T5W#517-Top 5 Char Clones who Don’t Die

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuX recently wrapped up its run and an interesting point of discussion has emerged between me and fellow Gundam fans concerning the fate of Char clones.  While the OG Char’s fate in Char’s Counterattack is kind of ambiguous (and if it is explained in Gundam Unicorn, I just don’t get it), his fellow multiversal counterparts usually aren’t long for this world. Seeing as how many Char Clones end up either the main antagonist or central rival of the main character, chances are they are going down in a blaze of glory for their cause or just because theyre freaking insane.  But is this the case for all of them?  Well…no actually.  Some Char Clones do get happy endings, or are at least spared grizzly demises.  Does this come with redemption or a major lifes lesson learned?  Let’s find out as we discuss the Top 5 Char Clones who Don’t Die on today’s Top 5 Wednesday. 

 
Oh and since we are discussing major series ending events SPOILER ALERT!!!!
 
 #5-Neo Roanoake (Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny)

Neo’s an interesting case because of his identity.  He’s not an original character written for SEED Destiny nor is he another clone of SEED antagonist Rau Le Cruset.  Nope, he’s actually Mu La Flaga, who was thought to have been killed at the end of SEED in a heroic sacrifice.  Instead he survived, was captured and brainwashed to become the head of the Earth Alliance Black Ops Division, Phantom Pain.  Honestly, it’s a stupid twist that undoes a heartwrenching ending for an amazing character.  However, I’d be lying if I said it’s not great to have Mu back once his memory is restored and he gets to be with his true love again. 
 

#4-Jamil Neate (After War Gundam X)

Jamil may look like a threatening figure sporting shades straight out of Char’s Quattro “Let’s say I am Char Aznable” Bajina days.  But the leader of Vulture is one of the most tortured characters in the entire Gundam franchise.  He was on the frontlines of the battle that sent Earth mostly back to the stone age and which fried his Newtype abilities.  To make up for this unforgivable sin, Jamil makes it his mission to make sure Newtypes don’t become weapons of war ever again.  Plus just when he eventually finds his way back into a Gundam, the man is just as lethal and dangerous as any Char clone out there.
 

#3-Harry Ord (Turn A Gundam)

Harry Ord isnt just the personal bodyguard of the Moonrace’s Queen Diana, he’s one of the most bad ass Char clones in the entire franchise…and all without being a downright dirty rotten scoundrel.  He’s loyal to a fault to Queen Diana and will lay out anyone who threatens her life.  Even after Harry falls in love with Kiel, Diana’s near identical look alike (not twins), Harry protects her with the same kind of devotion he gives to Diana herself.  This all pays off in the end as Harry survives the events of Turn A and continues his role as Queen’s Bodyguard, only this time to Kiel, who agrees to take Diana’s place so Diana can live our her days on Earth with Loran.  So everyone kind of wins.
 

#2-Prospera Mercury (Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury)

This one kind of shocked me.  Prospera is the first female Char clone of the franchise and is easily one of the freaking best.  Beautiful, manipulative and downright demented, Prospera stops at nothing to punish the entire Earth Sphere for the loss of her family in the G Witch Prologue.  Considering the amount of crap she pulls and the destruction she causes, Prospera doesn’t die nor does she end up in a jail cell under heavy guard.  Sure when we last see her she looks older and less like the imposing Goddess she once was.  Idk, I feel like Prospera should have died at the end of G Witch (same with some other characters whose sins match hers but that’s not for this list to cover).
 

#1-Zechs Merquise (Mobile Suit Gundam Wing/Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz)

For many of us, Zechs is the Char before Char, the first guy with a mask we met when Gundam Wing dropped in the states back in 2000.  He was cool, bad ass and had some of the best suits in the series.  I’ll admit, his character became a bit too like Char in the last act of Wing when he suddenly went from disillusioned soldier to head of a major terrorist threat in no time flat.  Still, Zechs’ popularity basically ensured that he would survive blowing up Libra’s reactor in the Series Finale.  Zechs also gets double points for coming back in the Endless Waltz sequel and managing to not only walk off without a scratch but also share a shuttle ride somewhere with his true love, Lucrezia Noin.