TV-Series
Description
As leader of the blue-skinned Gamilas Empire, Desslar (also Dessler or Abelt Desler) possesses golden hair and favors a grey officer's uniform with a cape. He combines charm, flamboyance, and a cultured demeanor with arrogance, nihilism, a low tolerance for failure, exceptional military tactics, and a pronounced superiority complex. His initial attacks on Earth stemmed from necessity; Gamilas faced imminent destruction from its unstable ecosystem, compelling him to seek a new homeworld for his people.
During the original Space Battleship Yamato's mission to Iscandar, Desslar orchestrated repeated assaults on the vessel. He expressed frustration at his subordinates' failures while privately admiring the ship's resilience. His strategies included manipulating Gamilas's fragile environment and deploying the powerful "Dessler Gun" energy cannon. When the Yamato reflected the Dessler Gun's beam back at his ship, he narrowly escaped death by teleporting the crippled vessel away, though he drifted helplessly in space afterward.
Revived by the White Comet Empire in Space Battleship Yamato 2, Desslar's bitterness toward the Yamato intensified. He devised elaborate traps, deploying space bacteria disguised as fireflies to disable the ship and luring it into a rigged asteroid. However, after a confrontation with Susumu Kodai and witnessing Yuki Mori's devotion, Desslar experienced a profound change of heart. He renounced his vendetta against Earth, provided critical intelligence to defeat the Comet Empire, and withdrew his forces.
By Yamato: The New Voyage, Desslar led the surviving Gamilas population in search of a new homeworld. Returning to Gamilas for a final farewell, he discovered alien invaders desecrating the planet. His intervention triggered a chain reaction that destroyed Gamilas entirely. He then pursued Iscandar, warning Queen Starsha of the danger, expressing remorse for his past actions, and affirming his transformed motives focused on mutual survival rather than conquest.
In The Bolar Wars (Yamato III), Desslar located the ancestral Galman homeworld, enslaved by the Bolar Federation. Liberating Galman ignited a galaxy-wide conflict between the Galman-Gamilas alliance and Bolar. When a stray Bolar missile destabilized Earth's sun, Desslar formed an uneasy alliance with the Yamato, expressing regret for Earth's entanglement. He dispatched scientists to aid in stabilizing the sun, though these efforts failed. His actions consistently reflected a commitment to protecting both Galman-Gamilas and Earth, culminating in support until the sun's restoration.
Desslar's background reveals his rise to power amid Gamilas civil strife, motivated by a promise to his brother Mathius to secure their species' future. His "Desler Doctrine" advocated expansion to find a habitable planet, initially disregarding ethical costs. Unrequited affection for Starsha of Iscandar further influenced his actions. His evolution from a ruthless dictator to a leader valuing redemption and alliance underscored his character arc, evident in his later efforts to negotiate peace and ensure his people's survival.
During the original Space Battleship Yamato's mission to Iscandar, Desslar orchestrated repeated assaults on the vessel. He expressed frustration at his subordinates' failures while privately admiring the ship's resilience. His strategies included manipulating Gamilas's fragile environment and deploying the powerful "Dessler Gun" energy cannon. When the Yamato reflected the Dessler Gun's beam back at his ship, he narrowly escaped death by teleporting the crippled vessel away, though he drifted helplessly in space afterward.
Revived by the White Comet Empire in Space Battleship Yamato 2, Desslar's bitterness toward the Yamato intensified. He devised elaborate traps, deploying space bacteria disguised as fireflies to disable the ship and luring it into a rigged asteroid. However, after a confrontation with Susumu Kodai and witnessing Yuki Mori's devotion, Desslar experienced a profound change of heart. He renounced his vendetta against Earth, provided critical intelligence to defeat the Comet Empire, and withdrew his forces.
By Yamato: The New Voyage, Desslar led the surviving Gamilas population in search of a new homeworld. Returning to Gamilas for a final farewell, he discovered alien invaders desecrating the planet. His intervention triggered a chain reaction that destroyed Gamilas entirely. He then pursued Iscandar, warning Queen Starsha of the danger, expressing remorse for his past actions, and affirming his transformed motives focused on mutual survival rather than conquest.
In The Bolar Wars (Yamato III), Desslar located the ancestral Galman homeworld, enslaved by the Bolar Federation. Liberating Galman ignited a galaxy-wide conflict between the Galman-Gamilas alliance and Bolar. When a stray Bolar missile destabilized Earth's sun, Desslar formed an uneasy alliance with the Yamato, expressing regret for Earth's entanglement. He dispatched scientists to aid in stabilizing the sun, though these efforts failed. His actions consistently reflected a commitment to protecting both Galman-Gamilas and Earth, culminating in support until the sun's restoration.
Desslar's background reveals his rise to power amid Gamilas civil strife, motivated by a promise to his brother Mathius to secure their species' future. His "Desler Doctrine" advocated expansion to find a habitable planet, initially disregarding ethical costs. Unrequited affection for Starsha of Iscandar further influenced his actions. His evolution from a ruthless dictator to a leader valuing redemption and alliance underscored his character arc, evident in his later efforts to negotiate peace and ensure his people's survival.