TV-Series
Description
Martin DaCosta is a Coordinator and a supporting character who first appears in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED as a junior officer in ZAFT, serving as the second-in-command and loyal aide to the eccentric commander Andrew Waltfeld. He is a dutiful and earnest soldier, often described as long-suffering and somewhat uptight, which sometimes draws teasing from his superior. His primary role during the early conflict is to relay Waltfeld’s orders to their subordinates and to command the land battleship Lesseps whenever Waltfeld personally sorties into battle.
DaCosta’s motivations are rooted in loyalty to his commander and to ZAFT, but his perspective shifts after Waltfeld is defeated and the Lesseps is heavily damaged. Following this, he becomes involved with the Clyne Faction, helping to move Lacus Clyne to safety after the theft of the Freedom Gundam and later participating in the rescue of Athrun Zala from his father Patrick Zala’s imprisonment. He subsequently serves aboard the stolen ZAFT support ship Eternal, now captained by his former superior Waltfeld.
In the manga Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Astray R, DaCosta’s encounter with the Natural pilot Lowe Guele deepens his understanding of the war. After Lowe, a Natural, defends him and his Coordinator crew from anti-Coordinator forces, DaCosta begins to question the conflict between Naturals and Coordinators. This experience likely solidifies his commitment to the Clyne Faction’s goal of ending the war.
During Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny, DaCosta works as an intelligence gatherer for Lacus, investigating Chairman Gilbert Durandal’s activities. He manages to uncover details about the Destiny Plan while investigating the Mendel Colony, but his escape inadvertently leads ZAFT forces to the Eternal and Terminal’s secret mobile suit manufacturing plant. Despite this setback, he continues to serve loyally. He later appears in the theatrical film Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM, where he briefly assists Waltfeld in suppressing a coup within the PLANTs.
Key relationships include his enduring bond with Andrew Waltfeld, whom he follows across multiple conflicts; his cooperation with Athrun Zala and Lacus Clyne as part of the anti-Patrick Zala movement; and his respectful friendship with Lowe Guele, which challenges his earlier assumptions about Naturals. DaCosta is not a mobile suit pilot but is a capable commander and staff officer, skilled in logistics, battlefield coordination, and intelligence operations. His development from a by-the-book ZAFT officer to a more thoughtful, war-weary member of a peace-seeking faction illustrates the broader theme of personal growth amid the war’s complexities.
DaCosta’s motivations are rooted in loyalty to his commander and to ZAFT, but his perspective shifts after Waltfeld is defeated and the Lesseps is heavily damaged. Following this, he becomes involved with the Clyne Faction, helping to move Lacus Clyne to safety after the theft of the Freedom Gundam and later participating in the rescue of Athrun Zala from his father Patrick Zala’s imprisonment. He subsequently serves aboard the stolen ZAFT support ship Eternal, now captained by his former superior Waltfeld.
In the manga Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Astray R, DaCosta’s encounter with the Natural pilot Lowe Guele deepens his understanding of the war. After Lowe, a Natural, defends him and his Coordinator crew from anti-Coordinator forces, DaCosta begins to question the conflict between Naturals and Coordinators. This experience likely solidifies his commitment to the Clyne Faction’s goal of ending the war.
During Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny, DaCosta works as an intelligence gatherer for Lacus, investigating Chairman Gilbert Durandal’s activities. He manages to uncover details about the Destiny Plan while investigating the Mendel Colony, but his escape inadvertently leads ZAFT forces to the Eternal and Terminal’s secret mobile suit manufacturing plant. Despite this setback, he continues to serve loyally. He later appears in the theatrical film Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM, where he briefly assists Waltfeld in suppressing a coup within the PLANTs.
Key relationships include his enduring bond with Andrew Waltfeld, whom he follows across multiple conflicts; his cooperation with Athrun Zala and Lacus Clyne as part of the anti-Patrick Zala movement; and his respectful friendship with Lowe Guele, which challenges his earlier assumptions about Naturals. DaCosta is not a mobile suit pilot but is a capable commander and staff officer, skilled in logistics, battlefield coordination, and intelligence operations. His development from a by-the-book ZAFT officer to a more thoughtful, war-weary member of a peace-seeking faction illustrates the broader theme of personal growth amid the war’s complexities.