Alberto Vist

Alberto Vist was an Anaheim Electronics executive and the firstborn son of Vist Foundation head Cardeas Vist. During UC 0096, he worked alongside his aunt Martha Vist Carbine to prevent his father from handing Laplace’s Box over to the Neo Zeon remnant group known as the Sleeves.

Biography

Early life

Alberto Vist was born in UC 0063 as the eldest son of Cardeas Vist and Ellen Vist. Growing up in the influential Vist family, Alberto was subjected to his father’s ends-justify-the-means philosophy, which Cardeas used to defend the unscrupulous actions he often took for what he believed was the greater good. In truth, Alberto hated this philosophy, and it strained his relationship with his father. Instead, he grew closer to his aunt Martha Vist Carbine.

When Alberto was 17 years old in UC 0080, his father left his mother Ellen to enter into a relationship with Anna Links. Anna bore Cardeas a second son, Banagher Links, making him Alberto’s half-brother. At the time of Banagher’s birth, Alberto was away at boarding school and thus did not know about Banagher or the fact that he was his half-brother.

Career at Anaheim Electronics

Alberto grew up to become an executive at Anaheim Electronics, the massive industrial conglomerate that was largely controlled by the Vist Foundation. Through his aunt Martha’s marriage into the Carbine family, which had established Anaheim Electronics, the Vist family maintained significant influence over the company.

The Laplace Incident

In UC 0096, Alberto was ordered by his aunt Martha Vist Carbine to stop his father’s decision to hand Laplace’s Box over to the Sleeves. To that end, he joined the Londo Bell taskforce sent to the Industrial 7 colony where the exchange was taking place.

During the confrontation at Industrial 7, Alberto personally confronted his father and attempted to arrest him. Cardeas realised that Martha had put Alberto up to this and that Anaheim was using the military to accomplish their goals. In the ensuing struggle, Cardeas snapped the neck of a Federation soldier and used his body as a shield before shooting an Anaheim guard. However, Alberto took advantage of the distraction to mortally wound his father.

Aboard the Nahel Argama

After the incident, Alberto returned to the Nahel Argama, which had picked up the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam, supposedly the key to Laplace’s Box. On the bridge, he overheard one of his technicians, Aaron Terzieff, attempting to open the hatch and mentioning the Vist Foundation’s involvement in the UC Project. Realising that Commander Daguza Mackle would interrogate Terzieff, Alberto hurried to the hangar deck to stop Mackle from investigating further.

When the crew managed to open the Unicorn’s hatch, they discovered Banagher Links inside, unconscious. Alberto then learned that Banagher was his half-brother when Marida Cruz noted that Banagher had his father’s stubbornness and asked Alberto if he was truly unaware he had a half-brother. Alberto confessed he didn’t know.

Conflict with the Sleeves

As events unfolded, Alberto found himself increasingly uncomfortable with the repercussions of his and his colleagues’ actions. When the Sleeves discovered the Nahel Argama’s location, Alberto blamed Captain Otto Midas for the exposure but was cut off from communications. He advocated for withdrawing to Von Braun on the Moon rather than Luna II, arguing with Daguza Mackle about corporate interference with military command structure.

During a later engagement, Alberto helped Banagher prepare the Unicorn Gundam for launch to counter Full Frontal and the MSN-06S Sinanju. When questioned by Mackle about this action, Alberto reasoned that even an untrained pilot could use the Unicorn effectively to buy them time. He then instructed Banagher on the Unicorn’s NT-D system via communications.

Later involvement

Alberto continued to work with his aunt Martha throughout the conflict, accompanying her aboard various ships including the Garuda and later vessels. However, as the situation escalated and Martha resorted to increasingly extreme measures, including the potential use of a colony laser, Alberto became visibly more uncomfortable with their actions.

In the final stages of the conflict, Alberto was restrained when he attempted to dissuade Martha from her most destructive plans. His pleas were dismissed by Martha, who stated that he was exhausted. When Laplace’s Box was ultimately opened and the Vist family’s influence over the Federation was lost, the incident concluded with Martha’s arrest by Bright Noa.

Personality and traits

Alberto displayed a complex personality shaped by his upbringing in the influential Vist family. Despite being raised with his father’s ends-justify-the-means philosophy, he fundamentally disagreed with these teachings, which created a lasting strain in his relationship with Cardeas. This moral conflict made him closer to his aunt Martha, though he would later become uncomfortable with her increasingly extreme methods.

As the events of UC 0096 unfolded, Alberto showed increasing moral discomfort with the consequences of his and his colleagues’ actions. He demonstrated a capacity for independent thought and conscience, particularly when he helped Banagher deploy the Unicorn Gundam against orders and when he attempted to dissuade Martha from using the colony laser.

Alberto also displayed a short temper and could resort to violence when opposed, particularly regarding matters concerning the Vist Foundation and his family’s legacy. Despite his moral qualms, he remained loyal to his family’s interests throughout most of the conflict.

Skills and abilities

As an executive at Anaheim Electronics, Alberto possessed significant business acumen and understanding of mobile suit technology. He demonstrated knowledge of the UC Project and the technical specifications of mobile suits, including the Unicorn Gundam and MSN-06S Sinanju.

Alberto showed tactical awareness during military operations, understanding the strategic implications of various courses of action and the political ramifications of corporate involvement in military affairs. His position at Anaheim Electronics also gave him access to classified information and the ability to influence military operations through corporate channels.

Relationships

Cardeas Vist

Alberto’s relationship with his father Cardeas was deeply strained due to philosophical differences. While Cardeas preached an ends-justify-the-means philosophy, Alberto fundamentally disagreed with these teachings. This conflict ultimately led to the tragic confrontation at Industrial 7, where Alberto fatally wounded his father under orders from Martha.

Martha Vist Carbine

Alberto was much closer to his aunt Martha than to his father, partly due to their shared disagreement with Cardeas’s methods. Martha became a maternal figure to Alberto and was instrumental in his career at Anaheim Electronics. However, as Martha’s methods became increasingly extreme, Alberto began to question her actions as well.

Banagher Links

Alberto’s relationship with his half-brother Banagher was complex, as he was unaware of their family connection until the events of UC 0096. Despite initially viewing Banagher as a threat to his family’s interests, Alberto showed moments of consideration for his half-brother, including helping him deploy the Unicorn Gundam when needed.

Behind the scenes

Alberto Vist was voiced by Wataru Takagi in the Japanese version of Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn and by JB Blanc in the English dub. Takagi also voiced Garrod Ran in After War Gundam X.

In the CG-animated segment of the PlayStation 3 game Mobile Suit Gundam UC, it was implied that Alberto colluded with the Sleeves in the hijacking of the MSN-06S-2 Sinanju Stein from the Earth Federation Forces.

In the Super Robot Wars series, Alberto often appeared in conjunction with the terrorist group Amalgam from the Full Metal Panic! franchise. Typically, Alberto was portrayed as the first to defect from the Vist Foundation based on making a decision of conscience, particularly in Super Robot Wars V.

Appearances

• Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn
• Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn RE:0096
• Mobile Suit Gundam UC (video game)