Balsam Arend is a character introduced in the manga Mobile Suit Gundam SEED X Astray.
Personality & Character
Arend was a very egotistical man who considers himself to be an ace pilot despite having no actual combat experience. He proclaimed himself the "Fierce Eagle of Artemis", apparently imitating the moniker of Mu La Flaga, "Hawk of Endymion".
Skills & Abilities
Though valued by Gerard Garcia, Arend had only ever experienced simulated combat, though he apparently did well enough in simulators to earn seven kill marks. In combat, he relied heavily on the CAT1-X2/3 Hyperion Gundam Unit 2's Armure Lumiere, believing that it made him invincible.
History
After Canard Pars captured the Neutron Jammer Canceller-equipped YMF-X000A Dreadnought Gundam and brought it to Artemis, Task Force X commander Gerard Garcia immediately presented the news to his superior. However, his superior revealed that he was too late: the Atlantic Federation had already received NJC technology. He also ordered Task Force X to be disbanded, the development of the Hyperion series to be frozen, and Canard to be returned to the laboratory. Angered and blaming Canard, Garcia ordered Canard's arrest, but Task Force X officer Meriol Pistis launched their ship, the Agamemnon-class carrier Ortygia, and escaped from Artemis. Unable to stop the Ortygia in time, Garcia ordered Balsam Arend to deploy in the Hyperion Gundam Unit 2 and pursue it.[1]
As the Ortygia detected the Hyperion Unit 2's launch, Canard deployed in the heavily damaged CAT1-X1/3 Hyperion Gundam Unit 1. Balsam taunted Canard before deploying the 360-degree "Armure Lumiere" barrier, thinking it made him invincible. However, Canard adjusted the Hyperion Unit 1's left-wing binder Armure Lumiere generator, causing it to project a lance instead of a shield. Using this beam lance, Canard pierced Unit 2's Armure Lumiere barrier and destroyed its head, causing the barrier to deactivate. Canard then immediately destroyed Unit 2's cockpit using a beam knife, killing Balsam.[1]
Gallery
Notes & Trivia
- "Arend" means "eagle" in Dutch.
- In G Generation Cross Rays, Arend was voiced by Kenji Hamada, who notably voiced Patrick Colasour from Mobile Suit Gundam 00, another supposed ace pilot who (initially) only had experience in mock battles.
- Following the release of Cross Rays in 2019 and Arend's appearance in the game, X Astray artist Kouichi Tokita released a previously unseen concept art of Arend on Twitter on December 3, 2019. According to the concept art, Arend's helmet was custom made and featured the seven star kill marks on its back. It also confirmed the English spelling of his last name. In the Tweet, Tokita revealed that even he had completely forgotten about the character.
Appearances
- Manga
- Mobile Suit Gundam SEED X Astray
- Chapter 7, Parts-X18: The Changing World
- First Appearance; Decease
- Chapter 7, Parts-X18: The Changing World
References
