Zechs Merquise

Zechs Merquise was a Colonel in the OZ special forces and the secret heir to the Sanc Kingdom throne during the After Colony era. Born Milliardo Peacecraft, he adopted the masked persona of Zechs Merquise after his family’s assassination and became known as the “Lightning Count” for his exceptional mobile suit piloting skills.

Biography

Early life

Milliardo Peacecraft was born in A.C. 165 as the eldest child of King Peacecraft and Queen Katrina of the Sanc Kingdom. His younger sister Relena was born fifteen years later in A.C. 180. The Peacecraft family championed total pacifism, following the ideals of the colonial leader Heero Yuy.

In A.C. 182, when Milliardo 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 assault, both of Milliardo’s parents were killed, and the royal palace was destroyed. Relena, then only an infant, was spirited away to safety by Vice-Minister Darlian, whilst Milliardo managed to escape the carnage.

Military training

Devastated by the loss of his family and homeland, Milliardo abandoned his birth name and identity. He donned a silver mask and assumed the alias Zechs Merquise, derived from the German word “sechs” meaning “six”. His plan was to infiltrate the very organisation responsible for his family’s death and exact revenge from within.

Zechs enrolled at the Victoria Academy where he trained under Treize Khushrenada. As a young cadet in A.C. 186, he was selected from Treize’s class of soldiers to participate in a test run of mobile suit corps feasibility. Alongside Lucrezia Noin and other cadets, he followed Treize’s direction in the Battle of Mogadishu, earning a flawless victory. Due to the cadets’ exceptional performance, the Specials were subsequently used more frequently by the Alliance for combat operations.

When a revolt at the lunar Marius Plant required intervention, Zechs was again called to service. During this mission, fellow cadet Elve Onegell revealed that he knew Zechs’ true identity as Milliardo Peacecraft. Whilst Elve promised not to expose his “war buddy”, he harboured hatred towards the Peacecraft family. Both soldiers disappeared during the ensuing battle and would not resurface for several years.

Rise of the Lightning Count

In A.C. 191, Zechs was deployed on a Specials mission to suppress a terrorist attack on an Earth Alliance base at the J.A.P. point in the Pacific Ocean. Piloting the newest model Aries mobile suit, Zechs claimed he required only one minute to crush the rebellion. Treize, witnessing Zechs’ lightning-fast combat style, commented that he “fights like lightning”, earning him the nickname “Lightning Count”.

The surviving terrorists retreated towards the Darlian estate. One terrorist took Relena hostage, not realising she was wandering away from her house. Zechs, recognising his sister despite not having seen her for nine years, dismounted his mobile suit and rescued her without revealing his identity. He introduced himself as the “Prince of the Stars” before departing, believing himself unworthy to touch his sister with bloodstained hands.

Operation Meteor and the Gundams

On 7 April A.C. 195, Zechs was en route to Earth in an assault carrier when he first encountered Heero Yuy and the Wing Gundam descending to Earth to commence Operation Meteor. Zechs engaged Heero in a Leo mobile suit but was forced to abandon his machine and latch onto the Gundam as both plunged into the Pacific Ocean.

After unsuccessfully searching for the sunken Wing Gundam, Zechs began seeking a mobile suit capable of fighting the Gundams on equal terms. He was eventually introduced to the Tallgeese, the prototype ancestor of all mobile suits. Before he could fully master the suit, Zechs participated in Operation Daybreak, during which OZ overthrew the Alliance. In the midst of the coup, he finally achieved his long-sought revenge by executing the commanding officer who had led the attack on the Sanc Kingdom.

Conflict with OZ leadership

Zechs’ initial attempt to pilot the Tallgeese during the liberation of the Sanc Kingdom nearly proved fatal due to the suit’s dangerously high acceleration capabilities. His subordinate Otto subsequently took the Tallgeese against orders and crashed it into the Alliance base, destroying the facility and sacrificing himself in the process.

Zechs later engaged in a rematch with the Wing Gundam in Siberia, piloting the rebuilt Tallgeese. Their duel was interrupted when Lady Une threatened to destroy the colonies unless the Gundam pilots surrendered. In an act of chivalry, Zechs ceased his attack when Heero self-detonated his Gundam, allowing Trowa Barton to rescue Heero’s body.

The Lightning Count secretly rebuilt the Wing Gundam and offered Heero a rematch in Antarctica. During this encounter, Relena learned from Noin that Zechs was actually her older brother Milliardo. When OZ reinforcements arrived, Zechs’ mask shattered during the intense battle, symbolically marking the end of his relationship with OZ.

Return to space

After being taken in by Mike Howard and the Sweeper Group, Zechs travelled to space where he encountered Heero and Trowa piloting the Mercurius and Vayeate respectively. He introduced himself by his real name, Milliardo Peacecraft, as a goodwill ambassador from the Sanc Kingdom.

Discovering that OZ planned to destroy the confiscated Wing Gundam Zero, Zechs battled numerous mobile dolls before self-detonating his critically damaged Tallgeese and transferring to the Wing Zero. He successfully eliminated the remaining automated units.

Exchange of Gundams

When Zechs learned that Relena was dissolving the restored Sanc Kingdom and surrendering to the Romefeller Foundation, he rushed back to Earth in the Wing Zero. There, he encountered Heero piloting the new Gundam Epyon. The two fought fiercely until both were overcome by the mental strain of their respective ZERO Systems. Unable to determine a victor, they agreed to exchange mobile suits, with Heero taking the Wing Zero and Zechs claiming the Epyon.

Leadership of White Fang

Depressed by the Sanc Kingdom’s collapse, Zechs was approached by Quinze Quarante, who offered him leadership of the colonial rebel group White Fang. Accepting the position, he reassumed the name Milliardo Peacecraft and declared war on Earth using the massive space battleship Libra.

Under his command, White Fang quickly established dominance in space. Zechs single-handedly destroyed the OZ space station Bulge in a spectacular display of the Epyon’s capabilities. He later fired Libra’s main cannon at a remote location on Earth as a declaration of war against the World Nation led by his former friend Treize.

Final battle and apparent death

During the climactic battle of the Eve Wars, Zechs refused Treize’s challenge for single combat and instead attempted to drop the heavily damaged Libra onto Earth to create an endless winter. In a final duel with Heero, Zechs was defeated when the Wing Zero sliced off the Epyon’s left arm.

Rather than accept death, Heero chose to spare Zechs for Relena’s sake. When Heero attempted to self-detonate the Wing Zero to destroy the last section of Libra threatening Earth, Zechs intervened, declaring that Heero was too pure to perish and that the people needed someone with a strong heart. Zechs destroyed the generator himself, apparently sacrificing his life as the blast enveloped the Epyon.

Return as Preventer Wind

On 24 December A.C. 196, Zechs reappeared during the Mariemaia Rebellion, having joined the Preventers under the codename “Wind”. He piloted the Tallgeese III and worked alongside the Gundam pilots to stop Mariemaia Khushrenada’s attempt to overthrow the Earth Sphere Unified Nation.

After the conflict’s resolution, Zechs disappeared once again with Noin to Mars, where his sister Relena had begun a terraformation project.

Personality & traits

Zechs Merquise embodied a complex combination of pride and self-loathing that created profound internal conflict throughout his life. Despite his reputation as an exceptional mobile suit pilot, he believed he had betrayed his father’s pacifist ideals through his life as a soldier. This shame was evident when Treize addressed him by his real name, Milliardo Peacecraft, causing Zechs to respond with visible anguish.

He struggled constantly between the chivalrous ideals inherited from his family and the pragmatic brutality required of a modern soldier. This internal conflict drove many of his actions as he sought to reconcile his identity as his father’s son with his perceived need to become an uncompromising warrior.

Zechs possessed a strong sense of honour and chivalry, often refusing to attack defeated opponents or fight unfairly. His decision to spare Trowa and allow him to rescue Heero after the self-detonation demonstrated this code of ethics. Similarly, his protection of Relena whilst maintaining distance showed his deep love for his sister combined with his belief that he was unworthy of her presence.

The masked persona of Zechs Merquise served not only to hide his identity but also to create psychological distance from his true self. The shattering of his mask during battle with OZ forces symbolically represented the breaking point of his dual identity and his final rejection of the organisation he had infiltrated.

Skills & abilities

Zechs possessed mobile suit piloting skills equal to those of the five Gundam pilots, demonstrated through numerous engagements where he matched their capabilities. In his first battle with Heero Yuy, he skilfully manipulated an inferior Leo to contain the Wing Gundam’s movements despite the massive technological disparity.

His adaptation to new mobile suits proved exceptional. Whilst he initially struggled with the Tallgeese’s extreme acceleration forces, he quickly mastered the unit to the point where its mobility could no longer keep pace with his reaction speed. Similarly, he overcame the mental strain of the ZERO System in both the Wing Gundam Zero and Gundam Epyon, eventually achieving complete mastery over the advanced combat prediction system.

His physical capabilities matched those of the enhanced Gundam pilots, including exceptional strength, reflexes, and endurance necessary for high-G manoeuvres. His strategic acumen was demonstrated through his successful infiltration of OZ, his leadership of White Fang, and his tactical victories in numerous engagements.

Zechs also proved to be an inspirational leader, capable of uniting the fractured colonial forces under White Fang’s banner and commanding their loyalty during the most desperate phases of the war.

Relationships

Relena Darlian

Relena represented both Zechs’ greatest motivation and deepest source of guilt. As his younger sister and the only surviving member of the Peacecraft royal family, she embodied the pacifist ideals he believed he had abandoned. His rescue of her in A.C. 191 whilst maintaining his disguise demonstrated his protective love combined with his shame at his bloodstained hands.

Throughout the series, Zechs’ actions were largely motivated by his desire to create a world worthy of Relena’s leadership. His declaration of war on Earth whilst she served as Queen represented the ultimate test of his conviction that only through absolute conflict could true peace be achieved.

Treize Khushrenada

Treize served as Zechs’ mentor, friend, and eventual enemy. Their relationship began during their time at the Victoria Academy, where Treize recognised and nurtured Zechs’ exceptional abilities. Treize’s protection allowed Zechs to rise through OZ’s ranks despite his secret identity.

Their friendship endured even as their ideological differences grew. Treize’s opposition to mobile dolls and belief in honourable combat resonated with Zechs’ chivalric nature, but their differing approaches to achieving peace ultimately drove them apart. Their final confrontation, with Treize piloting the Tallgeese II and Zechs commanding White Fang, represented the tragic culmination of their relationship.

Lucrezia Noin

Noin proved to be Zechs’ most loyal companion throughout his various transformations. Their relationship began during their training at Victoria Academy, where she deliberately scored second place to allow him to achieve the highest grades. She maintained unwavering faith in him even when others believed him dead.

Noin’s decision to follow Zechs from OZ through his various affiliations demonstrated her deep understanding of his true nature beneath the masked persona. Their eventual marriage and children represented his successful integration of his warrior and peaceful identities.

Heero Yuy

Heero served as both Zechs’ greatest rival and unlikely ally. Their first encounter established a pattern of mutual respect despite their opposing sides. Zechs recognised in Heero a kindred spirit—another young man shaped by tragedy into a perfect soldier.

Their exchanges of mobile suits and final cooperation to save Earth demonstrated the evolution of their relationship from enemies to reluctant partners. Heero’s decision to spare Zechs’ life marked a crucial moment in both characters’ development towards a more nuanced understanding of justice and mercy.

Mecha

Tallgeese

The OZ-00MS Tallgeese represented Zechs’ primary mobile suit for much of the series and the machine most associated with his identity as the Lightning Count. As the prototype ancestor of all mobile suits, the Tallgeese possessed exceptional performance capabilities that matched its pilot’s extraordinary skills.

Zechs’ initial struggle to master the Tallgeese’s extreme acceleration forces—reportedly generating up to 15 Gs—paralleled his internal struggle to reconcile his peaceful heritage with his warrior identity. Once he achieved full synchronisation with the machine, the Tallgeese became an extension of his will, capable of matching even Gundam-class mobile suits in combat.

The unit’s armament centred on the powerful Dober Gun, a high-output beam rifle mounted on the right shoulder, and a beam sabre for close combat. Zechs’ preference for honourable combat was reflected in his use of these straightforward weapons rather than more exotic systems.

Gundam Epyon

The OZ-13MS Gundam Epyon became Zechs’ signature machine during his leadership of White Fang. Designed by Treize Khushrenada, the Epyon embodied a philosophy of honourable close combat, eschewing long-range weapons in favour of melee systems.

The mobile suit’s primary armament consisted of a segmented heat rod that could function as both whip and lance, and a powerful beam sword whose energy was supplied directly from the Epyon’s generator. This loadout perfectly suited Zechs’ chivalric combat philosophy and his belief in facing enemies directly.

The Epyon’s modified ZERO System, known as the Epyon System, provided Zechs with enhanced combat prediction capabilities whilst wearing a distinctive helmet interface. His mastery of this system allowed him to achieve victory against multiple opponents and earned him recognition as one of the most formidable pilots of the era.

Full mecha list

OZ-06MS Leo

Zechs’ first recorded mobile suit, used during his initial encounter with the Wing Gundam. Despite the machine’s inferior capabilities, his skill allowed him to effectively engage the advanced Gundam unit.

OZ-07AMS Aries

The mobile suit that earned Zechs his “Lightning Count” nickname during the Pacific terrorist suppression mission. The Aries’ improved performance over the Leo allowed him to demonstrate his exceptional piloting abilities.

XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero

Briefly piloted after his Tallgeese’s destruction, the Wing Zero provided Zechs with his first experience of the ZERO System. Though he mastered the advanced combat prediction system, he ultimately traded the unit to Heero for the Epyon.

OZ-00MS2B Tallgeese III

Piloted during his service with the Preventers under the codename “Wind”. This advanced variant of the original Tallgeese featured enhanced weaponry including a mega beam cannon comparable to the Wing Zero’s twin buster rifle.

Behind the scenes

Zechs Merquise was designed as a direct homage to Char Aznable from the original Mobile Suit Gundam. Both characters shared similar backgrounds as exiled princes whose parents were killed, leading them to assume masked identities whilst working for their enemies’ military forces. They also possessed younger sisters who became allies of their primary rivals.

His original nickname was “Lightning Baron”, referencing his nobility title within OZ. Following his promotion to Special Colonel 2nd Class, this was changed to “Lightning Count”. The character’s name followed Gundam Wing’s numerical naming scheme, with “Zechs” derived from the German word for six, whilst his real name Milliardo referenced the French term “milliard” meaning billion.

Voice acting

In the Japanese version, Zechs was voiced by Takehito Koyasu, who was known for his smooth, deep voice and frequent casting as either villains or lonely bishonen characters. Koyasu also voiced Mu La Flaga in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, another Char-inspired character.

The English dub featured Brian Drummond, who was best known for voicing Vegeta in the Ocean dub of Dragon Ball Z. Drummond’s authoritative voice perfectly captured Zechs’ commanding presence and internal conflict.

Appearances

Television series

• New Mobile Report Gundam Wing

Movies

• New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz

Manga

• New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Episode Zero
• New Mobile Report Gundam Wing Endless Waltz: Glory of the Losers

Video games

• Dynasty Warriors Gundam series
• Super Robot Wars series
• Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. series

Novels

• New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Frozen Teardrop