Treize Khushrenada

Treize Khushrenada was a charismatic military leader who served as the head of OZ and one of the primary antagonists of New Mobile Report Gundam Wing. Born into aristocracy, he professed a love for war and believed that conflict brought out the nobility of the human spirit. He died in AC 195 during the final battle of the Eve Wars, killed by Chang Wufei in single combat.

Biography

Early life

Treize Khushrenada was born in AC 171 to Angelina Khushrenada and Ein Yuy, making him a relative of the original Heero Yuy. His mother later suffered from mental illness following Ein’s death and was hospitalised. Treize also had a younger half-brother, Vingt Khushrenada, who admired him greatly and became the head of the Romefeller Foundation at age 13 to support his older brother. Tragically, both Angelina and Vingt were killed in a bomb attack, an event that deeply affected Treize and motivated him to memorise the names and numbers of all those who died in war.

Military career

By AC 188, Treize was serving as an instructor in the Specials, OZ’s elite mobile suit unit. He was assigned to colony X-18999 where he was wounded whilst protecting the command centre from an attack by a young Heero Yuy (the Gundam pilot), using his mobile suit as a shield to save Lucrezia Noin and other officers. During his recovery at a Barton Foundation hospital, he met Leia Barton, a nurse who tended to his injuries. Their relationship resulted in the birth of Mariemaia Khushrenada in AC 189, though Leia died of illness two years later.

In AC 191, Treize accompanied Zechs Merquise on a mission to suppress rebels near the Darlian estate, where he witnessed Zechs’s exceptional piloting skills for the first time. After General Catalonia’s death in AC 193, Treize was promoted to leader of OZ. By AC 194, he had become aware of Gundam sightings through Lady Une but chose not to report this to the Earth Sphere Alliance, viewing them as worthy opponents.

Rise to power

When the Gundam pilots arrived on Earth in AC 195, Treize orchestrated a series of events to seize control. As a member of the pro-war faction within the Alliance, he had Lady Une assassinate Vice-Foreign Minister Darlian, who had been advocating for peace with the colonies. Treize then leaked false intelligence suggesting that a peace conference attended by Field Marshal Noventa was actually an OZ leadership meeting, prompting the Gundams to attack. When Heero Yuy destroyed the transport carrying the Alliance’s pacifist leaders, Treize manipulated General Septum into making a televised statement condemning the colonies before having him eliminated.

This deception allowed OZ to stage a swift coup, bringing most of Earth under Treize’s control. When confronted by Chang Wufei aboard his ship, Treize challenged the young pilot to a sword duel, easily defeating him but allowing him to escape, remarking that their next encounter would be in mobile suits.

Opposition to Mobile Dolls

Despite OZ’s success, Treize found himself increasingly at odds with Chief Engineer Tubarov and the Romefeller Foundation’s Mobile Doll programme. He viewed automated warfare as unacceptable, believing that war conducted by machines rather than soldiers stripped away its nobility and humanity. His opposition to this technology, despite having Duke Dermail’s support for the programme, created a rift within OZ.

Treize was also forced to cover up various indiscretions by Zechs, including rebuilding the Wing Gundam and pursuing a personal vendetta against Heero. When Zechs was arrested, Treize arranged for him to fight an Alliance unit, enabling his escape from court-martial.

Exile and return

Unable to support Romefeller’s increased reliance on Mobile Dolls, Treize stepped down as OZ’s leader, resulting in Duke Dermail taking full control. Treize was placed under house arrest in Luxembourg, where he reflected on the horrors of war and his newfound realisation that he loved Lady Une. During this period, rebellious OZ pilots formed the Treize Faction, fighting Romefeller forces across the world in his name.

Treize received a visit from Heero Yuy during his exile, during which they discussed philosophy and warfare. Before Heero left, Treize presented him with the OZ-13MS Gundam Epyon, a mobile suit he had designed that embodied his ideals of honourable combat with no ranged weapons. When Quinze and the White Fang began their colonial rebellion and Duke Dermail was killed in space, this facilitated Treize’s return to power.

Final campaign

Emerging from exile, Treize relieved Relena Peacecraft of her duties as world sovereign and assumed leadership of the Romefeller Foundation. He expertly rallied the world’s forces to oppose the White Fang, now led by Milliardo Peacecraft (Zechs’s true identity), who had declared war on Earth.

Treize gathered his forces at the resource satellite MO-II and advanced towards the massive battleship Libra. Piloting the OZ-00MS2 Tallgeese II, he ordered his forces to halt and charged at Libra alone, challenging Milliardo to single combat to decide the fate of both Earth and the colonies. However, Milliardo rejected Treize’s antiquated notions of chivalry and ordered Libra’s main cannon to fire at him. Lady Une, awakening from her coma on Earth, launched into space with the Wing Gundam and saved Treize from the blast.

The battle commenced in earnest, with Treize’s forces engaging both Mobile Dolls and White Fang units. During the conflict, Treize encountered Chang Wufei for their promised rematch. When Wufei demanded to know how many had died for Treize’s vision, Treize provided the exact figure—99,822 people—expressing regret for each death whilst maintaining they had not died in vain. He then deliberately exposed himself to Wufei’s attack, allowing the Altron Gundam’s beam trident to pierce the Tallgeese II’s cockpit. Before his mobile suit exploded, Treize told Wufei it was an honour to fight him and the other Gundam pilots, saying he would wait for Milliardo “on the other side.” His death made him the 100,000th casualty of the war.

Personality & traits

Treize Khushrenada was a complex individual who embodied both chivalrous ideals and ruthless pragmatism. He possessed an aristocratic bearing and expressed interests in honour and chivalry comparable to an old-fashioned gentleman, believing that matters of honour should be settled in single combat. Despite his love for war, Treize was keenly aware of its tragedy and sorrow, maintaining detailed records of every person who died in battle.

His philosophy centred on the belief that humanity could only evolve through conflict and that war, when properly conducted, brought out the best in human nature. He viewed soldiers as noble beings whose sacrifices gave meaning to existence, making him fundamentally opposed to automated warfare through Mobile Dolls, which he saw as stripping away the human element that made conflict meaningful.

Beneath his calculated exterior, Treize was fanatically loyal to his friends and family. His charismatic personality earned him the respect and worship of many soldiers, who followed him not out of fear but genuine admiration. He possessed a remarkable understanding of human nature that he used to inspire devotion amongst his followers.

Skills & abilities

Treize was an expert in hand-to-hand combat and an exceptional mobile suit pilot with skills equal to or surpassing those of the Gundam pilots. He was also a crack shot and superb Western-style fencer, as demonstrated when he easily defeated Chang Wufei in their first sword duel.

Beyond his combat abilities, Treize possessed considerable talent as a mobile suit designer, having created both the Gundam Epyon and the Tallgeese III. His designs reflected his combat philosophy, with the Epyon featuring no ranged weapons to force pilots into close combat.

As a military strategist and political leader, Treize demonstrated exceptional tactical acumen both on and off the battlefield. His ability to manipulate events and people to achieve his goals was matched by his oratory skills and natural charisma, which he used to sway both allies and enemies to his cause.

Relationships

Family

Treize’s family relationships were marked by both love and tragedy. His mother Angelina Khushrenada suffered from mental illness following the death of his father Ein Yuy and was later killed in a bomb attack alongside his younger half-brother Vingt. These deaths profoundly affected Treize and motivated his practice of memorising the names of all war casualties.

His relationship with Leia Barton during his recovery from injuries resulted in his daughter Mariemaia, though Leia’s death when Mariemaia was only two meant he had limited involvement in raising her. Mariemaia was subsequently manipulated by her grandfather Dekim Barton to lead the Mariemaia Army in AC 196, believing she was fulfilling her father’s wishes.

Chang Wufei

Treize’s relationship with Chang Wufei was complex, built on mutual respect despite their opposing positions. After easily defeating Wufei in their first sword duel, Treize spared his life, later remarking that he couldn’t kill “one of the few people who understood him.” Their philosophical similarities—both believed in codes of honour and the necessity of conflict—created a unique bond between them. Wufei became the only person Treize considered capable of killing him, and their final duel resulted in Treize’s deliberate death, which he considered an honour.

Heero Yuy

Treize’s assertion that “humanity can only change by fighting” provided a form of salvation for Heero Yuy, who hated war but could only survive through combat. Despite their first encounter involving Heero injuring Treize, their relationship evolved into one of mutual understanding. Treize’s gift of the Gundam Epyon to Heero represented both a challenge and an acknowledgement of the young pilot’s abilities.

Zechs Merquise

Zechs Merquise was Treize’s closest friend and ally, with Treize being one of the few who knew Zechs’s true identity as Milliardo Peacecraft. They worked together effectively and shared similar disdain for the old guard of the Alliance. Even after learning that Relena was Zechs’s sister, Treize protected her by calling off Lady Une’s assassination attempt. Their friendship persisted even as they became enemies in the final conflict, with Treize’s dying words expressing hope to reunite with Milliardo in death.

Lady Une

Treize’s relationship with Lady Une was complicated by her dissociative identity disorder and unwavering devotion to him. Une’s attraction to Treize manifested in absolute loyalty, though her ruthless nature eventually led to a personality split when Treize asked her to be more diplomatic during her colonial mission. Eventually, Treize realised he loved Une, visiting her bedside whilst she was comatose and finally acknowledging his feelings. Her rescue of him during the final battle demonstrated their deep connection.

Mecha

OZ-00MS2 Tallgeese II

During the final battle of the Eve Wars, Treize piloted the OZ-00MS2 Tallgeese II, a rebuilt and improved version of the original Tallgeese. The mobile suit was painted in colours that evoked his blue military uniform, reflecting his philosophy that a commander should lead from the front. He used this machine to challenge Milliardo Peacecraft to single combat and later fought his final duel with Chang Wufei, deliberately allowing the Altron Gundam’s beam trident to pierce its cockpit.

Mobile suit designs

Treize designed several notable mobile suits that reflected his combat philosophy. The OZ-13MS Gundam Epyon embodied his ideals of honourable warfare, featuring no ranged weapons to force pilots into close combat where skill and courage mattered most. He also created the OZ-00MS2B Tallgeese III, though this machine was not completed until after his death. His designs demonstrated both technical expertise and philosophical depth, creating machines that challenged their pilots to embody the warrior ideals he cherished.

Behind the scenes

Treize Khushrenada was created by Katsuyuki Sumisawa for New Mobile Report Gundam Wing. His character design was handled by the series’ character designers, though specific attribution varies across sources. The name “Treize” derives from the French word for “thirteen,” which was meaningful as it represented the number of the runway where his mother Angelina last saw his father Ein during their separation.

The character was voiced by Okiayu Ryōtarō in the original Japanese version and David Kaye in the English dub. Okiayu, born 17 November 1969, is affiliated with Aoni Production and is known for roles including Byakuya Kuchiki in Bleach and Zero in Mega Man X. David Kaye, a Canadian voice actor, is well known for voicing Megatron in multiple Transformers series and Sesshōmaru in InuYasha.

Treize’s character has been featured prominently in the Super Robot Wars series, where he often serves as both antagonist and occasional ally. His complex motivations and charismatic personality have made him a popular character for analysis and discussion amongst Gundam fans, with many considering him one of the more sophisticated antagonists in the franchise.

Appearances

Anime

• New Mobile Report Gundam Wing (AC 195)

Movies

• New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz (AC 196) - mentioned/referenced

Manga

• New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Episode Zero

Games

• Super Robot Wars series (various entries)
• Dynasty Warriors: Gundam series
• Gundam Battle Assault