Crowley Hamon
Common-law wife of Ramba Ral and aide to his squadron during the One Year War.
Crowley Hamon was the common-law wife of Ramba Ral and served as his aide during the One Year War. Originally a singer at Club Eden on Side 3, she played a crucial role in facilitating the escape of Casval and Artesia to Earth following the death of Zeon Zum Deikun. Despite holding no official military rank, she commanded considerable respect within Ral’s squadron and demonstrated exceptional tactical insight throughout their campaigns.
Biography
Early life
Crowley Hamon worked as a singer at Club Eden, a nightclub on Side 3 where she became close friends with Astraia Toa Deikun, the mistress of Zeon Zum Deikun. The two women worked together at the club before Astraia became involved with Deikun, with Astraia serving as a mentor figure to the younger Crowley. During this period, she met Ramba Ral, who would later become her lover and common-law husband.
Escape operation
Following Zeon Zum Deikun’s death in UC 0068, Crowley played a vital role in the operation to smuggle Deikun’s children, Casval and Artesia, along with Jimba Ral, to Earth. Working with Ramba Ral and Tachi O’Hara, she disguised herself as an Earth Federation officer and commandeered a Guntank to extract the children from Roselucia Deikun’s tower.
During the extraction, Crowley demonstrated remarkable courage and skill, evading Federation forces and roadblocks while protecting the children. When confronted by Federation Guntanks, she allowed the impulsive Casval to use the tank’s turret to blast through the roadblock, ensuring their escape to the departure point. Her quick thinking and adaptability proved crucial to the mission’s success.
One Year War service
When the One Year War began, Crowley accompanied Ramba Ral to Earth as part of his squadron. Although she held no formal military rank, she effectively served as Ral’s second-in-command and was addressed as “Lady Hamon” by his subordinates. Her intelligence and tactical insight earned her the respect and admiration of the entire unit, with even Lieutenant Clamp following her orders without question.
Earth campaigns
Crowley descended to Earth with Ramba Ral’s team aboard a Zanzibar-class cruiser in their pursuit of the White Base. She coordinated the squadron’s operations from the bridge of their Gallop-class land battleship, demonstrating exceptional command abilities despite her civilian background.
During their encounter with Amuro Ray in the desert town of Sodom, Crowley showed a maternal interest in the young pilot, offering to buy him a meal and treating him with unexpected kindness. This encounter revealed her compassionate nature and ability to see beyond the conflict to the human cost of war.
Final campaign
After Ramba Ral’s death during his assault on the White Base, Crowley was devastated by the loss of her lover. Driven by grief and a desire for revenge, she requested reinforcements from M’Quve and took command of the surviving members of Ral’s squadron. Her leadership during this desperate period demonstrated her tactical acumen and the loyalty she commanded from the troops.
Crowley launched a carefully planned suicide attack on the White Base, using the damaged Gallop-class vessel to ram the enemy ship. In the final assault, she piloted the hovering turret of a Magella Attack tank and came dangerously close to destroying the RX-78-2 Gundam and killing Amuro Ray. Her death came when Ryu Jose, despite being severely wounded, crashed his FF-X7 Core Fighter into her tank turret, killing them both on 7 November UC 0079.
Personality & traits
Crowley Hamon possessed an elegant appearance and mature demeanour that commanded respect from both subordinates and enemies. Despite her background as a nightclub singer, she demonstrated remarkable intelligence, tactical insight, and natural leadership abilities. Her confident bearing and ability to maintain composure under pressure made her an effective military commander despite her lack of formal training.
She showed genuine compassion and maternal instincts, particularly evident in her interactions with Amuro Ray and her protective attitude towards Astraia’s children. Her loyalty to Ramba Ral was absolute, and she was willing to sacrifice everything to avenge his death. This devotion, combined with her strong sense of duty to her comrades, defined her character throughout the war.
Crowley’s tomboyish personality and dynamic nature made her remarkably adaptable to various situations. She could function equally well as a nightclub performer, a spy conducting dangerous extraction missions, or a military commander leading troops in battle. Her ability to inspire loyalty and respect from hardened soldiers while maintaining her feminine dignity was one of her most notable characteristics.
Skills & abilities
Crowley demonstrated exceptional tactical and strategic thinking throughout her service. Her ability to coordinate complex operations, from the clandestine extraction of Deikun’s children to the final assault on the White Base, showed her natural aptitude for military command. She possessed excellent situational awareness and could adapt quickly to changing circumstances.
Her combat skills were considerable, particularly her ability to pilot the Magella Attack tank turret with deadly precision. She nearly succeeded in destroying the Gundam, demonstrating her marksmanship and tactical positioning abilities. Her leadership skills were evident in how she maintained unit cohesion and morale even after Ramba Ral’s death.
Crowley’s intelligence gathering and infiltration capabilities were remarkable. Her ability to disguise herself as a Federation officer and successfully extract high-value targets from heavily guarded locations showed her talent for espionage and covert operations. Her connections and network of contacts proved invaluable for obtaining information and resources.
Relationships
Ramba Ral
Crowley’s relationship with Ramba Ral was the defining aspect of her life. Their bond went beyond romance to encompass a deep partnership based on mutual respect and shared values. Ramba affectionately called her “Lady Hamon,” and she served as his trusted advisor and confidante throughout their relationship.
Their partnership was characterised by complete trust and complementary skills. While Ramba provided military leadership and tactical expertise, Crowley offered intelligence, strategic insight, and emotional support. She understood his code of honour and supported his decisions, even when they conflicted with broader Zeon objectives.
Ramba’s death devastated Crowley completely. Her grief was so overwhelming that she lost all concern for her own survival, channelling her anguish into a desperate quest for revenge. Her final words and actions were entirely motivated by her love for Ramba and her desire to honour his memory.
Astraia Toa Deikun
Crowley’s friendship with Astraia Toa Deikun dated back to their days working together at Club Eden. Astraia served as a mentor and big sister figure to Crowley, helping her navigate the complex world of the nightclub and Side 3 society. Their relationship remained strong even after Astraia became Zeon Zum Deikun’s mistress.
When Astraia was imprisoned by Roselucia Deikun after Zeon’s death, Crowley was deeply concerned about her friend’s welfare. She risked her own safety to help Astraia’s children escape to Earth, demonstrating the depth of her loyalty and affection. Crowley was present during Astraia’s final moments, providing comfort to her dying friend.
Casval and Artesia
Through her relationship with Astraia, Crowley became a protective figure for Casval and Artesia Deikun. She played a crucial role in their escape to Earth, risking her life to ensure their safety. Her maternal instincts towards the children were evident throughout the dangerous extraction mission.
Despite her efforts to protect them, Crowley’s relationship with the Deikun children was complicated by the circumstances of war. During the One Year War, she found herself fighting against Artesia (now Sayla Mass) and potentially encountering Casval (now Char Aznable), though they remained unaware of her role in their escape.
Amuro Ray
Crowley’s encounter with Amuro Ray in Sodom revealed her compassionate nature and maternal instincts. Despite being enemies, she showed genuine concern for the young pilot, offering to buy him a meal and treating him with unexpected kindness. This interaction demonstrated her ability to see beyond military conflict to the human cost of war.
Her final battle with Amuro was deeply personal, driven by her grief over Ramba Ral’s death. She nearly succeeded in killing him, showing that her compassion did not extend to forgiveness for those responsible for her lover’s death. Their confrontation represented the tragic nature of war, where good people on opposite sides were forced to destroy each other.
Equipment
Magella Attack tank
During her final battle, Crowley operated the detached turret section of a Magella Attack tank. This unconventional weapon platform allowed her to engage the Gundam with considerable firepower while maintaining mobility. Her skilful operation of this improvised weapon nearly resulted in Amuro’s death, demonstrating her adaptability and combat effectiveness.
Gallop-class land battleship
Crowley served aboard and eventually commanded a Gallop-class land battleship during Ramba Ral’s Earth campaigns. From this vessel, she coordinated squadron operations and provided tactical support for ground missions. Her final assault involved using the damaged Gallop as a ramming weapon against the White Base.
Zanzibar-class cruiser
She accompanied Ramba Ral’s initial descent to Earth aboard a Zanzibar-class mobile cruiser. This vessel provided the squadron with mobility and firepower during their early operations against Federation forces. Her experience aboard this ship helped her develop the tactical skills she would later use in commanding the Gallop.
Behind the scenes
Creation and development
Crowley Hamon was designed by Yasuhiko Yoshikazu as part of the original Mobile Suit Gundam cast. Her character served to humanise the Zeon forces and provide a strong female character who could stand as an equal to the male military leaders. Her relationship with Ramba Ral was intended to show the personal cost of war and the tragedy of good people fighting on opposite sides.
The character’s development in Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin expanded significantly on her background, providing depth to her relationship with Astraia Toa Deikun and her role in the escape of Casval and Artesia. This prequel material helped establish her as a more complex character with motivations beyond simple loyalty to Ramba Ral.
Voice acting
Japanese voice actors:
- Yumi Nakatani: Original series, compilation films, and video games
- Miyuki Sawashiro: Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin OVA
English voice actors:
- Lenore Zann: Original English TV dub
- Diane Michelle: Compilation films
- Amanda Schuckman: Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin English dub
- Onalea Gilbertson: Mobile Suit Gundam: Journey to Jaburo video game
Cultural impact
Crowley Hamon became one of the most memorable female characters from the original Mobile Suit Gundam series, representing the strong, independent women who supported the war effort while maintaining their dignity and humanity. Her tragic fate and loyalty to Ramba Ral made her a fan favourite and established her as an iconic character within the franchise.
Her character has influenced subsequent Gundam series, with many later female characters drawing inspiration from her combination of strength, intelligence, and compassion. The archetype of the strong woman standing behind a noble warrior became a recurring theme in Gundam media, often referencing Crowley’s relationship with Ramba Ral.
Design evolution
In Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Crowley’s character design was updated to reflect her background as a nightclub singer while maintaining her elegant and mature appearance. The expanded backstory provided in this version helped flesh out her character and give greater context to her actions during the One Year War.
Her role in the escape of Casval and Artesia was entirely created for The Origin, providing a logical connection between her background and her later involvement in the war. This addition enhanced her character’s significance within the broader Universal Century timeline.
Appearances
Anime
- Mobile Suit Gundam (episodes 12, 19-21)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin (multiple episodes)
Films
- Mobile Suit Gundam I
- Mobile Suit Gundam II: Soldiers of Sorrow
Games
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Journey to Jaburo
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation vs. Zeon
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Gihren’s Greed
External links
- Crowley Hamon on the Gundam Wiki
- Crowley Hamon on Wikipedia
- Crowley Hamon Voice Actors on Behind The Voice Actors