ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom Gundam

Encyclopedia : Z : ZG : ZGM : ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom Gundam

---

This article is about a fictional weapon from the Cosmic Era of the anime Gundam metaseries. The ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom is a mobile suit built in secret by Terminal under the guidance of one of its components, the Clyne Faction, for Kira Yamato. It is one of the most advanced mobile suits in Cosmic Era during Second Bloody Valentine War.

Design and Construction

The ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom is a mobile suit built in secret by Terminal under the guidance of one of its components, the Clyne Faction, for Kira Yamato. It is based on the earlier ZGMF-X10A Freedom and is powered by the new Ultracompact Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Fission Reactor.

The Strike Freedom is armed with advanced weaponry, giving it several times the combat ability of the Freedom thanks to advancement in technology which takes place in the roughly two year gap that separates their construction. Apart from the head-mounted CIWS and "Super Lacerta" beam sabers, the Strike Freedom is equipped with "Xiphias 3" rail cannons on its hips, smaller and more refined than its predecessor's, and an chest-mounted "Callidus" multi-phase beam cannon. It also carries two high energy beam rifles that can combine into a longer, more powerful weapon similar to the GAT-X103 Buster Gundam but less bulky. These rifles can be stored on the hips by having the rail cannons swivel to the rear of the suit. For defensive purposes the Strike Freedom is equipped with beam shields which are mounted on its forearms.

Much like the suit it’s based on, the most distinctive feature of the Strike Freedom is the set of wings housed on its backpack/thruster array. These wings give the Strike Freedom an updated HiMAT (High Maneuver Aerial Tactical) mode akin to the Freedom and also, again like the Freedom, house weapons. Unlike its predecessor however here they, at least in part, are the weapons on the Strike Freedom as the blue sections of the eight wing components can detach and operate as remote ”Super” DRAGOON units, each mounting one beam assault cannon. These units seem to use the newer ZAFT technology which allows pilots lacking enhanced spatial awareness to operate remote weapons. It is unclear if Kira actually needs a system such as this, so its inclusion can be interpreted in several ways. It should also be noted that it is unclear why the units have the lofty prefix “Super” added to them. It might be a remnant of the unit’s original intended name (see trivia).

The Strike Freedom also has capability to lock on multiple units. This multi lock capability make Kira Yamato, as the pilot, able to target several enemies at once with multiple weapons salvo firings. This ability is only known owned by one other mobile suit, the Freedom, which Strike Freedom designs based. However, the ZGMF-X09A Justice and ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice also has the capability if they dock on the METEOR.

The Strike Freedom has two peculiar features. The first is the fact that the unit’s joints and hands are gold in color. This odd feature is not documented as bolstering performance or affording any other functions and so, it is purely cosmetic. The second peculiarity is a mock “Wings of Light” which visually emulates a feature found on the ZGMF-X42S Destiny Gundam. This has been shown to be achievable only when the Strike Freedom sends out all of its DRAGOONs leaving the thrusters laid out in the remote weapons' docking sections to create this effect. It does not function in the same manner as the Destiny’s and it could easily be argued that when the DRAGOON units are docked, the Strike Freedom uses their thrusters for similar purposes, without the visual effect.

Like the Freedom the unit can be docked with a METEOR unit. The ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom uses an updated Generation Unsubdued Nuclear Drive Assault Module complex operating system. In Second Bloody Valentine War, it is one of the 3 most powerful mobile suits around (the other two being ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice and ZGMF-X42S Destiny).

Service

The Strike Freedom makes its debut in Cosmic Era 74, when Kira boards the Eternal in the MBF-P02+AQM/E-X01 Aile Strike Rouge and then launches in the Strike Freedom to defend the ship from a ZAFT attack force. Kira with Strike Freedom successfully disabled 25 ZAKUs and GOUFs in total, within two minutes, and then also disabled three Nazca class destroyers. All of that, end the ZAFT attacks.

When it arrives on Earth, it confronts the ZGMF-X42S Destiny, piloted by Shinn Asuka, breaking up its battle with the ORB-01 Akatsuki (piloted by Kira's twin sister, Cagalli Yula Athha). The initial battle between the two “super” suits proved somewhat inconclusive as neither unit can cause any major damage to the other (although Kira squanders an opportunity to do so) and their weapons seem equal in power. The Destiny however is faster than Strike Freedom thanks to its “Wings of Light” while the Strike Freedom's endurance is greater as the Destiny is forced to retreat when it begins to run low on power.

When the Destiny returns it is accompanied by Rey Za Burrel in the ZGMF-X666S Legend, together both units manage to give the Destiny an opportunity to heavily damage the Strike Freedom. Athrun Zala in the ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice arrives on the scene however, stopping the attack as well as the uneven numbers. For the remainder of this battle, which is not long, the Strike Freedom engages the Legend in which neither gains an advantage or damages the other.

The Strike Freedom plays a pivotal role in ending the Second Bloody Valentine War. It and the Infinite Justice, both in METEORs, destroy a relay station that was to be used by the Requiem tactical cannon which was now under ZAFT control. After accomplishing this goal the Strike Freedom, sans METEOR, engages the Legend and heavily damages it. The suit docks with the METEOR once more and then heads to the mobile fortress Messiah and deals it extreme damage which leads to its destruction.

Specifications

ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom

Manufacturer: Terminal
User: Terminal, Orb Union
Unit type: Prototype Assault Mobile Suit
First Deployment: Cosmic Era 74
Head height: 18.88 meters
Weight: 80.09 metric tons
Special equipment: Phase Shift armor, Neutron Jammer Canceller, Super DRAGOON (Disconnected Rapid Armament Group Overlook Operation Network) system, hardpoint for docking with METEOR (Mobile suit Embedded Tactical EnfORcer) mobile weapons platform.
Powerplant: Ultracompact Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Fission Reactor
Armament: MMI-GAU27D 31 mm CIWS x2, MGX-2235 "Callidus" multi-phase beam cannon x1, MA-M02G "Super Lacerta" beam saber x2, MMI-M15E "Xiphias 3" railgun x2, MX2200 beam shield x2, MA-M21KF combinable high-energy beam rifle x2, EQFU-3X Super DRAGOON mobile weapon wings x8 (MA-80V beam assault cannon x1)
Pilot: Kira Yamato

Trivia

• The mobile suit was originally to be called the "Super Freedom". The name was later changed to Strike Freedom in honour of Kira's first Gundam, the GAT-X105 Strike.

• When Strike Freedom was shown in the 3rd opening animation its head crest displayed the words "Liberta Modifica", which is "Modified Freedom" in Latin. Starting with Phase-39 the words were changed to read "X-20A VENTI", which is "Twenty" in Italian, a reference to the Strike Freedom's model number.

• Although its name is Strike Freedom, it is commonly referred to as Freedom by both friend and foe. It is only referred to by its full name twice during the show; once by Kira and once by Lacus.

• In an interview with setting advisor Shigeru Morita he reveals that the Strike Freedom and Infinite Justice are powered by a Hyper Deuterion nuclear reactor like the Destiny and Legend.

Sources

http://www.mahq.net