OVA
Description
Marida Cruz is a fictional character from the anime Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn. She is a Cyber Newtype and a genetic clone of the original Elpeo Ple from the earlier series Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ. Originally designated as Ple Twelve, she was created as part of Glemy Toto's clone army during the First Neo Zeon War and was engineered to be a superior version of the original Ple, with enhanced capabilities for high mobility and high-G combat. She fought using AMX-004G Qubeley Mass Production Type mobile suits and was one of the few surviving clones after a catastrophic battle with the Geymalk in early UC 0089. Following this, she was captured by human traffickers and sold into sexual slavery in a colony brothel, where she endured years of severe abuse that left her reproductive system damaged and her body deeply scarred. She was eventually rescued by Suberoa Zinnerman, a veteran of the One Year War and a member of the Neo Zeon remnant faction called the Sleeves. Under his care, she was given the name Marida Cruz and returned to service as a mobile suit pilot, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade. She became the primary operator of the NZ-666 Kshatriya, a heavily armed mobile suit equipped with funnels that complemented her Cyber Newtype abilities, and served aboard the freighter Garencieres under Zinnerman's command.
Marida initially presents as a calm, disciplined, and emotionally distant individual who views herself primarily as a weapon designed to follow orders. She refers to Zinnerman as Master, a habit that irritates him, and carries out his commands without question. She is deeply conditioned to have an instinctive, overwhelming hatred of Gundams, which causes her to prioritize their destruction even when it conflicts with her mission objectives. Despite this cold exterior, she possesses a deep, hidden capacity for kindness, empathy, and maternal care. Children on the colony Palau affectionately call her Big Sis, and she is described as being protective and gentle with younger individuals. Her traumatic past has left her with profound psychological scars, and she struggles with viewing herself as anything other than a tool. Her core motivation is loyalty to Zinnerman, whom she comes to see as a father figure, and obedience to the chain of command as a soldier. Over the course of the story, her motivations shift from merely fulfilling orders to seeking personal connection and understanding, as she begins to rediscover her own humanity.
In the story, Marida plays a crucial role as a pilot for the Sleeves during the Laplace Incident of UC 0096. She first encounters the protagonist Banagher Links and his RX-0 Unicorn Gundam during the battle at Industrial 7, where her programmed hatred of Gundams drives her to pursue him relentlessly. During a subsequent battle at Palau, she is defeated by the Unicorn Gundam, and in the moment of shared psychic resonance, Banagher learns the full extent of her tragic past. She is taken prisoner by the Earth Federation and later subjected to psychological reconditioning by Martha Vist Carbine of the Vist Foundation. Under this conditioning, she is forced to pilot the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee and becomes hostile toward Banagher once more. However, through Banagher's persistent kindness and Zinnerman's desperate efforts to reach her, she eventually breaks free from the conditioning, reasserting her own identity. In the final stages of the conflict, she pilots the heavily damaged Kshatriya Repaired to protect Banagher and the Nahel Argama. During a confrontation with Riddhe Marcenas in the Banshee, she is mortally wounded by a beam magnum. In her final moments, her spirit reaches out to calm Riddhe's rage and guide him toward redemption, also warning the crew of an incoming threat. Her death profoundly affects both Banagher and Riddhe and serves as a catalyst for key developments in the climax.
Her key relationships define her character arc. Suberoa Zinnerman is the most important figure in her life; he rescued her from slavery and became a surrogate father. Their bond evolves from a formal master-subordinate dynamic to a genuine familial love, with Marida eventually calling him Father instead of Master. Banagher Links is initially an enemy but becomes instrumental in her psychological healing through his unconditional kindness and refusal to give up on her. Their psychic connection during battle allows for mutual understanding and helps Marida confront her own trauma. Riddhe Marcenas is the pilot who ultimately kills her, but her posthumous influence helps him overcome his own hatred and despair. She carries the genetic memories of her clone sisters and the original Elpeo Ple, sharing Ple's fondness for ice cream, and is burdened by being the sole survivor of her line.
Her notable abilities stem from her nature as a Cyber Newtype clone. She possesses enhanced psychic faculties including clairvoyance, telepathy, and the ability to sense other Newtypes' positions, emotions, and hostility. Her conditioning made her more mentally stable and combat-capable than many other Cyber Newtypes. She is an exceptional mobile suit pilot, particularly skilled in using funnel-equipped machines. Her signature combat tactic involves overwhelming opponents with multidirectional beam attacks from up to eighteen funnels while using the pressure of these attacks to restrict the enemy's movement, reserving the Kshatriya's mega particle cannons as a finishing option. She is also proficient in military martial arts and demonstrates considerable physical strength and resilience. Her character design and narrative arc serve as a poignant representation of the dehumanizing effects of war and the possibility of reclaiming individuality and compassion even after immense suffering.
Marida initially presents as a calm, disciplined, and emotionally distant individual who views herself primarily as a weapon designed to follow orders. She refers to Zinnerman as Master, a habit that irritates him, and carries out his commands without question. She is deeply conditioned to have an instinctive, overwhelming hatred of Gundams, which causes her to prioritize their destruction even when it conflicts with her mission objectives. Despite this cold exterior, she possesses a deep, hidden capacity for kindness, empathy, and maternal care. Children on the colony Palau affectionately call her Big Sis, and she is described as being protective and gentle with younger individuals. Her traumatic past has left her with profound psychological scars, and she struggles with viewing herself as anything other than a tool. Her core motivation is loyalty to Zinnerman, whom she comes to see as a father figure, and obedience to the chain of command as a soldier. Over the course of the story, her motivations shift from merely fulfilling orders to seeking personal connection and understanding, as she begins to rediscover her own humanity.
In the story, Marida plays a crucial role as a pilot for the Sleeves during the Laplace Incident of UC 0096. She first encounters the protagonist Banagher Links and his RX-0 Unicorn Gundam during the battle at Industrial 7, where her programmed hatred of Gundams drives her to pursue him relentlessly. During a subsequent battle at Palau, she is defeated by the Unicorn Gundam, and in the moment of shared psychic resonance, Banagher learns the full extent of her tragic past. She is taken prisoner by the Earth Federation and later subjected to psychological reconditioning by Martha Vist Carbine of the Vist Foundation. Under this conditioning, she is forced to pilot the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee and becomes hostile toward Banagher once more. However, through Banagher's persistent kindness and Zinnerman's desperate efforts to reach her, she eventually breaks free from the conditioning, reasserting her own identity. In the final stages of the conflict, she pilots the heavily damaged Kshatriya Repaired to protect Banagher and the Nahel Argama. During a confrontation with Riddhe Marcenas in the Banshee, she is mortally wounded by a beam magnum. In her final moments, her spirit reaches out to calm Riddhe's rage and guide him toward redemption, also warning the crew of an incoming threat. Her death profoundly affects both Banagher and Riddhe and serves as a catalyst for key developments in the climax.
Her key relationships define her character arc. Suberoa Zinnerman is the most important figure in her life; he rescued her from slavery and became a surrogate father. Their bond evolves from a formal master-subordinate dynamic to a genuine familial love, with Marida eventually calling him Father instead of Master. Banagher Links is initially an enemy but becomes instrumental in her psychological healing through his unconditional kindness and refusal to give up on her. Their psychic connection during battle allows for mutual understanding and helps Marida confront her own trauma. Riddhe Marcenas is the pilot who ultimately kills her, but her posthumous influence helps him overcome his own hatred and despair. She carries the genetic memories of her clone sisters and the original Elpeo Ple, sharing Ple's fondness for ice cream, and is burdened by being the sole survivor of her line.
Her notable abilities stem from her nature as a Cyber Newtype clone. She possesses enhanced psychic faculties including clairvoyance, telepathy, and the ability to sense other Newtypes' positions, emotions, and hostility. Her conditioning made her more mentally stable and combat-capable than many other Cyber Newtypes. She is an exceptional mobile suit pilot, particularly skilled in using funnel-equipped machines. Her signature combat tactic involves overwhelming opponents with multidirectional beam attacks from up to eighteen funnels while using the pressure of these attacks to restrict the enemy's movement, reserving the Kshatriya's mega particle cannons as a finishing option. She is also proficient in military martial arts and demonstrates considerable physical strength and resilience. Her character design and narrative arc serve as a poignant representation of the dehumanizing effects of war and the possibility of reclaiming individuality and compassion even after immense suffering.