletal figure]] and [[VillainousCheekbones ghastly sharp cheekbones]]. It hasn't stopped fans from [[EvilIsSexy finding her attractive]] though.

* MultiEthnicName: A Japanese first name and a Spanish surname.

* AntagonistOffspring: In private he does little to hide his contempt for Degwin or his view of him being an outdated relic. [[spoiler:Culminating in him blowing Degwin away at the first opportunity.]]

* EvilerThanThou: He's given a number of scenes that contrast him with the other villains (most notably Kycilia) that establish him as the most morally black character in the series.

** Gihren's what happens when TheEvilPrince meets UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler [[ANaziByAnyOtherName By Any Other Name]]. In addition to their ideological similarities, he shares Hitler's overconfidence, reliance on superweapons, underestimation of his enemies, oratorical abilities, and willingness to betray those closest to him in order to remain in power. Various sidematerials and sidestories continue to add parallels between the two, with ''The Plot to Assassinate Gihren'' manga being a direct reference to the RealLife Operation Valkyrie and the television film ''The Plot to Kill Hitler''.

* NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist: Professes to be doing everything he's doing to bring about peace, when his real ambition is to make himself emperor of the Earth Sphere and stomp down anyone who tries to resist him.

* VillainousLineage: Of all the Zabi siblings, Gihren seems to have inherited their father's worst traits and amplified them. [[spoiler:He also passed them down, in [[BastardBastard some way]] or another, to [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ Glemmy Toto]].]]

* AlasPoorVillain: [[spoiler:He's the first of his family to die, even though he's the nicest of them, and comes when he's betrayed by one of his closest friends, who takes time to mock him before leaving him to his fate. It also comes after he affirmed his love to his fiancee Icelina and vowed to quit Zeon altogether if his father didn't approve of them.]]

[[folder:Darcia Bakharo]]

* FullNameBasis: On a regular basis. There's no explanation for why.

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: In Northern Ireland. It only lasts overnight.

* VillainousLineage: Of all the Zabi siblings, Gihren seems to have inherited their father's worst traits and amplified them. [[spoiler:He also passed them down, in [[BastardBastard some way]] or [[CloningBlues another]], to [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ Glemmy Toto]].]]

* BelligerentSexualTension: Kai's first encounter with involved a BitchSlap, she rolled her eyes at him for most of the show... it's also worth noting that Sayla fully fits the description of the ideal girlfriend Kai's describing at one point... and eventually he offhandedly and casually says he loves her. It’s not shown if she reciprocated, but as the show goes on she at least softened up with him, and Kai's the one who catches her [[spoiler:after she escapes A Baoa Qu]], when she's naturally quite happy to see ''him''.

* BadassNormal: Despite a complete lack of Newtype powers ([[spoiler:beyond the baseline sensitivity that the whole crew develops by A Baoa Qu]]), he's arguably the most reliable pilot on the White Base's roster.
* BelligerentSexualTension: Arguably with DefrostingIceQueen Sayla. Their first encounter involved a BitchSlap, she rolled her eyes at him for most of the show... it's also worth noting that Sayla fully fits the description of the ideal girlfriend Kai's describing at one point... and eventually he offhandedly and casually says he loves her. It’s not shown if she reciprocated, but as the show goes on she at least softened up with him, and Kai's the one who catches her [[spoiler:after she escapes A Baoa Qu]], when she's naturally quite happy to see ''him''.

* FamilyOfChoice: Three orphaned kids who start viewing each other as siblings. Also Frau as their older sister, and they're also arguably the genesis, nucleus, and symbolic for the whole crew eventually viewing each other as a family.

* AlasPoorVillain: [[spoiler:Is the first of his family to die, even though he's arguably the nicest of them, and comes when he's betrayed by one of his closest friends, who takes time to mock him before leaving him to his fate. It also comes after he affirmed his love to his fiancee Icelina and vowed to quit Zeon altogether if his father didn't approve of them.]]

* SwordFight: Battles Char with some sword in the finale.

* WeCanRuleTogether: Char tries offering Amuro a chance to rule over the world together at the end [[spoiler:by claiming they should work together and it's "what Lalah would have wanted"]]. Amuro is loudly, furiously, and disgustedly uninterested.

* BelligerentSexualTension: Arguably with DefrostingIceQueen Sayla. Their first encounter involved a BitchSlap, she rolled her eyes at him for most of the show... and eventually he casually says he loves her. It’s not shown if she reciprocated, but as the show goes on she at least softened up with him.

* CowardlyLion: Emphasis on the 'lion' bit. His cowardice mostly consists of incessant grumbling and a TenMinuteRetirement whilst the White Base was safely docked in port - otherwise, he's typically amongst the first into the fray, and serves as a very reliable (if abrasive) soldier throughout the One Year War.

* UptownGirl: Downplayed, but Kai does appear to develop at least affectionate feelings for Miss "How dare you speak to me so casually", even if Sayla's circumstances mean she's more of a FallenPrincess in reality.

* SwordFight: With Char in the finale.
* TankGoodness: The G-Bull.

* WeCanRuleTogether: Char tries this at the end [[spoiler:by claiming they should work together and it's "what Lalah would have wanted"]]. Amuro is loudly, furiously, and disgustedly uninterested.

* TookALevelInBadass: From getting the Gundam's foot sliced off and ending up a DamselInDistress to AcePilot manning the. G-Fighter and G-Armor. YouGoGirl

* {{Straw Hypocrite}}: Gihren, like the rest of Zeon's leadership, talks a good game about how humanity has polluted the Earth and must be moved into space. He also gasses millions of people and tries to ColonyDrop the planet in the backstory, before invading the planet with military force. He also gives the lie to his claims of liberating the colonies, when he has several of them gassed, and forcibly relocates the population of another one to create his Solar Ray. {{Justified|Trope}} as Gihren honestly doesn't care about Zeon's political stance--he just wants to be the most powerful man in the world.