Mendel

Mendel (メンデル, Menderu) was a space colony located at the L5 Lagrange Point in the Cosmic Era timeline. The colony was abandoned following the completion of Coordinator research programmes, but it became the site of key revelations about Kira Yamato’s origins and Rau Le Creuset’s connection to the Ultimate Coordinator programme during the First Alliance-PLANT War.

History

Mendel was established as a research colony where Coordinator research and development was conducted. The colony housed facilities for genetic engineering research, serving as a location where scientists worked on creating and improving Coordinator technology. The colony’s isolation and specialised facilities made it ideal for the sensitive research being conducted there.

The colony’s research programmes included work on the Ultimate Coordinator programme, an attempt to create the perfect Coordinator through genetic manipulation. This programme was associated with Dr Ulen Hibiki, a scientist who conducted controversial research on Coordinator enhancement, and his work at Mendel would later have significant consequences for the characters involved.

Abandonment

Following the completion of the research programmes or due to ethical concerns about the research being conducted, Mendel was abandoned. The colony’s facilities were left behind, with research data and equipment remaining in place. The colony’s isolation and abandonment meant that it was largely forgotten by the general population, becoming a ghost colony that existed outside the normal flow of space colony life.

The colony’s abandonment left it in a state of disrepair, with infrastructure deteriorating over time. Despite its abandoned status, the colony’s facilities remained intact enough to preserve records and information about the research that had been conducted there, making it a valuable source of information for those seeking to understand the Ultimate Coordinator programme.

Discovery during the war

During the First Alliance-PLANT War, Mendel became the site of a confrontation between Kira Yamato, Athrun Zala, and Rau Le Creuset. The confrontation at Mendel revealed crucial information about Kira’s origins and Rau’s connection to the Ultimate Coordinator programme, exposing the truth about the genetic research that had been conducted there.

Kira’s journey to Mendel led to the discovery that he was the Ultimate Coordinator, a genetically engineered individual created through Dr Ulen Hibiki’s research. This revelation explained Kira’s exceptional abilities and his status as a natural-born Coordinator with enhanced capabilities. The discovery also revealed that Kira’s biological father was Dr Hibiki, who had used genetic manipulation to create the Ultimate Coordinator.

Rau Le Creuset’s connection

Mendel was also significant for Rau Le Creuset, who revealed his connection to the Ultimate Coordinator programme during the confrontation at the colony. Rau disclosed that he was a clone created from Dr Ulen Hibiki’s genetic material, making him related to Kira and explaining his hostility toward Coordinators and his nihilistic worldview.

Rau’s revelation at Mendel exposed the darker side of Coordinator research, revealing how scientists had created clones and genetically engineered individuals without regard for their humanity. This revelation contributed to Rau’s motivation to destroy both Naturals and Coordinators, as he saw both groups as flawed and doomed to conflict.

Significance

Mendel’s role in the series’ narrative was to serve as the site where key revelations about the characters’ origins and connections were exposed. The colony’s abandoned facilities and preserved records provided the information necessary for Kira and others to understand the truth about the Ultimate Coordinator programme and their own backgrounds.

The colony’s significance extended beyond the immediate revelations, as the information discovered there contributed to the characters’ understanding of the conflict between Naturals and Coordinators. The Ultimate Coordinator programme represented the extreme end of genetic engineering, raising questions about the ethics of genetic manipulation and the nature of humanity.

Legacy

Mendel’s legacy was tied to the Ultimate Coordinator programme and the revelations that occurred there. The colony’s abandoned facilities served as a reminder of the controversial research that had been conducted, and the information preserved there continued to influence events in the Cosmic Era timeline.

The colony’s role in exposing the truth about Kira’s origins and Rau’s connection to the programme made it a significant location in the series’ narrative, contributing to the resolution of the First Alliance-PLANT War and the characters’ personal journeys.

Appearances

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED

External links

Mendel on the Gundam Wiki