XXXG-01D2 Gundam Deathscythe Hell
Duo's upgraded Deathscythe with enhanced active cloaking.
The XXXG-01D2 Gundam Deathscythe Hell was the upgraded version of the XXXG-01D Gundam Deathscythe in Mobile Suit Gundam Wing. Piloted by Duo Maxwell, it was rebuilt by the five Gundam scientists at OZ’s lunar base in AC 195. Better adapted for space combat than its predecessor, it specialized in stealth and close combat, featuring an active cloak that provided superior defense, invisibility, and enhanced mobility.
Overview
An updated version of the Gundam Deathscythe that was destroyed by OZ, the Deathscythe Hell was better adapted for space combat. Like its predecessor, the Deathscythe Hell specialized in stealth and close combat. The new active cloak mounted on the shoulders improved the suit’s defense when closed, withstanding multiple beam cannon shots from OZ’s OZ-02MD Virgo. Furthermore, it also allowed the suit to become invisible. When opened, the active cloak enhanced the Gundam’s mobility, functioning as wings.
One of Duo Maxwell’s favorite strategies was to use the Gundam’s enhanced hyper jammers and its invisibility to infiltrate close to enemy units and catch them unawares. This tactic was usually effective for eliminating at least one or two enemy units, after which Duo would uncloak the Gundam. The combination of stealth approach, devastating first strike, and superior mobility made the Deathscythe Hell a formidable opponent.
The mobile suit’s primary weapon was a twin beam scythe, an upgraded version of its predecessor’s beam scythe, equipped with a second beam blade and a small rocket engine on the end, giving it greater reach and power—effectively quadrupling the power of the original scythe.
Design
Concept and development
After the Gundam Deathscythe was captured and destroyed by OZ’s forces in AC 195, its remains were taken to OZ’s lunar base and mobile suit factory for storage. The five scientists who had built the Gundams were also at the lunar base, captured and forced to develop new mobile suit technology to secure OZ’s rule over Earth and the space colonies. Despite their apparent “cooperation”, however, the scientists also began rebuilding the Deathscythe in secret, preparing for the day when captured Gundam pilot Duo Maxwell could return to the battlefield.
That opportunity came when the Romefeller Foundation—the political force behind OZ—became split over a number of issues, and the Treize Faction of OZ attacked the lunar base, which at the time was still under the control of Romefeller loyalists. During the chaos, Duo managed to escape, taking his upgraded Gundam Deathscythe Hell to continue fighting. At that time, the Deathscythe Hell was only seventy percent complete; Duo would later complete the suit on his own, bringing it up to its full combat potential.
The redesign addressed the original Deathscythe’s limitations in space combat whilst retaining and enhancing its stealth specialization. Like the original, the Deathscythe Hell was constructed from Gundanium alloy.
Technical features
The Gundam Deathscythe Hell’s most distinctive feature was its active cloak, consisting of four large movable armor plates attached to the top of the shoulders, two on each side, equipped with four field generators. These field generators functioned similarly to the Mercurius’ planet defenders and were used when the active cloak was closed. The force field generated was strong enough to block shots from Vayeate or Virgo’s beam cannons, and the active cloak itself was also coated with anti-beam coating.
The active cloak also allowed the Deathscythe Hell to turn invisible when closed, enhancing its stealth capabilities beyond the original’s hyper jammer system. When opened, the cloak functioned as wings, significantly enhancing the suit’s mobility in space.
The enhanced hyper jammer system featured twice the jamming power of the original Deathscythe, providing even more effective sensor disruption.
The cockpit was a spherical capsule located in the torso with shock mitigation functions similar to the other Operation Meteor Gundams. Notably, the clavicle-mounted machine cannons from the original were removed in the rebuild.
Armament
Twin Beam Scythe
As implied by its name, the twin beam scythe possessed an extra beam emitter compared to the original Deathscythe’s beam scythe. It also featured a rocket thruster to give it extra momentum in use, effectively quadrupling the power of the original scythe. The weapon was devastating against mobile suits and could cleave through multiple targets in a single strike. When not in use, the weapon was stored on the back skirt with its handle retracted.
Buster Shield
An improved version of the original buster shield, featuring a coffin-like motif on the exterior and two thrusters on the back with higher output. The beam blade emitted when the blades at the front split apart was also more powerful than the original. The launched buster shield was even able to cancel out a blast from the Wing Zero’s twin buster rifle—a testament to its enhanced capabilities.
Vulcan Guns
A pair of shell-firing armaments built into the head. Whilst possessing low offensive power, they were used to restrict enemy movement and lay down suppressive fire due to their rapid-fire capability.
Special equipment
Active Cloak
The active cloak consisted of four large movable armor plates attached to the top of the shoulders, two on each side, equipped with four field generators. In closed configuration, the force field generated was strong enough to block shots from Vayeate or Virgo’s beam cannons. The active cloak also allowed the Deathscythe Hell to turn invisible. When opened, the active cloak functioned as wings, enhancing the suit’s mobility. This multi-purpose system provided defense, stealth, and maneuverability—a significant upgrade over the original design.
Enhanced Hyper Jammer
The nozzles protruding from the backpack scattered jamming particles which scrambled enemy radar and cameras. This system featured twice the jamming power of the original Deathscythe, making enemy detection even less likely.
Self-destruct system
The Deathscythe Hell was built with a self-destruct system that the pilot could activate via a remote detonator in the cockpit. The system was designed to overload the mobile suit’s power systems and had sufficient explosive power to destroy several city blocks.
Operational history
Return to battle
After escaping from OZ’s lunar base during the Treize Faction attack with the seventy-percent-complete Deathscythe Hell, Duo Maxwell completed the remaining work on the mobile suit himself, bringing it up to its full combat potential. Using his new Gundam, Duo continued his fight against both the militaristic Romefeller Foundation and the radical civilian White Fang rebels.
The Deathscythe Hell proved far more effective in space combat than its predecessor, with the active cloak’s defensive and mobility enhancements making it a formidable opponent. The twin beam scythe’s increased power allowed Duo to devastate enemy mobile doll squadrons, whilst the enhanced stealth capabilities enabled surprise attacks on enemy forces.
The mobile suit participated in the final battles of the war, fighting against White Fang’s forces and helping to prevent the Libra space fortress from dropping on Earth.
Production
Design and development
The Gundam Deathscythe Hell was designed by Okawara Kunio for the 1995 anime series Mobile Suit Gundam Wing. The design retained the grim reaper aesthetics of the original Deathscythe whilst adding the distinctive active cloak shoulder armor, giving it a more intimidating silhouette.
The coffin-shaped buster shield reinforced the death motif, whilst the active cloak’s bat-wing configuration when opened enhanced the demonic appearance. The twin beam scythe’s dual blades made the weapon more visually striking and emphasized the mobile suit’s increased power.
Reception
The Gundam Deathscythe Hell became extremely popular amongst fans for its distinctive design and enhanced capabilities. The mobile suit has been featured extensively in model kit releases, including multiple High Grade versions from Bandai, with a new HGAC version released as a P-Bandai exclusive in 2023.
When the Gundam Wing series of model kits was released in toy stores in America, the Deathscythe Hell’s name led to controversy due to religious themes and profane connotations. In most cases, the Deathscythe Hell model kits were not sold in Toys “R” Us stores, though they remained available through hobby shops and other retailers.
Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Model Number | XXXG-01D2 |
| Code Name | Gundam Deathscythe Hell |
| Unit Type | Custom stealth close-quarters combat mobile suit |
| Manufacturer | The Gundam Scientists |
| Operator | G Team |
| Pilot | Duo Maxwell |
| Overall Height | 16.3 metres |
| Weight | 7.4 tonnes |
| Armor Material | Gundanium alloy |
| Power Plant | Ultracompact fusion reactor |
| Accommodation | Pilot only, in spherical cockpit in torso |
| Fixed Armament | 2 × vulcan gun; buster shield |
| Hand-carried Armament | Twin beam scythe |
| Special Equipment | Active cloak; enhanced hyper jammer; self-destruct system |
Appearances
The XXXG-01D2 Gundam Deathscythe Hell appeared in the following works:
- Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (anime series, episodes 24-49)
- Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz (replaced by EW version)
- Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Glory of the Losers (manga)
- Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3
- Dynasty Warriors Gundam Reborn
- Various video games including Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. 2 XBoost and SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays
External links
- XXXG-01D2 Gundam Deathscythe Hell at The Gundam Wiki
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