Marida Cruz
Clone of Elpeo Ple who served as a Cyber Newtype pilot for the Sleeves during the Laplace Incident.
Marida Cruz was a clone of Elpeo Ple who served as a Cyber Newtype pilot for the Sleeves during the Laplace Incident. Originally known as Ple Twelve, she was one of the few surviving clones from Glemy Toto’s clone army created during the First Neo Zeon War.
Biography
Early life as Ple Twelve
Marida was originally created as part of the Ple clone army developed by Glemy Toto using the DNA of Elpeo Ple. Known as Ple Twelve, she was awakened by Glemy and fought alongside her clone sisters using AMX-004G Qubeley Mass Production Type mobile suits during the finishing phase of the First Neo Zeon War. She was created to be a superior version of the original Ple, inheriting the best gene samples and specialising in high mobility and high G-force combat.
Survival and captivity
After the catastrophic battle with Chara Soon’s AMX-015 Geymalk on 1 January UC 0089, Marida was one of the only surviving clones. Following the destruction of her sisters, she was discovered by opportunistic human traffickers and captured. She was subsequently sold into sex slavery in a colony brothel, where she endured years of abuse. During this period, her reproductive system was either damaged or deliberately removed during the termination of pregnancies.
Rescue by Zinnerman
Marida was later rescued by Suberoa Zinnerman and taken in by the Neo Zeon remnant faction Sleeves. Zinnerman became a father figure to her, though she initially referred to him as “Master,” which irritated him. Under the Sleeves, she was given the name Marida Cruz and became a mobile suit pilot once again, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade.
Service with the Sleeves
As a pilot for the Sleeves, Marida became the primary operator of the NZ-666 Kshatriya, a powerful mobile suit equipped with funnels that complemented her Cyber Newtype abilities. She served aboard the Garencieres under Captain Zinnerman’s command. Her exceptional piloting skills and mental stability made her one of the most capable Cyber Newtypes of her generation.
The Laplace Incident
During the Laplace Incident in UC 0096, Marida participated in the Sleeves’ mission to acquire Laplace’s Box. She encountered Banagher Links and his RX-0 Unicorn Gundam during the battle at Industrial 7. Her hatred of Gundams, programmed by Glemy, caused her to pursue the Unicorn with relentless determination.
After being captured by the Earth Federation, Marida was subjected to psychological conditioning by Martha Vist Carbine. She was forced to pilot the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee and became temporarily hostile towards Banagher. However, through Banagher’s efforts and Zinnerman’s care, she eventually broke free from the conditioning.
Final battle and death
Marida’s growing attachment to Zinnerman was revealed when she began calling him “Father” instead of “Master.” During the final confrontation at Magallanica, she piloted the damaged NZ-666 Kshatriya Repaired to protect Banagher and the Nahel Argama. In her battle against Riddhe Marcenas in the Banshee, she was mortally wounded by the mobile suit’s beam magnum on 2 May UC 0096.
Her death profoundly impacted both Banagher and Riddhe, with her spirit appearing to calm Riddhe’s rage and guide him towards redemption. Her final words emphasised that hope could rise from despair and that sadness could be used as fuel to light the way.
Personality & traits
Marida was empathetic and caring, avoiding unnecessary damage and emotional harm to others. Despite being described as emotionless and intimidating by some, she possessed deep kindness that became more apparent after her interactions with Banagher. She acted as a big sister figure to younger individuals, with children on Palau calling her “Big Sis.”
Her traumatic past left her with deep psychological scars. She viewed herself as a weapon rather than a person and suffered from severe anxiety when faced with reminders of her abuse. The sight of Gundams triggered violent responses due to her original programming, causing her to ignore orders in pursuit of their destruction.
Marida’s loyalty to Zinnerman was absolute, evolving from professional duty to genuine familial love. This relationship became central to her character development and ultimate redemption.
Skills & abilities
As a Cyber Newtype clone, Marida possessed enhanced psychic abilities including clairvoyance, telepathy, and the ability to sense other Newtypes’ positions and emotions. Her conditioning made her superior to other Cyber Newtypes in terms of mental stability and combat aptitude.
She was an exceptional mobile suit pilot, particularly skilled in using funnel-equipped mobile suits. Her preferred tactic involved overwhelming enemies with multi-directional beam attacks while restricting their movement. She was also proficient in martial arts and demonstrated considerable physical strength.
Relationships
Suberoa Zinnerman
Zinnerman became the most important person in Marida’s life after rescuing her from sexual slavery. Their relationship evolved from captain and subordinate to surrogate father and daughter. His care and protection allowed her to rediscover her humanity and ultimately find peace.
Banagher Links
Initially an enemy, Banagher became instrumental in Marida’s psychological healing. His genuine kindness and refusal to give up on her helped break through her conditioning and reminded her of her capacity for compassion.
Elpeo Ple and clone sisters
Though she never met the original Ple, Marida carried her genetic memories and shared her love of ice cream. She was the sole survivor among her clone sisters, carrying the weight of their loss throughout her life.
Mecha
NZ-666 Kshatriya
Marida’s primary mobile suit was the NZ-666 Kshatriya, a large, heavily armed mobile suit equipped with multiple funnels. She utilised its four wing binders and numerous remote weapons to devastating effect, making her one of the most feared pilots in the Sleeves’ forces.
RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee
While under Federation conditioning, Marida was forced to pilot the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee. The Psychoframe technology exacerbated her psychological instability, but she ultimately used the suit to protect those she cared about.
Behind the scenes
Marida Cruz was voiced by Yūko Kaida in Japanese and Tara Platt in English. Her character design represented what Elpeo Ple might have looked like had she survived to adulthood. The character’s tragic backstory and redemption arc made her one of the most memorable characters in Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn.
Her name “Marida” was likely chosen to contrast with her original designation as a numbered clone, emphasising her journey towards becoming a person rather than a weapon.
Appearances
- Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn
- Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn RE:0096
- Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3
- Dynasty Warriors: Gundam Reborn
- Super Robot Wars V
- Super Robot Wars X
- Mobile Suit Gundam U.C. ENGAGE