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Hathaway Noa

Son of Bright Noa who became a skilled mobile suit pilot and anti-Federation leader.
Jenxi Seow Published 14 Jun 2025 Updated 14 Jun 2025
Hathaway Noa

Hathaway Noa was the son of Bright Noa and Mirai Noa who became the leader of the anti-Earth Federation terrorist organisation Mafty under the alias Mafty Navue Erin. He was a skilled mobile suit pilot with Newtype abilities who piloted the RX-105 Ξ Gundam in his campaign against the Federation’s corruption.

Biography

Early life

Hathaway Noa was born in UC 0080, the eldest child of Bright Noa and Mirai Noa. He had a younger sister named Cheimin Noa. As the son of a prominent Federation officer, Hathaway grew up in military circles and was exposed to the realities of war from an early age.

Gryps Conflict

By UC 0087, during the Gryps Conflict, seven-year-old Hathaway was living with his mother Mirai and sister Cheimin aboard the civilian ship Coral Oriental in the waters of New Hong Kong. Mirai was seeking passage to space so the family could reunite with Bright. The family was taken hostage by the Titans due to Bright’s involvement with the AEUG. During the rescue attempt, Hathaway nearly drowned before being saved by Amuro Ray, who instructed Mirai to resuscitate her son.

Char’s Rebellion

When Char Aznable began dropping asteroids on Earth in UC 0093, the Noa family attempted to escape from Hong Kong Spaceport. Due to limited seats on the departing shuttle, only Hathaway was able to board, thanks to intervention from Adenauer Paraya. The shuttle was caught in battle with Neo Zeon forces but was rescued by the Ra Cailum, commanded by Bright.

Aboard the Ra Cailum, Hathaway met and befriended Quess Paraya, Adenauer’s daughter. They discussed Newtypes and Char’s actions, with Hathaway becoming romantically interested in Quess. The three later visited Londenion colony where they encountered Char in person. Hathaway witnessed Amuro and Char’s confrontation, watching helplessly as Quess sided with Char.

In the final battle to prevent Axis from colliding with Earth, Hathaway unauthorised launched in an RGM-89 Jegan to try to persuade Quess to stop fighting. However, Quess had already lost herself to the battle and refused to listen. When Chan Agi in a damaged RGZ-91 Re-GZ fired on Quess’s NZ-333 α Azieru, killing her, grief-stricken Hathaway returned fire and destroyed the Re-GZ, killing Chan and releasing the Psycho-Frame sample she carried. The incident was overlooked by the Federation due to their overall victory.

Botanical studies and recruitment

After the war, Hathaway completed a short military service and began training as a botanical observer under Professor Amada Munsun on Sulawesi Island. His father’s fame granted him special researcher privileges allowing him to travel freely between space and Earth. During his studies, Hathaway was approached by a mysterious elderly man calling himself “Quack Salver” who recruited him to join the anti-Federation organisation Mafty.

Leader of Mafty

By UC 0105, Hathaway had become the leader of Mafty under the pseudonym “Mafty Navue Erin”. Still haunted by Quess’s death and disgusted by the Federation’s continued corruption, he had embraced many of Char’s ideals about preserving Earth from environmental destruction. Mafty carried out a campaign of assassinations against high-ranking Federation officials, gaining support from the populace who were growing increasingly opposed to the government’s policies.

The Federation’s brutal “Man Hunter” units, which forcibly deported civilians from Earth to space colonies, particularly angered Hathaway. He saw these actions as proof that the Federation had learned nothing from previous conflicts and was determined to force change through armed resistance.

Haunzen hijacking

In April UC 0105, while travelling on Haunzen Flight 356 to Hong Kong to scout Federation cabinet ministers attending the Adelaide Conference, Hathaway encountered two individuals who would prove significant: Kenneth Sleg, a Federation colonel hunting Mafty, and Gigi Andalucia, a mysterious young woman.

During the flight, hijackers claiming to be Mafty took control of the shuttle. Hathaway, using his military training and physical skills, helped defeat the terrorists. Ironically, the real Mafty Navue Erin was among the hostages fighting the fake Mafty terrorists. Gigi quickly deduced Hathaway’s true identity, though she kept this knowledge to herself initially.

Final battle and execution

Hathaway’s campaign reached its climax when he acquired the prototype RX-105 Ξ Gundam from Anaheim Electronics. He used this powerful mobile suit to conduct operations against the Federation while piloting a Me02R-Fc Messer Type-F Naked (Commander Type) for regular missions.

In a final confrontation with Federation forces led by Lane Aim in the RX-104FF Penelope, Hathaway was ultimately defeated and captured. He was sentenced to death without trial on charges of terrorism by the Earth Federation. Hathaway was executed by firing squad on 1 May UC 0105. In a cruel irony, his father Bright was placed in command of the operation, though Kenneth Sleg attempted to shield Bright from learning the condemned man’s true identity. The Federation later leaked Hathaway’s identity as a publicity stunt, inadvertently making him a martyr for the anti-Federation cause.

Personality & traits

Hathaway was a complex individual shaped by trauma and idealism. The death of Quess Paraya during Char’s Rebellion profoundly affected him, leaving him with deep guilt and a sense that he had failed to protect someone he cared about. This trauma, combined with his accidental killing of Chan Agi, created a burden of guilt that influenced his later actions.

Despite becoming a terrorist leader, Hathaway retained much of his youthful gentleness and was often reluctant to embrace the violence his position required. He frequently questioned whether he truly had the resolve to carry out the revolution he sought and worried about whether the public actually supported Mafty’s cause. This internal conflict manifested in his tendency to discretely question civilians about their opinions of Mafty, seeking validation for his actions.

Hathaway possessed a strong sense of justice inherited from his father but channelled it in a radically different direction. Unlike Bright’s dedication to reforming the Federation from within, Hathaway concluded that the system was too corrupt to be saved and required destruction. His political beliefs underwent a complete transformation, rejecting his father’s views and embracing many of Char’s ideals about preserving Earth through extreme measures.

Skills & abilities

Hathaway was an exceptionally skilled mobile suit pilot, demonstrating natural aptitude from his first unauthorised sortie in a Jegan during Char’s Rebellion. His piloting abilities continued to develop, and by UC 0105, he was considered among the finest pilots of his generation. He displayed particular expertise with psycommu-guided weapons, demonstrating excellent control over the Ξ Gundam’s funnel missiles.

As a Newtype, Hathaway possessed enhanced spatial awareness and reflexes that made him highly effective in mobile suit combat. However, he consistently denied being classified as a Newtype, viewing it as just another artificial grouping of people. Some speculated he might be a Cyber-Newtype, though this was never definitively determined.

Beyond piloting, Hathaway proved adept at strategic planning and organisation. His leadership of Mafty demonstrated considerable tactical acumen, as he managed to conduct a successful campaign against a vastly superior Federation military force for an extended period. His military training and physical conditioning also served him well in personal combat situations, as demonstrated during the Haunzen hijacking.

Relationships

Quess Paraya

Hathaway’s relationship with Quess Paraya was the defining emotional experience of his life. He was immediately attracted to her during their time aboard the Ra Cailum and believed he could save her from Char’s influence through the power of his feelings. Her death traumatised him deeply, and he spent the rest of his life haunted by her memory. In his final moments, he heard Quess’s voice encouraging him to fight against the fake Mafty terrorists, suggesting their psychic connection endured beyond death.

Bright Noa

The relationship between Hathaway and his father Bright Noa became increasingly strained as their ideological differences grew. While Hathaway retained love and respect for Bright as a person, he completely rejected his father’s belief in working within the Federation system. This ideological divide ultimately led to the tragic irony of Bright unknowingly presiding over his son’s execution, a fact that the Federation leaked to the media to destroy Bright’s reputation.

Gigi Andalucia

Gigi Andalucia represented both a connection to and a departure from Hathaway’s past. Like Quess, she was a mysterious young woman with apparent Newtype abilities who could see through his deceptions. However, unlike his relationship with Quess, Hathaway’s interactions with Gigi were more complex and mature, reflecting his growth as a person. Her ability to identify him as Mafty created a unique dynamic of mutual understanding and danger.

Kenneth Sleg

Despite being enemies, Hathaway developed a grudging respect for Kenneth Sleg, the Federation officer hunting him. Kenneth’s competence and determination made Mafty’s operations increasingly difficult, forcing Hathaway to acknowledge his opponent’s skill. Ironically, Kenneth showed more consideration for Hathaway’s family than the Federation leadership, attempting to spare Bright from learning about his son’s execution.

Mecha

RX-105 Ξ Gundam

Hathaway’s signature mobile suit was the RX-105 Ξ Gundam, a prototype fifth-generation mobile suit developed by Anaheim Electronics as part of Project Zeta. The Ξ Gundam featured an integrated Minovsky Flight Unit that allowed it to achieve supersonic atmospheric flight while generating protective beam barriers. Armed with a powerful beam rifle, beam sabers, and psycommu-guided funnel missiles, the Ξ Gundam was specifically designed to counter the Federation’s RX-104FF Penelope.

Hathaway’s exceptional piloting skills and Newtype abilities allowed him to fully exploit the Ξ Gundam’s advanced capabilities. His mastery of the funnel missile system was particularly noteworthy, as these weapons required precise mental control to guide them effectively in combat. The mobile suit’s performance under his command validated both his skills as a pilot and the advanced technology Anaheim Electronics had developed.

Me02R-Fc Messer Type-F Naked (Commander Type)

Before acquiring the Ξ Gundam, Hathaway piloted a Me02R-Fc Messer Type-F Naked (Commander Type), a customised variant of Mafty’s standard mobile suit. Unlike the standard Messer’s red colour scheme, his commander unit featured a distinctive rose and purple paint job. The Messer was developed from Neo Zeon designs, incorporating elements from the AMS-119 Geara Doga and MSN-04 Sazabi, giving it the characteristic mono-eye and rounded silhouette of Zeon mobile suits.

RGM-89 Jegan

Hathaway’s first combat experience came when he unauthorised launched in an RGM-89 Jegan during the final battle of Char’s Rebellion. Despite having no formal training, his natural Newtype abilities and determination enabled him to pilot the mass-production mobile suit effectively. His use of the Jegan to try to reach Quess demonstrated both his piloting potential and his emotional attachment to her.

Behind the scenes

Hathaway Noa was created by Tomino Yoshiyuki as the protagonist of the novel series Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway’s Flash, published from 1989 to 1990. The character’s design was handled by Mikimoto Haruhiko, who had previously worked on Macross and other series.

Hathaway’s voice actor in Char’s Counterattack, Sasaki Nozomu, continued to voice the character in video game appearances but was replaced by Ono Kensho for the 2021 film adaptation Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway. Interestingly, Sasaki was given the role of Gass H. Huguest in the film and also narrated the audiobook version of the first novel. The English dub featured Caleb Yen as Hathaway.

The character’s story is notable for being one of the few Gundam narratives where the protagonist is ultimately defeated and executed. This dark ending reflected Tomino’s mature approach to storytelling and his willingness to explore the consequences of extremism, even when motivated by noble ideals.

Hathaway’s appearance in the 2021 film differed from his depiction in Char’s Counterattack, where he had black hair like his father. The film version featured brown hair more similar to his mother’s, and he appeared younger than his 25 years would suggest, maintaining an almost teenage appearance.

Appearances