10. ZGMF-X88S Gaia
Being one of the second stage series Mobile Suits, Gaia features new technology and abilities that have not yet been seen before in Gundam SEED. The most interesting and unique feature of Gaia may be its ability to transform from a Mobile Suit into a unique Mobile Armor that is a four-legged buCUE that gallops instead of gliding. This kind of Mobile Armor has never been seen before in Gundam SEED and in the entirety of Gundam SEED, only the Gaia has this kind of Mobile Armor form.
The galloping action of its Mobile Armor form enables the Gaia to be able to move even in rough environments. Although this makes the Gaia very maneuverable in land, the Gaia itself cannot fly in the Earth’s atmosphere.
In combat, the Mobile Suit form of the Gaia is designed for mid-range to close range combat, the Mobile Armor form of the Gaia, although can fight at mid-range, was designed for close combat. For close combat, the Gaia is equipped with a shield, a pair of beam sabers, a beam riffle, and two beam cannons that are mounted on its back. It is also equipped with two small machine guns mounted on its head mainly for shooting down missiles.
In Mobile Armor form, the Gaia has similar offensive capabilities to that of the LaGOWE of Commander Andrew Waltfeld. It is equipped with two beam cannons, two beam sabers mounted on its back and extend radially outward. In this form, the Gaia is a very deadly machine when it comes to close combat.
Check out how the Gaia is able to quickly maneuver in combat!
9. ZGMF-X24S Chaos
The Chaos is another Mobile Suit of ZAFT’s second stage series. Just like The Gaia and Abyss, it is also not nuclear powered but it is still a very powerful machine. It also has the ability to transform into a Mobile Armor fighter. The transformation and features of the Mobile Armor form are similar to that of the Saviour. Compared to its sibling Mobile Suits, the Chaos was designed to be more maneuverable while flying. In its mobile suit form, it is equipped with a beam rifle a beam saber, and a shield.
It is also equipped with four machine guns, two mounted on the head and two mounted on the chest. These machine guns are used to intercept incoming missiles. The main feature of the Chaos is its two Gunbarrel Pods. These pods are very similar to that of the Gunbarrel Pods of the Moebius Zero piloted by Mu La Flaga.
When these Gunbarrel Pods are attached, they increase the speed of the Chaos significantly but when they are detached, they can be used as supporting units to shoot down an enemy target from multiple sides. When the Chaos enters Mobile Armor form, its flying speed is enhanced significantly. It is also equipped with two beam cannons that fire at a significantly fast rate.
Here’s a video showcasing the Chaos in battle!
8. ZGMF-X31S Abyss
The Abyss is also a second stage series Mobile Suit of ZAFT. Unlike the Gaia, the Abyss was not designed to be maneuverable on land but instead to be maneuverable in the water. In land, the Abyss is also a capable Mobile Suit. Mounted on the back of the Abyss are a pair of beam cannons that can flip forward to shoot enemies. It is very similar to the beam cannons that are mounted at the back of the Freedom. It is also equipped with two large binders attached to each shoulder.
These binders can serve as a shield, however they can be rotated to reveal that each binder has 3 beams cannons mounted at the underside of each binder. Each binder also has a pair of gun cannons attached at the end. These gun cannons shoot shells that are powerful enough to destroy average enemy Mobile Suits with one shot.
Similar to the Freedom, the Abyss also has a beam mounted on its chest and it is the most powerful weapon of the Mobile Suit. The total number of ranged weapons the Abyss holds is thirteen, made up of nine beams cannons and four gun cannons. With this wide array of ranged weapons, the Abyss is able to target and shoot down multiple enemy targets at once.
In Mobile Armor form, the Abyss’s binders encapsulate the mobile suit turning it into a makeshift small submarine that is able to move through water at great speed. In this form, it is equipped with torpedoes that are launched from the outer side of the binders. These torpedoes serve as the main weapon of the machine when it is in Mobile Armor form. The Mobile Suit form is also equipped with a large beam lance that can easily pierce enemy mobile suit.
You can see in this video how the Abyss is very versatile when it comes to what terrain!
7. ZGMF-X23S Saviour
The Saviour is also a Mobile Suit developed by ZAFT and it is part of their second stage series Mobile Suit program. Just like the Chaos, the Saviour was designed as a high mobility flier Mobile Suit. However, unlike the Chaos that is attached with Pods to increase speed and maneuverability, the Saviour is able to fly in Earth’s atmosphere faster and better than any mobile suit of its time due to the large wings that are attached to its back.
When in Mobile Suit form, the Saviour is equipped with a shield, a pair of beam sabers, a beam riffle, and a pair of beam cannons that are mounted on the back. The Mobile Suit is also equipped with two machine guns that are mounted on the Saviour’s head mainly used to intercept missiles. When in Mobile Armor form, the Saviour is equipped with two large beam cannons that have a fast firing rate. The high mobility as well as fast firing rate, make the Saviour a very dangerous machine
Watch this video to see the Saviour in action!
6. ZGMF-X56S Impulse
The Impulse is also another second stage series Mobile Suit from ZAFT. However unlike the rest of the second stage series Mobile Suits, the Impulse is designed in a similar fashion to the Strike. With just the Mobile Suit itself, the Impulse closely resembles the Strike. Many features of the Impulse are also closely similar to the Strike.
The most prevalent and interesting feature of the Impulse is its silhouette system. Just like the Strike Packs of the Strike, the Impulse can use its silhouettes to attach and detach different equipment to the Mobile Suit. This gives the Impulse a wide array of equipment to work with enabling it to be one of the most, if not the most, versatile machine in Gundam SEED Destiny.
Unlike the Striker Packs, the silhouette can be used more efficiently as it can be attached to the Mobile Suit after launch. The Mobile Suit itself is composed of different modules that all attach to the core module, also known as the core splendor. The silhouettes of the Impulse enable to match its equipment with the environment it is in.
The Impulse and the other second stage series Mobile Suits are equipped with two new technologies that make them state of the art. The first one is variable phase shift armor. A newer version of the phase shift armor that drains power less than the original. The second new technology is the deuterion beam system.
This is a form of power resupplying for the second stage series Mobile Suits of ZAFT. A beam will be shot at the deuterion beam receiver located at their head piece, and the Mobile Suit will be recharged. These two systems make the second stage series Mobile Suits more powerful than the average Mobile Suits.
Here’s a video where we can see the impressive features of the Impulse!
5. ZGMF-X42S Destiny
One of the latest Mobile Suits of ZAFT during Gundam SEED Destiny and also one of the last machines issued by PLANT Supreme Chairman Gilbert Durandal, the Destiny is a Mobile Suit that is indeed powerful and fast. Being both nuclear powered as well as having the latest technology of ZAFT, the Destiny boasts speed and power that the average Mobile Suit, such as the zaku, can never hope to achieve.
The Destiny was specifically designed to accommodate Shinn Asuka’s fighting style, which means that the Mobile Suit is more suited for close combat fighting. For close combat, the Mobile Suit is equipped with a large anti-ship beam sword. Using this along with its superior speed makes the Destiny a monster in the battlefield that can slice fleets of enemy in minutes.
It is also equipped with two beam boomerangs mounted on its shoulders, similar to the Justice. It also has two identical unique weapons on the palm of both hands. These unique weapons are beam cannons that are meant to be used at point blank range and if used correctly, can be very powerful. The Mobile Suit is also equipped with a two machine guns that are mounted on its head that are used for intercepting missiles.
Although the Destiny was designed to specialize in close combat, the Mobile Suit is also a very capable long-range to mid-range fighter. The destiny is also equipped with a beam riffle for close range and a heavy and powerful beam cannon that is mounted on its back. This beam cannon is the most powerful ranged weapon of the Impulse and can easily destroy Mobile Suits and Ships that it hits.
Check out this video to see more details about the Destiny!
4. ORB-01 Akatsuki
Being one of the legacies of the late lion of Orb, the Akatsuki is nothing short of powerful. Although it is not nuclear powered, this Mobile Suit has other features to it to make it a machine that is not to be taken lightly. Developed by ORB, this Mobile Suit has the most unique defensive capability in the Gundam SEED Universe.
The Mobile Suit’s armor is golden and the beams that hit it reflect back to where it was fired. The golden armor also reflects positron beams. This makes the Akatsuki invulnerable to beams but it is still vulnerable to missiles and physical attacks.
The Akatsuki also has a backpack module that can separate and be used as an unmanned support unit. This backpack module is similar to that of the Justice and can also be flown remotely by the pilot. It is equipped with two powerful beam cannons, similar to those of the Freedom, and they are mounted at the bottom of the module.
The backpack module also houses seven interceptor pods which are controlled using the DRAGOON system. Each of these pods carry a single beam cannon and can also be used collectively to form a large beam shield that is powerful enough to block a positron beam.
The Akatsuki is also a capable Mobile Suit for close combat as it is equipped with two beam sabers that can be attached together at the ends, as well as a physical shield. All of these factors make the Akatsuki a unique and deadly Mobile Suit in the hands of a skilled pilot.
Watch the scene where the Akatsuki first launches!
3. ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice
The Infinite Justice is a newer version of the Justice from Gundam SEED. The old Justice was intentionally blown up by Athrun Zala inside Jachin Due in order to destroy the large Mobile Weapon, Genesis. The appearance of the Infinite Justice are not all that different from the previous Justice, however there are significant changes to battle performance.
The Infinite Justice was designed with the fighting style of Athrun Zala in mind. As such, the Infinite Justice features more agility than the original Justice Mobile Suit. It also features more close combat fighting capabilities compared to the previous Justice Mobile Suit.
For close combat, the Infinite Justice has all of the features that the Justice had but it also has a few that have been added. The Infinite Justice now has a grappling claw, something that the previous Justice did not have. This grappling claw can be used in various ways. It can be used to restrain an enemy target’s movement or it can be used to stagger an enemy Mobile Suit from a distance.
It also now features a close combat enhanced backpack module. The wings and the front nose of the backpack module are now equipped with beam blades. This enables the backpack module to ram through enemy mobile suits or to ram through enemy warships with its beam blades. The backpack module can easily ram through engines of enemy warships, immobilizing them. This added feature of the backpack module makes it a more superior and deadlier version of the previous one when it comes to close combat.
The Infinite Justice’s most iconic change is the added beam blades on each of its legs. This gives the Infinite Justice more offensive capabilities at close combat as each leg becomes a makeshift beam saber when the beam blades are activated. Being designed for the close combat specialist, Athrun Zala, the Infinite Justice is a powerful Machine that can take down almost any machine with a great pilot.
Here’s a video that shows us what the Infinite Justice is capable of in the hands of a great pilot!
2. ZGMF-X666S Legend
The Legend is the successor of the Providence. Although it is smaller in size, the design of Mobile Suit is similar. Like The Strike Freedom and the Infinite Justice, the Legend is also powered by a nuclear reactor. Compared to its predecessor, the legend has fewer Mobile Pods but its Pods are now capable of close combat. The tips of the Mobile Pods of the Legend are equipped with a beam capabilities, this makes them like makeshift beam arrows that can pierce through enemy Mobile Suits and Ships with ease.
The main weapon of the Legend is the same as the Providence, the DRAGOON system. Although the total beam output of the Legend is only 26 beams, fewer than the 47 beam output of the Providence, the Pods of the Legend are controlled using a more advanced DRAGOON System. This makes control of the Mobile Pods much easier compared to the Pods of the Providence. The Pods themselves also no longer need to detach from the Mobile Suit to be used. They can swing forward or backwards to target an enemy before firing.
The Legend is also a fast Mobile Suit. It can even keep up with the speed of the Strike Freedom, as we can see in their final battle. It is also equipped with a beam shield, a beam rifle and a beam saber that is the same size as the regular beam sabers, as well as two machine guns that are mounted on its head for mid-range to close range combat.
Check out the Legend! It’s a fast machine that can fight ranged and close combat as well as attack in multiple directions!
1. ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom
The Strike Freedom is an improved version of the Freedom. It has most of the capabilities of the previous Freedom as well as some modified and added features to it. Like the Infinite Justice, the Strike Freedom was designed with Kira Yamato’s fighting style in mind. As Such, the Strike Freedom is a more agile and powerful Mobile Suit compared to the Freedom. Just like the Infinite Justice, Legend and Destiny, the Strike Freedom is also nuclear powered.
One major change made to the Strike Freedom is the loss of the pair of powerful beam cannons that were attached to its back. Instead it now has a more powerful beam cannon that is attached to its torso. The Strike Freedom is designed to be an excellent machine in both long rang to close combat fighting.
For ranged fighting, the Strike Freedom is equipped with two beam rifles, two rail guns, a powerful beam cannon, and eight mobile pods controlled with the DRAGOON system. This change gives the Strike Freedom the ability to target multiple enemies at any angle simultaneously.
For close combat, the Strike Freedom is equipped with a physical shield, two beam shields, two beam sabers, and two small machine guns that are mounted on its head.
Having the HiMAT system, the Strike Freedom is a fast machine as it is a powerful one. With a skilled pilot in the cockpit, the Strike Freedom can easily destroy enemy Mobile Suits and ships in seconds.
Watch the final battle of the Strike Freedom against the Legend! It’s truly amazing!
If you made it this far, thanks a lot for reading!
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