OVA
Description
Lino Fernandez is a character created specifically for the animated adaptation of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, expanding on a minor figure from the original manga. He originates from Side 5, specifically the colony of Loum, within the Republic of Loum. His background is defined by his friendship with the real Char Aznable, the son of Roger Aznable, during their high school years. The two shared a dream of enrolling in the Zeon Military Academy and studied together for the entrance exams. Lino remembered his friend as someone easygoing, somewhat naive, and not particularly outstanding in his studies.
In Universal Century 0074, Lino begins his studies at the Zeon Military Academy located at Guardian Banchi in Side 3. During the enrollment ceremony, a young man with sunglasses sits next to him, introducing himself as Char Aznable. This individual is in truth Edouard Mass, the alias of Casval Rem Deikun, who had orchestrated the death of the original Char Aznable to assume his identity. Lino is initially unaware of this deception and at first merely notices that his old friend seems different. As the first roommate of the impostor, Lino begins to observe a series of inconsistencies. The person claiming to be Char displays physical and academic abilities far superior to the friend he remembers, excelling in sports, mastering physics, and achieving perfect scores. His personality has also changed, revealing a coldness and calculation that lead Lino to believe he is dealing with a different person. Lino's strongest suspicion arises when he sees Char without his sunglasses, revealing piercing blue eyes, a detail that contradicts his memory of his friend's eye color. The explanation given by Casval, that cosmic ray damage required him to wear protective glasses, strikes Lino as unconvincing.
Driven by these doubts, Lino seeks definitive proof of the identity theft. He devises a test during a combat simulation against Federation forces. While Char's unit is maneuvering, Lino asks a question about a fabricated Lunaball championship final from their high school days, a game in which the real Char supposedly played a key role. When the impostor distractedly confirms the fake memory, Lino knows for certain he is dealing with a fraud, as that game never existed. With his suspicion confirmed, Lino begins a thorough private investigation. He discovers the existence of an individual named Edouard Mass in the Texas Colony who bears a striking resemblance to Char. Digging deeper, he uncovers connections between the Mass family and key figures such as Teabolo Mass and Jimba Ral, the latter being a former loyal servant of the late Zeon leader Zeon Zum Deikun. Lino searches through historical records, reviewing the events surrounding Zeon Zum Deikun's death, the disappearance of his children Casval and Artesia, and the suspicious death of Jimba Ral. Analyzing photographs from Deikun's funeral, Lino notices a crucial detail: the young Casval Rem Deikun had distinctive blue eyes, identical to those of the Char at the academy. Comparing these images with old photos of the real Char Aznable as a child confirms that the impostor bears a resemblance to Casval, not to his friend. Lino concludes that the real Char Aznable likely died shortly before entering the academy in a planned shuttle accident, and that the man calling himself Char is Casval Rem Deikun, the exiled son of Zeon Zum Deikun, who has infiltrated with the hidden goal of taking revenge on the Zabi family, whom he holds responsible for his father's death and his own exile.
Armed with this knowledge, Lino confronts the impostor directly. In a tense meeting, he reveals that he knows the truth, mentioning the Lunaball trick and calling him Casval Rem Deikun. However, Lino has no desire to expose him. Motivated by his own ideals, Lino expresses his admiration for the deceased Zeon Zum Deikun and his ideology of resistance against Earth's domination. He voices his support for the Ral family, who remained loyal to Deikun, and his rejection of the Zabi dictatorship, which he believes murdered Deikun. To Lino, Casval is not an impostor but the embodiment of hope, the legitimate heir destined to restore his father's ideals. Driven by this idealism, Lino makes a bold offer: he swears loyalty to Casval and offers to actively participate in the dangerous mission of vengeance against the Zabi. He genuinely believes that, as a friend of the real Char, he can be the true comrade Casval needs. As a symbol of this loyalty and to help Casval maintain his disguise, Lino gives him a pair of modified sunglasses or a mask, adapted from Lunaball equipment, designed to hide his revealing blue eyes. This gesture, ironically, provides Casval with the element that would become the most iconic symbol of Char Aznable.
Lino's fate is sealed during the Dawn Rebellion of Universal Century 0077, an uprising of approximately two hundred Zeon Military Academy cadets, nominally led by Garma Zabi, against the Earth Federation garrison at Guardian Banchi. In the midst of the planned chaos, Casval Rem Deikun, acting as Char Aznable, makes a fatal decision: Lino Fernandez must die. The exact reasons remain unclear but likely include the fear that Lino might reveal his identity, the concern that Lino was not a fully controllable ally, or Casval's own psychological need to sever ties with his past in order to fully assume the role of Char Aznable. The execution is calculated. During the chaos, Char leads Lino away from the main assault, isolates him, and then shoots him in the back, making it appear that Lino was killed by Federation forces. The act allows Casval to eliminate the only person who knew his true identity and who possessed the intelligence and connection to threaten his mission. Lino's death marks the final consolidation of the Char Aznable identity and removes the last living link to the original person whose name was being used. His character serves as a tragic figure, a loyal friend whose idealism and intelligence ultimately led him to uncover a secret that cost him his life.
In Universal Century 0074, Lino begins his studies at the Zeon Military Academy located at Guardian Banchi in Side 3. During the enrollment ceremony, a young man with sunglasses sits next to him, introducing himself as Char Aznable. This individual is in truth Edouard Mass, the alias of Casval Rem Deikun, who had orchestrated the death of the original Char Aznable to assume his identity. Lino is initially unaware of this deception and at first merely notices that his old friend seems different. As the first roommate of the impostor, Lino begins to observe a series of inconsistencies. The person claiming to be Char displays physical and academic abilities far superior to the friend he remembers, excelling in sports, mastering physics, and achieving perfect scores. His personality has also changed, revealing a coldness and calculation that lead Lino to believe he is dealing with a different person. Lino's strongest suspicion arises when he sees Char without his sunglasses, revealing piercing blue eyes, a detail that contradicts his memory of his friend's eye color. The explanation given by Casval, that cosmic ray damage required him to wear protective glasses, strikes Lino as unconvincing.
Driven by these doubts, Lino seeks definitive proof of the identity theft. He devises a test during a combat simulation against Federation forces. While Char's unit is maneuvering, Lino asks a question about a fabricated Lunaball championship final from their high school days, a game in which the real Char supposedly played a key role. When the impostor distractedly confirms the fake memory, Lino knows for certain he is dealing with a fraud, as that game never existed. With his suspicion confirmed, Lino begins a thorough private investigation. He discovers the existence of an individual named Edouard Mass in the Texas Colony who bears a striking resemblance to Char. Digging deeper, he uncovers connections between the Mass family and key figures such as Teabolo Mass and Jimba Ral, the latter being a former loyal servant of the late Zeon leader Zeon Zum Deikun. Lino searches through historical records, reviewing the events surrounding Zeon Zum Deikun's death, the disappearance of his children Casval and Artesia, and the suspicious death of Jimba Ral. Analyzing photographs from Deikun's funeral, Lino notices a crucial detail: the young Casval Rem Deikun had distinctive blue eyes, identical to those of the Char at the academy. Comparing these images with old photos of the real Char Aznable as a child confirms that the impostor bears a resemblance to Casval, not to his friend. Lino concludes that the real Char Aznable likely died shortly before entering the academy in a planned shuttle accident, and that the man calling himself Char is Casval Rem Deikun, the exiled son of Zeon Zum Deikun, who has infiltrated with the hidden goal of taking revenge on the Zabi family, whom he holds responsible for his father's death and his own exile.
Armed with this knowledge, Lino confronts the impostor directly. In a tense meeting, he reveals that he knows the truth, mentioning the Lunaball trick and calling him Casval Rem Deikun. However, Lino has no desire to expose him. Motivated by his own ideals, Lino expresses his admiration for the deceased Zeon Zum Deikun and his ideology of resistance against Earth's domination. He voices his support for the Ral family, who remained loyal to Deikun, and his rejection of the Zabi dictatorship, which he believes murdered Deikun. To Lino, Casval is not an impostor but the embodiment of hope, the legitimate heir destined to restore his father's ideals. Driven by this idealism, Lino makes a bold offer: he swears loyalty to Casval and offers to actively participate in the dangerous mission of vengeance against the Zabi. He genuinely believes that, as a friend of the real Char, he can be the true comrade Casval needs. As a symbol of this loyalty and to help Casval maintain his disguise, Lino gives him a pair of modified sunglasses or a mask, adapted from Lunaball equipment, designed to hide his revealing blue eyes. This gesture, ironically, provides Casval with the element that would become the most iconic symbol of Char Aznable.
Lino's fate is sealed during the Dawn Rebellion of Universal Century 0077, an uprising of approximately two hundred Zeon Military Academy cadets, nominally led by Garma Zabi, against the Earth Federation garrison at Guardian Banchi. In the midst of the planned chaos, Casval Rem Deikun, acting as Char Aznable, makes a fatal decision: Lino Fernandez must die. The exact reasons remain unclear but likely include the fear that Lino might reveal his identity, the concern that Lino was not a fully controllable ally, or Casval's own psychological need to sever ties with his past in order to fully assume the role of Char Aznable. The execution is calculated. During the chaos, Char leads Lino away from the main assault, isolates him, and then shoots him in the back, making it appear that Lino was killed by Federation forces. The act allows Casval to eliminate the only person who knew his true identity and who possessed the intelligence and connection to threaten his mission. Lino's death marks the final consolidation of the Char Aznable identity and removes the last living link to the original person whose name was being used. His character serves as a tragic figure, a loyal friend whose idealism and intelligence ultimately led him to uncover a secret that cost him his life.