Dekim Barton

Dekim Barton (デキム・バートン, Dekimu Bāton, derived from Latin decem, literally “ten”) was the main antagonist of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Endless Waltz. He served as top aide to colonial leader Heero Yuy and later founded the Barton Foundation after Yuy’s assassination. Dekim conceived Operation Meteor as revenge against Earth for Yuy’s death, planning to drop colonies onto the planet and seize control through five Gundams. When this plan was subverted by the Gundam Scientists and pilots in AC 195, he persisted, eventually using his granddaughter Mariemaia Khushrenada as figurehead for a coup attempt in AC 196. He was assassinated by one of his own soldiers for betraying Treize Khushrenada’s ideals.

Personality

Dekim was a scheming, sociopathic individual who pursued and valued power above everything else, with no qualms about the methods employed to achieve his agenda. Beyond all, Dekim was murderously vengeful, seeking to have everyone involved with Heero Yuy’s death killed. When the death of assassin Odin Lowe did not satisfy him, he set his sights on the entirety of planet Earth.

For this purpose, he planned a military operation involving crashing colonies into Earth that would cause genocide of billions of lives, all to destabilize the planet’s political powers and secure power for himself—all under the pretence of revenge for Yuy’s murder. Dekim cared little for human lives in general, whether enemies or allies, if it served his goals.

This was most evident when he accidentally shot his own granddaughter Mariemaia as she shielded Relena Darlian from harm. His reaction, whilst surprised, was one of indifference—openly declaring he could replace her with another figurehead, evidencing he had no attachment even to his own kin.

Despite his self-professed attachment to his mentor and desire to avenge him, Dekim demonstrated a severely warped view of politics that vastly contrasted with the pacifist and diplomatic Yuy. Dekim believed to his core that victors defined the times and the public would merely obey whoever won—all but exposing himself as an unrepentant Darwinist tyrant who believed might made right.

His display of his true beliefs became his downfall, as the men he had long tried to recruit for his goals grew disgusted with his sheer malice devoid of purpose or principles. His own son, Trowa Barton, had exposed that Dekim’s actions were not for revenge but rather for the sake of power alone, revealing Dekim to be nothing more than a power-hungry despot who would do anything to rule.

Biography

Aide to Heero Yuy and Operation Meteor’s conception (AC 188)

Dekim was at Heero Yuy’s side when the colonial leader was assassinated by Odin Lowe. Though he tracked down and killed Lowe, it was not enough to satisfy him. Dekim desired revenge against Earth as a whole.

He faked his own death in AC 188 and contacted five disgruntled OZ scientists to construct powerful mobile suits called Gundams. He planned to use them in Operation Meteor, which involved dropping a colony on Earth to decimate the entire planet, after which the Gundams would descend to take control. The Barton Foundation would then assert itself as ruler of Earth.

Pilot selection and subversion (AC 188-195)

Dekim’s son, Trowa Barton, was selected to pilot the Gundam designed by Doktor S. However, the engineers (except Master O) and the Gundam pilots all disagreed with the genocidal plan and sought to fight for the colonies’ independence in their own way.

Only Trowa desired to complete the plan so colonies could take over Earth—not to avenge Heero Yuy but to seize power, exposing his father’s true motivations. Trowa sought to report the scientists’ disillusionment to Dekim but was killed by an engineer called No-Name who was willing to protect his family on Earth. No-Name took on Trowa’s identity and carried out the modified attack, ignoring Operation Meteor’s genocidal elements.

Final attempt and death (AC 196)

When OZ was defeated and the Earth Sphere Unified Nation was formed to ensure peace, Dekim still harboured plans for domination of the Earth Sphere. He had been raising his granddaughter Mariemaia to prepare for their conquest. With her as figurehead, Dekim rallied soldiers loyal to the Barton Foundation and her father Treize Khushrenada. He supplied his army with Serpent mobile suits based on incomplete designs left behind by OZ.

Because Earth had dismantled all mobile suits in favour of pacifism and Relena Darlian was captured by the Bartons, Dekim’s victory seemed assured. However, the Gundam pilots and Preventers opposed him. Zechs Merquise, thought dead, appeared in the Tallgeese III and destroyed the first wave of transports carrying Serpents, then pointed the mobile suit’s beam cannon at Dekim’s base MO-III.

Dekim threatened to drop Colony X-18999 on Earth if Zechs didn’t step aside—forcing compliance. However, the Gundam pilots disabled the colony’s engines, preventing the drop. This allowed Zechs to destroy MO-III, though Dekim had already escaped in a shuttle.

Mariemaia’s forces occupied Brussels, Belgium, the ESUN capital, establishing Barton Foundation control. When Heero Yuy arrived in Wing Zero and fired on the presidential shelter, and Chang Wufei joined civilians rallying against the Mariemaia Army, Dekim was in disbelief, stating the Bartons could never be defeated.

He called to Mariemaia to rise as world ruler. Mariemaia complied with an empty look, but Relena slapped her, bringing her to her senses. Dekim refused to let Relena “brainwash” his granddaughter and pointed a gun at her. Relena was ready to face death, but Mariemaia took the shot instead and collapsed.

Dekim was unconcerned, stating he had created Mariemaia and could make another puppet. Before he could shoot again, he was killed by a Mariemaia Army soldier loyal to Treize, who apologized to Treize for betraying his ideals. Dekim’s death finally ended the threat of Operation Meteor being executed as originally planned.

Relationships

Heero Yuy (politician)

Dekim served as top aide to colonial leader Heero Yuy, professing deep loyalty and attachment. However, his response to Yuy’s assassination—conceiving a genocidal operation against billions of innocent people—demonstrated a severely warped understanding of Yuy’s pacifist and diplomatic ideals. Dekim used Yuy’s name and legacy to justify his own power-hungry ambitions rather than genuinely honouring his mentor’s vision.

Mariemaia Khushrenada

Dekim raised his granddaughter Mariemaia from age two specifically to serve as his puppet ruler. He indoctrinated her to believe she was fulfilling Treize’s wishes whilst using her as a figurehead for his own ambitions. When she took a bullet meant for Relena, Dekim’s response—stating he could “make another”—revealed he viewed her as a replaceable tool rather than family. His complete lack of genuine affection for his own granddaughter demonstrated his sociopathic nature.

The Gundam Scientists

The five Gundam Scientists whom Dekim contacted to build the Gundams eventually turned against him when they discovered the genocidal nature of Operation Meteor. Their subversion of his plan—instructing their pilots to attack only military targets rather than commit mass murder—represented complete rejection of Dekim’s methods and goals. This betrayal forced Dekim to pursue alternative routes to power through the Mariemaia Incident.

Appearances

Dekim Barton appeared in the following works:

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Endless Waltz (OVA and movie)
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Episode Zero (manga, origins)
New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Blind Target (manga, mentioned)
New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Frozen Teardrop (novel series)

External links

Dekim Barton on the Gundam Wiki