Vice-Minister Darlian – Gundam Wing character

Vice-Minister Darlian was a United Earth Sphere Alliance diplomat and former Sanc Kingdom senator who served as Vice-Foreign Minister during the early stages of the Eve Wars. A mild-mannered and moderate man who advocated for peace between Earth and the colonies, he is best remembered for saving the infant Princess Relena Peacecraft from the Alliance’s destruction of the Sanc Kingdom in AC 182 and raising her as his adoptive daughter. His assassination by Lady Une in AC 195 set in motion Relena’s journey to reclaim her heritage and continue the Peacecraft legacy of total pacifism.

History

Senator of the Sanc Kingdom

Vice-Minister Darlian originally served as a senator in the Sanc Kingdom, a small nation that championed complete pacifism under the leadership of the Peacecraft royal family. He was a loyal servant of King Peacecraft and Queen Katrina, believing deeply in their ideals of total pacifism and peaceful coexistence.

Saving Relena

In AC 182, when Vice-Minister Darlian was seventeen years old, the United Earth Sphere Alliance invaded the Sanc Kingdom, viewing King Peacecraft’s pacifist ideology as a threat to their totalitarian rule. During the brutal assault that killed both King Peacecraft and Queen Katrina, the royal palace was destroyed. In the chaos, Darlian managed to rescue the infant Princess Relena Peacecraft, who was only a baby at the time.

Fleeing the burning country with the princess, Darlian made the decision to adopt her and raise her as his own daughter, giving her the name Relena Darlian whilst concealing her true identity as the last surviving member of the Peacecraft royal family. This act of courage saved Relena’s life and preserved the Peacecraft bloodline.

Alliance diplomat

Following his escape from the Sanc Kingdom, Darlian eventually entered the service of the United Earth Sphere Alliance, rising to the position of Vice-Foreign Minister. Despite working for the same organisation that had destroyed the Sanc Kingdom, he continued to advocate for peaceful dialogue between Earth and the colonies. He represented the Earth side at colony summits held by the Alliance and each colony municipality, using his position to promote moderate policies.

Darlian instilled in his adoptive daughter the Peacecraft ideal of total pacifism, ensuring that Relena grew up with the values her biological parents had championed, even though she remained unaware of her true heritage for most of her childhood.

AC 195: The peace conference

In AC 195, as OZ and the Romefeller Foundation were gaining power and pushing for increasingly militaristic policies towards the colonies, Vice-Minister Darlian’s advocacy for peace made him a threat to their plans. He was scheduled to attend a peace conference that would discuss de-escalation and dialogue with the colonies.

Lady Une, a high-ranking OZ officer, was ordered to assassinate the Vice-Foreign Minister. During the conference, she threw a bomb into the middle of the gathering, killing everyone else present but leaving Darlian mortally injured. Members of the Colony Liberation Organization took the dying Minister and Relena into their custody.

As he lay dying, Darlian revealed to Relena the truth of her heritage: that she was Princess Relena Peacecraft, the last surviving member of the Sanc Kingdom’s royal family. He urged her to continue the ideal of total pacifism and warned her to be wary of OZ. As Relena fell to a sedative administered by her protectors, the Minister succumbed to his injuries and passed away on 20 April AC 195.

Alternate account: New Edwards

In the manga Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Endless Waltz: Glory of the Losers, Vice-Minister Darlian’s death occurred differently. He was attending a peace conference hosted by Field Marshal Noventa at the New Edwards base alongside Relena and the Marquis of Werridge of the Romefeller Foundation when the Gundam pilots attacked, having been led to believe all OZ leaders would be present.

During the attack, he was injured whilst protecting Relena from collapsing debris caused by the battle’s collateral damage. He died shortly afterwards, but not before telling her the secret of her birth.

Personality

Vice-Minister Darlian was characterised by his mild-mannered disposition and moderate political views. In an era dominated by militaristic hardliners, he stood out as a voice for diplomacy and peaceful resolution. His dedication to the ideals of pacifism remained strong even after the destruction of the Sanc Kingdom, demonstrating remarkable moral consistency.

Despite serving the United Earth Sphere Alliance—the very organisation that had destroyed the kingdom he once served—Darlian never abandoned his principles. He continued to work towards peace from within the system, using his diplomatic position to advocate for moderate policies towards the colonies.

His love for his adoptive daughter Relena was genuine and profound. He raised her with care and instilled in her the values of the Peacecraft family, ensuring that even though she didn’t know her true heritage, she grew up embodying the ideals her biological parents had championed.

Relationships

Relena Darlian

Vice-Minister Darlian’s relationship with Relena was that of a devoted father. He rescued her as an infant, raised her as his own daughter, and ensured she grew up with the values of pacifism and compassion. His decision to reveal her true identity only in his final moments suggests he believed the time was right for her to reclaim her heritage and continue the Peacecraft legacy.

King and Queen Peacecraft

As a senator who served the Peacecraft family, Darlian was deeply loyal to King Peacecraft and Queen Katrina. His dedication to their ideals and his rescue of their daughter demonstrated his commitment to preserving their legacy.

Mareen Darlian

Mareen Darlian was Vice-Minister Darlian’s wife and Relena’s adoptive mother. Together they raised Relena, though little is known about Mareen’s specific role in these events.

Legacy

Vice-Minister Darlian’s greatest legacy was saving and raising Relena Peacecraft, enabling her to eventually reclaim her heritage and become a powerful voice for peace. His death served as the catalyst for Relena’s transformation from a sheltered schoolgirl into a political figure who would continue the Peacecraft family’s mission of total pacifism.

The values he instilled in Relena during her upbringing proved crucial to the eventual peace that would follow the Eve Wars. Through his sacrifice and dedication, the Peacecraft legacy survived to inspire a new generation.

In AC 196, following the Mariemaia Incident, Relena would succeed her adoptive father as Vice-Foreign Minister, carrying forward both the Darlian name and the Peacecraft ideals he had preserved.

Notes

Vice-Minister Darlian’s given name is never revealed in the series; he is only ever referred to by his title.
His death on 20 April AC 195 marked the beginning of Relena’s active involvement in the political conflicts of the Eve Wars.
The English voice actor Michael Dobson also voiced Rashid Kurama and Relena’s biological father in flashback scenes.
In the succession line, Relena followed in Vice-Minister Darlian’s footsteps by becoming Vice-Foreign Minister herself, though she also simultaneously reclaimed her identity as a Peacecraft.

References

Main article: Mobile Suit Gundam Wing

Gundam Wiki. “Vice-Minister Darlian.” Retrieved from https://gundam.fandom.com/wiki/Vice-Minister_Darlian
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing episodes 1-5
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Endless Waltz: Glory of the Losers manga