RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee – MechaBay | Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn

The RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee was the second of three RX-0 units built as part of the UC Project by Anaheim Electronics.

The “R” in the model code meant it was a Federation model¹ and the “X” indicated that it was an experimental mobile suit. The “0” in the model code denoted that it was part of the revolutionary RX-0 series. The “02” suffix identified it as the second unit in the series.

History

The RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee was developed alongside the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam and RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex as part of the Earth Federation Forces’ secret UC Project. After its completion alongside the Unicorn Gundam, the Banshee was eventually stationed on Earth with the Augusta Research Lab and tested for atmospheric combat.

Prior to the Banshee’s assignment to Augusta Lab to undergo gravity testing, it was assigned to the General Revil alongside the Phenex. While attached to the General Revil, the Banshee and the Phenex encountered a The Sleeves unit and engaged it in battle, where the Banshee suffered significant damage to its chest which required it to be overhauled. During the overhaul, the Banshee gained its golden collar, making it resemble a lion even more.

The completed Banshee made its public debut in UC 0096 during an attack by Zeon remnants on Australia’s Torrington Base. The Banshee was piloted by Neo Zeon Cyber Newtype Marida Cruz, who was captured and brainwashed by the Vist Foundation. Marida captured the Unicorn Gundam and put its pilot, Banagher Links, in the hands of the Earth Federation Forces and the Vist Foundation.

During a battle within the confines of the Garuda transport plane, Marida was able to break out of her brainwashing and abandoned the Banshee. The Banshee was then re-equipped as the RX-0[N] Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee Norn and assigned to Riddhe Marcenas.

Design

The Banshee was similar to the original Unicorn Gundam and featured the same NT-D System that could activate Destroy mode. However, the Banshee’s armor was colored black, and in Destroy mode its psychoframe emitted a golden glow rather than the red of the original Unicorn.

Rather than the motif of a Unicorn, the Banshee’s design was that of a lion, illustrated with gold accents on the forehead, a golden collar to signify a lion’s mane, and a much more elaborate horn/V-fin. The Banshee originally had the same collar as the Unicorn but this was changed after it suffered damages while battling in space.

Aside from lacking the Unicorn’s La+ operating system, the Banshee’s raw performance was equal to that of the Unicorn. In the anime version, it weighed more than Unit 1 and had a larger effective sensor radius. Its armament also differed from that of Unit 1, as it was equipped with specialised psychoframe armaments called “Armed Armor”, granting it better continuous battle capability than Unit 1.

The mobile suit had a standard cockpit in its torso with a panoramic monitor and linear seat.

Armaments

The Banshee’s standard weapons were the beam magnum for ranged combat and beam sabers for melee combat, augmented by specialised Armed Armor weapons that distinguished it from the base Unicorn design.

Beam magnum

A handheld firearm equipped with an energy condenser, it was common to the RX-0 series mobile suits. The beam magnum provided devastating firepower equivalent to battleship-class weapons, with each E-cap magazine containing 16 shots.

Vulcan guns

A pair of fire-linked 60 mm gatling vulcan guns were mounted on either sides of the Banshee’s head. While essentially ineffectual against mobile suit armor, they were useful in intercepting incoming missiles and rockets, destroying mobile suit sensors, and engaging lightly-armoured vehicles.

Beam sabers

The Banshee carried four beam sabers total—two mounted in the forearms and two stored in the backpack. In Unicorn mode, the mobile suit only had access to the two forearm-mounted beam sabers. In Destroy Mode, the other two beam sabers flipped out from the backpack, allowing access to all four sabers.

The forearm mounted beam sabers could flip over and be used directly as beam tonfas. However, the right forearm’s beam tonfa could not be used when the Banshee was equipped with the Armed Armor BS.

Armed Armor BS

The Armed Armor BS was a beam smart gun mounted over the right forearm. The gun’s barrel swivelled over the right hand when in use. The gun was capable of predictive aiming by feeding spatial data to the pilot via psycommu and using the pilot’s brain waves to synchronise with the fin-shaped beam director.

Armed Armor VN

The Armed Armor VN was mounted on the left arm and could be used both offensively as vibrating claws or defensively as a shield. The vibrating claw function allowed it to tear through enemy armor in close combat.

Shield

A forearm-mounted physical shield common to the RX-0 series mobile suits. An I-Field generator was built into the shield’s center, and the barrier that it generated could block beam attacks from beam sabers to battleship-class beam fire. The shield also had four psychoframe panels to enhance its toughness and increase the amount of psychoframe carried by the mobile suit.

When in Destroy Mode, the upper and lower sections of the shield slid apart, revealing the I-Field generator for use, and the psychoframe panels were also deployed in an X-shape around this generator.

Known pilots

Behind the scenes

Katoki Hajime was the original mechanical designer. The design was based on the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee from the Gundam Unicorn novels.

The name “Banshee” comes from Irish folklore, referring to a female spirit whose wailing warns of death. This fits with the mobile suit’s role as a weapon designed to hunt Newtypes.

Appearances

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn

External links

RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee on the Gundam Wiki
RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee (anime) on MAHQ
RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee (novel) on MAHQ

Federation in Japanese is renpou, hence the use of “R”. ↩