Gundam: We Break Down The Best Mobile Suit Ever Made – The RX-78-2 Gundam Breakdown
History might be confused a little in the new Gundam GQuuuuuuX, but the RX-78-2 Gundam remains the best Mobile Suit of all time.
In the year 0079 of the Universal Century, the Earth Federation was in a desperate situation. The war with the forces of Zeon was not going well. But in Side 7, a space colony still being constructed, the Federation’s secret R&D base developed three weapons in a classified program known as Operation V.
The three weapons it created were the RX-75-Guntank, the RX-77-Guncannon, and the RX-78-2 Gundam. And the Gundam would prove to be the most important of the three. It helped turn the tide of the Earth-Zeon war, along with the SCV carrier known as White Base. But where did this experimental Gundam come from? And what made it so special?
The answer lies in the annals of Side 7.
The RX-78-2 Gundam – Design and Capabilities
The RX-78-2 marked the turning of a corner for Earth’s mobile suit program. It was meant to be highly mobile and capable of excelling in close range combat. But the Gundam did much more. Because Earth lacked the experienced pilots that Zeon had, and needed a weapon that could compete with the Zaku II.
The Gundam was that weapon. Constructed of a lightweight Luna Titanium Alloy, the RX-78-2 Gundam’s frame was lighter but more resilient than the mass-produced Zaku II. As a practical example, the Gundam could withstand multiple hits from a Zaku’s machine gun, shrugging off the heavy rounds as though they were nothing.
This tough but nimble frame gave the Gundam a speed advantage. To capitalize on it, the Gundam carried a potent arsenal of weapons, both experimental and conventional. Perhaps the most iconic of its weapons was a pair of beam sabers. This weapon emitted a high-energy field of Minovsky particles, contained within the framework of a blade-haped I-field. The result was an “energy blade” that could cut through practically anything that wasn’t specially made with an anti-beam coating.
In addition to the beam saber – or pair of beam sabers, the Gundam also carried the BOW*XBR-79-07G Beam Rifle, another iconic, experimental weapon. This was the primary weapon of the RX-78-2: a miniaturized version of a mega particle cannon. Like the beam saber, the beam rifle fired blasts ofMinovsky particles and was said to be equivalent to a battleship’s main cannon.
It also carried a 10-ton shield with a triple honeycomb structure, with layers built from luna titanium alloy metal and high-density ceramics. This allowed the shield to block most attacks, whether from physical or beam weapons.
The One Year War, Or, How The Gundam Saved Earth – A History
As mentioned, the RX-78-2 was an experimental weapon created in desperation near the end of the One Year War. It was very nearly destroyed by a Zeon raid on Side 7.
It was September 0079, and Zeon was attacking. Their daring raid on Side 7 resulted in many civilian and military casualties on Earth’s side. In fact, the raid damaged both the Guntank and the Guncannon. But not the Mobile Suit.
This was thanks to the timely but unexpected intervention of Amuro Ray, the son of the head of Operation V, Tem Ray. During the evacuation, Amuro ended up taking charge of the RX-78-2 Gunadam and, acting swiftly, managed to save the other two experimental weapons and White Base.
And like the White Base carrier, the RX-78-2 Gundam was involved at many crucial battles during the Earth-Zeoon war. In the Battle of Solomon, Amuro Ray piloting the Gundam managd to defeat The Big Zam. While at A Baoa Qu, the Gundam tangled with the MSN-02 Zheong, piloted by none other than Char Aznable.
From there, the Gundam would go on to inspire a whole new generation of Mobile Suits. But that is a story for another breakdown.
And that’s just one branch of the Gundam timeline, too!
