OVA
Description
Hailing from the Metanoid Empire, scientist and technician Hardgear arrives on La Metalle amidst an environmental catastrophe. The planet's artificial sun is failing, causing freezing temperatures and widespread starvation. Hardgear proposes mechanization—converting organic bodies into machine forms—as the only survival path, earning Queen Promethium's trust (also known as La Andromeda Promethium or Yayoi Yukino).
He facilitates mechanization via an implant that multiplies internally, systematically replacing organic matter with mechanical parts until complete transformation is achieved. Queen Promethium undergoes the procedure first and mandates it for her people, unaware Hardgear's true goal is planetary domination. His plan uses mechanization to erase individuality and free will, rendering the populace subservient.
Hardgear employs manipulation and coercion. He exploits the queen's desperation, positioning himself as essential while secretly orchestrating riots to accelerate dependence on mechanization. He dispatches subordinates like Cast to eliminate dissenters, including attempts to assassinate Queen Promethium's daughters, Maetel and Emeraldas, who oppose mechanization philosophically. His actions stem from a belief in machine superiority and inherent flaws in organic life.
As mechanization spreads, converting approximately 80% of La Metalle, Hardgear's influence grows. His physical form displays mechanical lesions that spread like disease spots, symbolizing bodily corruption. His demeanor remains calculated and empathy-free, often depicted in recurring scenes emphasizing cold persistence, such as repeatedly drinking wine while overseeing the planet's transformation.
The climax sees Maetel and Emeraldas confront Hardgear after uncovering his treachery. Though they defeat him, they cannot reverse the populace's mechanization or their mother's transformation. Realizing her irreversible loss of humanity, Queen Promethium confronts Hardgear alone in a final act of defiance, ensuring her daughters escape La Metalle. Hardgear's ultimate fate is ambiguous, but his legacy persists through the establishment of the antagonistic Machine Empire within the broader Leijiverse timeline.
His character serves as the narrative catalyst for the Machine Empire's origin and the ethical conflicts surrounding mechanization explored in later series like *Galaxy Express 999*. No evidence indicates his appearance or mention in subsequent media beyond the events of *Maetel Legend*.
He facilitates mechanization via an implant that multiplies internally, systematically replacing organic matter with mechanical parts until complete transformation is achieved. Queen Promethium undergoes the procedure first and mandates it for her people, unaware Hardgear's true goal is planetary domination. His plan uses mechanization to erase individuality and free will, rendering the populace subservient.
Hardgear employs manipulation and coercion. He exploits the queen's desperation, positioning himself as essential while secretly orchestrating riots to accelerate dependence on mechanization. He dispatches subordinates like Cast to eliminate dissenters, including attempts to assassinate Queen Promethium's daughters, Maetel and Emeraldas, who oppose mechanization philosophically. His actions stem from a belief in machine superiority and inherent flaws in organic life.
As mechanization spreads, converting approximately 80% of La Metalle, Hardgear's influence grows. His physical form displays mechanical lesions that spread like disease spots, symbolizing bodily corruption. His demeanor remains calculated and empathy-free, often depicted in recurring scenes emphasizing cold persistence, such as repeatedly drinking wine while overseeing the planet's transformation.
The climax sees Maetel and Emeraldas confront Hardgear after uncovering his treachery. Though they defeat him, they cannot reverse the populace's mechanization or their mother's transformation. Realizing her irreversible loss of humanity, Queen Promethium confronts Hardgear alone in a final act of defiance, ensuring her daughters escape La Metalle. Hardgear's ultimate fate is ambiguous, but his legacy persists through the establishment of the antagonistic Machine Empire within the broader Leijiverse timeline.
His character serves as the narrative catalyst for the Machine Empire's origin and the ethical conflicts surrounding mechanization explored in later series like *Galaxy Express 999*. No evidence indicates his appearance or mention in subsequent media beyond the events of *Maetel Legend*.