SEED factor

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The SEED factor (Superior Evolutionary Element Destined-factor) is a term for a unique phenomenon introduced in the anime Mobile Suit Gundam SEED.

Overview

SEED factor is a controversial and as yet unproven theory about the continuation of human evolution. SEED factor represents the ability for an individual to enter into a state of enhanced awareness and peak physical ability, known as SEED mode. While in this state, the person (usually a mobile suit pilot, but not necessarily) demonstrates heightened reflexes and extremely quick information processing. This ability is usually triggered by extreme situations or from recalling significant traumas, often arising out of a need to protect someone else in a critical situation. ZAFT pilot Andrew Waltfeld once compared this to the berserkers of Norse mythology. However, this seems to be inaccurate, as in SEED mode, a person actually has an increased, not decreased, level of control. Both Coordinators and Naturals can possess the "SEED", and those who do are thought by some to be the next stage of human development.

Activation

It is demonstrated visually by cutting to an image of a jewel-like seed, its color matching the color of the user's eyes, dropping from above and exploding in a shower of light just above the eyes. The physical characteristics are the shrinking of the pupil and growth of the iris. When in SEED mode, a person exceeds his or her normal physical and mental limits.

There are in fact two ways that SEED mode can be activated:

1. The first method is when a character suddenly resolves to protect their allies or to strike down their enemies.
2. The second method is that if a character has entered battle with a particular resolve, they may trigger SEED mode at will.

Kira Yamato, and Cagalli Yula Athha originally entered SEED mode via the first method. Athrun Zala and Shinn Asuka have always used the second method to enter SEED mode, and Kira also attained this ability after he made his decision about what he really needed to fight for after his battle with Athrun. Also, during the Second Battle of Jachin Due, Lacus Clyne entered SEED mode after a long philosophical soliloquy about the nature of warfare and death. During the Battle of Messiah, Lacus sensed Kira and was in SEED mode yet again.

SEED mode can only be entered by a character who will commit themselves fully to a battle for some strong reason. For this reason, Athrun Zala and Cagalli Yula Athha both were unable to activate their SEED abilities early in the Second Alliance-PLANT War, due to Athrun's doubts about whether ZAFT was really justified to fight the war, and Cagalli's reservations about whether her interventionism was the best way to protect Orb from the war. Kira Yamato, however, had been able to activate his SEED mode at will all throughout the war, because he was motivated to protect his friends and the entire world from aggressive powers.

History

While acceptance of SEED theory is limited, Orb engineer Erica Simmons and prominent religious leader and peace activist Reverend Malchio are known adherents of the theory.^[1]

Users

• Kira Yamato
• Athrun Zala
• Lacus Clyne
• Cagalli Yula Athha
• Shinn Asuka

Gallery

Anime

Games

G Generation Cross Rays Portraits

Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. Series

Notes & Trivia

• SEED factor bears some similarity to the Newtype theory of the Universal Century, but the abilities of those with SEED factor appear to be unrelated to Newtype potential.
• A common belief with new fans of the SEED universe is that only Coordinators have SEED abilities, which often leads them to wonder if Cagalli Yula Athha is actually a Coordinator. The explanation for this is that the writers have a preference for Coordinators. This is also the reason why almost every important pilot in the series is either a Coordinator, a Newtype, or a Biological CPU. Hence, Cagalli is currently the only Natural pilot with SEED abilities. Cagalli's genetic type is never fully explored and while Lord Uzumi clearly states that she is a Natural and it would appear in the flashbacks that her biological mother is pregnant with her (indicating she was to be born without genetic enhancements while Kira developed in an artificial womb).
• In Super Robot Wars series, the SEED factor will be activated once the required points of morale/will (130 points in general or 120 in Super Robot Wars J) of the pilot with the SEED factor ability has been reached. In the earlier series, at the time when the SEED factor has been activated, all of the pilot's stats point will be increased by 10 points. While in the recent series, the SEED factor funcionate as an enhancement for Accuracy and Evasion by 20% and Damage by 10%. Fans have seen this as an improvement as a flat 10% damage increase shows more of a result than + 10 to melee and attack
  • Unlike in Destiny, Cagalli retains her SEED ability, particularly in K where she joins the group early on, and the newer function has made her the preferred pilot for the Akatsuki over Mu. Also with the removal of the Coordinator skill and the newer function, the value of characters with SEED has risen.
  • In Super Robot Wars K, Cagalli and Lacus received their own Destiny style SEED Mode activation animation.
• Shinn Asuka has an inverted SEED factor animation in Super Robot Wars series.
• Unlike Newtypes, Innovators or X-Rounders where some of them suffered a tragic fate, all of the SEED Factor users were survived throughout the story.
• In both Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Never Ending Tomorrow and Dynasty Warriors Gundam Reborn, SEED is used as a super mode, giving the user unlimited thrust.
• Andrew Waltfeld's comparison of SEED mode and berserkers is actually a somewhat accurate analogy in regards to Shinn Asuka. Berserkers were historically known to plunge themselves into battle with reckless, rage-filled abandon, which is very similar to how Shinn's SEED mode activation is primarily rage-driven and his destructive onslaughts that often follow.
• In the Gundam Vs. series, Shinn, Athrun, and Kira's portraits all enter SEED mode when activating Burst. Originally in Gundam vs Gundam, Freedom Kira exclusively had this, and this cancelled any of his attacks into a dash. It was later returned in Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. Maxi Boost ON and as of Overboost, all of Kira and Athrun's units, alongside Cagalli, and Lacus, are able to manually activate SEED to give themselves a short speed buff and to regain boost.
  • Due to SEED's nature, characters outside the Cosmic Era in the Gundam Vs. games will mistake it for similar aspects like Newtypes or Alaya-Vijnana.

Appearances

References

Cosmic Era Terminology
Genetic Classifications/Human Enhancements
Biological CPU | Carbon Human | Clone | Coordinator | Half-Coordinator | Natural | Newtype | SEED factor
Biological CPU Sub-types Boosted Man | Extended
Coordinator Sub-types Accord | Combat Coordinator | Ultimate Coordinator | Socius series
Titles/Professions
Chief Representative | PLANT Supreme Council Chairman
Miscellanea
Barrel Roll | Block Word | Combat Information Center | Gundam | Missing in Action