Elpeo Ple
Young Newtype pilot who defected from Neo Zeon to join the AEUG during the First Neo Zeon War.
Elpeo Ple (エルピー・プル, Erupī Puru) was a young Newtype pilot who originally served Neo Zeon under Glemy Toto but later defected to join the AEUG aboard the Argama during the First Neo Zeon War. At only eleven years old, she demonstrated remarkable piloting abilities and powerful Newtype capabilities, becoming particularly attached to Judau Ashta, whom she viewed as the older brother she never had.
Biography
Early life and training
Elpeo Ple was born on 8 March UC 0077 at Axis, where she was raised and trained as a mobile suit pilot under the supervision of Glemy Toto and other Neo Zeon instructors. During her training, she was subjected to strengthening measures designed to enhance her natural Newtype abilities. By the age of ten, she was already showing signs of emotional instability as a result of these enhancements, though she maintained her innocent and energetic personality.
According to production notes from Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ, Ple was created through artificial means using Gihren Zabi’s DNA, which was inserted into a woman via in vitro fertilisation. This would make her an unofficial member of the Zabi family and potentially explain her resemblance to Mineva Lao Zabi. However, these details are not considered canon unless confirmed by Sunrise.
Neo Zeon service
Ple first deployed as a mobile suit pilot for Neo Zeon in UC 0088 during the First Neo Zeon War, piloting the AMX-004-2 Qubeley Mk-II. Her first encounter with the AEUG occurred when survivors from the sunken vessel Endra ambushed the assault carrier Argama at an abandoned colony. After AEUG forces routed the attackers, Ple emerged from a dummy asteroid in her Qubeley Mk-II to cover their retreat, engaging both the MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam and RX-178 Gundam Mk-II before withdrawing.
Her next significant engagement occurred when Judau Ashta infiltrated Axis to rescue his sister Leina. Ple used her Qubeley Mk-II to take Leina hostage and led Judau’s MSZ-010 ZZ Gundam on a chase through the space fortress. During this encounter, she became fascinated with Judau, sensing his powerful Newtype abilities.
Defection to the AEUG
Ple’s growing attachment to Judau eventually led to her defection from Neo Zeon. During the descent mission to Earth, she was given a consciousness adjustment by Glemy Toto and ordered to attack Judau, but her suggestion was broken during battle when her natural feelings overcame the mental conditioning. She was rescued by the Zeta Gundam that she controlled, and the descent was successful.
After this incident, she was detained aboard the Argama and treated as a prisoner of war. However, she actively worked with Judau and the AEUG crew, referring to Judau as “big brother” and becoming increasingly possessive of his attention. Her presence aboard the ship was sometimes troublesome for the crew, as she constantly wanted to be with Judau and showed jealousy towards other women, including his sister Leina.
Death and legacy
Ple’s life came to a tragic end on 31 October UC 0088 during a battle in Dublin. When she sensed the approach of the MRX-010 Psyco Gundam Mk-II, she boarded her partially dismantled Qubeley Mk-II to intercept it and protect the Argama crew. During the battle, she discovered that the enemy pilot was Ple Two, her own clone, which confused and distressed her greatly.
Despite her confusion, Ple fought desperately to protect Judau from her clone’s attack. In her final moments, she sacrificed herself by ramming her damaged Qubeley Mk-II into the Psyco Gundam Mk-II, severely damaging both mobile suits and dying in the process.
Her Newtype spirit remained influential after death, appearing to convince Ple Two during the Battle of Axis to stop fighting Judau, which ultimately led to the death of Glemy Toto. During Judau’s final battle with Haman Karn, she joined several other deceased Newtypes in giving Judau their strength to overpower Haman’s AMX-004 Qubeley, and her warning allowed Judau to defeat Haman.
Personality and traits
Ple’s personality was a complex mixture of innocence, whimsy, and selfishness. Despite her role as a soldier, she maintained a childlike enthusiasm and playful nature that reflected her young age. She was fiercely devoted to those she cared about, particularly Judau, but could quickly become jealous and possessive when she felt her relationships were threatened.
She had an unmatched love for cleanliness and bathing, often spending considerable time on personal hygiene. She also enjoyed simple pleasures such as ice cream and treats, which reflected her childlike nature. Despite her generally cheerful demeanour, she could show a temperamental side and was prone to emotional instability, likely as a result of her artificial enhancement process.
Her possessive nature was perhaps most evident in her relationship with Judau, where she became extremely protective and jealous of anyone who might compete for his attention, including his own sister. This behaviour may have stemmed from her lack of a traditional family structure and her desire to find someone to love and care for her.
Skills and abilities
As a Newtype, Ple possessed remarkable abilities that set her apart from ordinary pilots. She could sense the presence of other Newtypes with amazing accuracy and speed, and was particularly attuned to Judau, Kamille Bidan, and Ple Two. Her Newtype abilities were further evidenced by her capacity to pilot machines equipped with psycommu systems, such as those that controlled funnels.
Her piloting skills were exceptional for her age, demonstrating the ability to control complex mobile suits with ease. She was potent enough to control the MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam with its bio-sensor system and use the AMX-004-2 Qubeley Mk-II’s psycommu system to create psycho-fields. Her Newtype abilities allowed her to synchronise perfectly with her mobile suits, making her a formidable opponent despite her young age.
Relationships
Judau Ashta
Ple’s most significant relationship was with Judau Ashta, whom she viewed as the older brother she never had. Her attachment to Judau began during their first encounter when he infiltrated Axis, and she became immediately excited about him even before they met face-to-face. She would often manipulate her Qubeley Mk-II to leap at his mobile suits just to attract his attention, showing her ardent affection for him.
Her feelings for Judau were so strong that they ultimately led to her defection from Neo Zeon. She consistently referred to him as “big brother” and became extremely possessive of his attention, showing jealousy towards anyone who might compete for his affection, including his sister Leina.
Ple Two
The relationship between Ple and Ple Two was complex and tragic. As her first clone, Ple Two was essentially her identical twin, but their personalities were drastically different due to the mental conditioning Ple Two received. During their final battle, Ple was confused and distressed to discover her connection to Ple Two, never fully understanding the nature of their relationship.
Despite their antagonistic encounter, Ple’s Newtype spirit continued to influence Ple Two after death, eventually convincing her clone to abandon Glemy’s control and embrace the same love and care that Ple had shown for Judau.
Glemy Toto
Glemy Toto served as Ple’s supervisor and handler during her time with Neo Zeon. He was responsible for her training and attempted to use mental conditioning to control her actions. According to production notes, Glemy may have been her half-brother, as both were potentially created using Gihren Zabi’s DNA, though this remains non-canon.
Mobile suits
AMX-004-2 Qubeley Mk-II
Ple’s primary mobile suit was the AMX-004-2 Qubeley Mk-II, a prototype Newtype-use assault mobile suit developed specifically to test and measure her abilities. The machine featured a distinctive purple and pink colour scheme and was equipped with a psycommu system that allowed her to control remote-controlled funnels through her Newtype abilities.
The Qubeley Mk-II was armed with two hybrid beam sabers that could function as both beam guns and close-combat weapons, plus twelve funnels for long-range attacks. Ple demonstrated remarkable skill with this mobile suit, using it effectively in both Neo Zeon service and later with the AEUG. The mobile suit was ultimately destroyed when Ple sacrificed herself to protect Judau from Ple Two’s attack.
MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam
During her time aboard the Argama, Ple occasionally piloted the MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam, demonstrating her versatility as a pilot. Her Newtype abilities allowed her to effectively control the Gundam’s bio-sensor system, and she often “helped” Judau pilot the machine, much to his surprise and sometimes annoyance.
Her ability to control the Zeta Gundam showcased the remarkable extent of her Newtype powers, as she could synchronise with different mobile suit systems despite having been trained primarily on the Qubeley series.
Behind the scenes
Elpeo Ple was designed by Yasuhiko Yoshikazu for Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ. Her name has been subject to various interpretations, with many believing it to be a pun on the Japanese manga magazine “Lemon People,” which was often referred to as “L People.” However, series director Tomino Yoshiyuki has stated that he named her after “Ell People,” an obscure term for elf or fairy people, which better reflects her whimsical and innocent nature.
The character was voiced by Chieko Honda in Japanese, who also voiced her clone Ple Two. Honda passed away on 18 February 2013 due to multiple forms of cancer whilst undergoing treatment. In English adaptations, Ple has been voiced by Caitlynne Medrek in the first two Dynasty Warriors: Gundam games and Wendy Morrison in the third game.
Elpeo Ple won Animage’s Anime Grand Prix Award in 1986 in the category of favourite female anime character of the year, demonstrating her popularity amongst fans despite her relatively brief screen time.
Appearances
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (1986-1987)
- Gundam Evolve (2001-2007) - Episode 10 (possible clone appearance)
- Dynasty Warriors: Gundam (2007)
- Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 (2008)
- Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3 (2010)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam (2005)
- Gundam Battle Assault series
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs. series