Late Universal Century

The Late Universal Century is a fictional era in the Universal Century (UC) "Gundam" franchise.

Overview

This era covers the second Universal Century timeline and follows the collapse of the "Republic of Zeon" in UC 0100 and the waning of the "Earth Federation", where its decline brings forth various warlords, carving their territories and fiefdoms out of colonized space. The novelized "", the manga "Mobile Suit Gundam F90", the novel and full-length movie "Mobile Suit Gundam F91", the follow-up manga series, "Mobile Suit Gundam Silhouette Formula 91" and "Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam" and the animated series "Mobile Suit Victory Gundam" takes place during this period, with the live-action movie "G-Saviour" as the final event in the Universal Century timeline.

Like the early Universal Century, the late Universal Century is also based heavily on works of veteran animated director and writer, "Yoshiyuki Tomino". Hathaway's Flash, Gundam F91, Crossbone Gundam and Victory Gundam are all directed by him. F90 and Silhouette Formula 91 are based upon the events in Gundam F91, while G-Saviour is the last known continuity of the Universal Century Era.

Canonical

Mafty Movements

Presented in a series of novels called ', occuring twelve years following the "Second Neo-Zeon War" as depicted in the novel version of ' entitled "Beltorchika's Children", the discrimination between Earthnoids and Spacenoids dissipates. However, the Federation forces many of the planet's inhabitants into space, attempting to make the Earth a residence for only the privileged class. In UC 0105, terrorist organization Mafty makes various terrorist movements against the Federation government. Its leader, Mafty Navilles Erin, acquires the incredibly powerful prototype mobile suit, "RX-105 Xi Ξ Gundam", where he becomes the pilot.

In an attempt to stop high-ranking Federation cabinet members and forcing them to vote down a provision which will strengthen the Federation government's already considerable powers, Mafty launches an attack on their meeting in Adelaide, Australia. Unfortunately, the operation is doomed to fail and Mafty is captured and executed.

MS Development Competition Era/Oldsmobile Conflict

After UC 0093, the Strategic Naval Research Institute (SNRI) is established to develop mobile suits. In UC 0111, the SNRI develops the prototype "F90 Gundam Formula 90". SNRI is then chosen to create the next-generation of mobile suits, while the "MSA-0120" design presented by "Anaheim Electronics" loses. The MS Development Competition Era ( _ja. MS開発競争時代 "Mobile Suit Kaihatsu Kyousou Jidai") is the period when the SNRI and Anaheim Electronics continues competing for mobile suit hegemony throughout the Earth Sphere from UC 0111 to the UC 0130s. These events are chronicled in the novel "Mobile Suit Gundam F90".

By UC 0120, "Mars Zeon, remnant Zeon officers who fled to Mars, rather than to the asteroid "Axis" following the 'One-Year War" and the Second Neo-Zeon War, steals the Gundam Formula 90 and raises the standard of revolt against the Earth Federation in what is known as the Oldsmobile Conflict. In UC 0122, depicted in the manga "", the detached corps of Mars Zeon, led by "Sharle Rochester", invades the Earth. The Earth Federation Space Force deploys the Gundam Formula 90 and the new "F91 Gundam Formula 91" into the rebellion, eventually suppressing and ending this conflict.

Cosmo Babylon Wars Era

In UC 0123, following 30 years of peace, the Crossbone Vanguard establishes an aristocracy known as "Cosmo Babylonia", declaring its independence from the Earth Federation. They first move to attack the colony "Frontier IV" at Side 4 and successfully seize control of it with their superior mobile suits, outclassing Federation units. During this attack, "Cecily Fairchild", whose real identity is "Berah Ronah", becomes a member of the Crossbone Vanguard to act as its figurehead until Cosmo Babylonia is established. The Earth Federation reacts and attacks Frontier IV, indiscriminantly slaughtering innocent civilians. In the meantime, Cecily’s childhood friend, "Seabook Arno", becomes the pilot of the "F91 Gundam Formula 91" and engages the Crossbone Vanguard.

Cecily defects and allies with Seabrook, fighting alongside against her father, "Carozzo “Iron Mask” Ronah", who wishes to exterminate all of Earth's inhabitants, using the Bug weapons in his mobile armour "XMA-01 Rafflesia". Seabrook clashes with Carozzo and kills him. While Cosmo Babylonia gains its independence, the Federation government demands compensation for taking the colonies. To that end, all critical resources are seized from Side 4, including finances to buildings and materials. Unable to handle such losses for the Federation, Cosmo Babylonia declares bankruptcy and eventually breaks down, following Cecily's speech throughout the Earth Sphere on the equality of mankind. Unfortunately, in UC 0128, Cecily and Seabook are killed in a terrorist attack; shortly thereafter, the Earth Federation retakes Side 4.

The Jupiter Empire Wars

In UC 0133, a new aristocratic empire, the Jupiter Empire led by "Crux Dogatie" of the "Jupiter Energy Fleet" is secretly established. Cecily Fairchild, thought to have been killed, becomes the new leader of the Crossbone Vanguard, alongside "Kincaid Nau", pilot of the new "XM-X1 Crossbone Gundam X-1", who decides to stop the Jupiter Empire's expansion and attacks their transport ship, the "Smashion". During this incident, young Newtype "Tobia Arronax" becomes a member of the Crossbone Vanguard, piloting the "XM-X3 Crossbone Gundam X-3". In an attempt to invade a large Jupiter outpost and successfully assassinate Dogatie, the Crossbone Vanguard discovers Dogatie has cloned himself multiple times. He tricks the Earth Federation so they assist the Jupiter Empire by sending mass-produced Gundam Formula 91s to the Jupiter Empire. Dougatie’s final plan is to attack the Earth with several powerful mobile armor units, known as "Divinidad". The Crossbone Vanguard is able to destroy all of them and all of Dougatie’s clones are killed. Afterwards, Cecily and Kincaid retreat into hiding, while Tobia becomes the new leader of the Crossbone Vanguard, tasked with eliminating the remaining members of the Jupiter Empire.

Age of the Warring Space States Era/Zanscare Empire Wars

In UC 0140, various space colonies wanting to regain their indepedence rises up in protest again. Fearing another massive war, the Earth Federation accepts their autonomy. This begins the period called the Age of the Warring Space States ( _ja. 宇宙戦国時代 "Uchu Sengoku Jidai") and it is unclear when this conflict ends. This era in the Universal Century timeline is inspired by the "Warring States Period" ( _ja. 戦国時代 "Sengoku Jidai") of Japanese history.

In UC 0148, the Side 2 space colonies declares itself the Zanscare Empire, mounting its Earth-bound invasion with its military, the "Ballistic Equipment & Space Patrol Armory" (BESPA). To combat the Zanscare, Anaheim Electronics forms the rogue organization "League Militaire", where its primary objectives are to help, or in some cases, simply fight in place of the Earth Federation. Like the former "Anti-Earth Union Group" (AEUG), many of its members consists of ex-Federation or currently active Federation pilots.

Not until October of UC 0152 did the Zanscare Empire reveal its ambition, declaring its superiority over the Earth and the other colonies, claiming sole dominion over the Earth Sphere, following an attack on the "Largane" space colony. The League Militaire engages the Zanscare Empire with their mass-produced "Victory Gundams". The Earth Federation does not officially join until the end of the war, on April 17 UC, 0153, with only a small fleet led by the battleship "Reinforce", sent from an Irish base. The fleet and the League Militaire quickly signs a peace treaty with the Zanscare Empire on May 28, UC 0153, in hopes of stopping the war. However, the fighting does not end and the Zanscare Empire plans to use the "Angel Halo" to hypnotize every adult on Earth, in order to pacify them.

The battle between the League Militarie and the Zanscare Empire forces above Earth's satellite orbit results in the Angel Halo being severely damage, disintegrating after atmospheric re-entry, on June 21, UC 0153. "Queen Maria" of the Zanscare Empire dies with the sinking of the Zanscare's flagship on June 22, UC 0153. [それがVガンダムだ―機動戦士Vガンダム徹底ガイドブック, Jan, 2004, 銀河出版, ISBN-13: 978-4877770549] With Zanscare Empire Wars over, the Earth Federation retakes Side 2.

Earth Federation Collapse/Light of Gaia

In UC 0218, the Earth Federation begins to exert more control over each individual space colony, so as to suppress repeated disputes. Because of colonial resistance, war quickly ensues ends after independence is granted to each of the colonies. By UC 0222, the collective group of independent space colonies becomes the "Space Settlement".

Not long afterwards, the Earth Federation finally collapses. The successors of the Federation government, along with the space colonies Side 2, Side 3, Side 5 and Side 7 form the "Settlement Nations", while the Lunar government and the space colonies Side 1 and Side 4 join together, under the "Settlement of Free Alliance". Only the space colonies of Side 6 maintains its independence as a neutral party. The Settlement Nations reorganizes the old Earth Federation as the "Congress of Settlement Nations" (CONSENT).

During UC 0223, CONSENT suffers from a food shortage crisis, while the Settlement of Free Alliance has the agricultural capabilities to feed its citizens, thus unaffected by CONSENT’s growing problems. When a technological breakthrough for the crisis is made in the unaligned Side 8 research colony called "Gaia", CONSENT resolves to seize the technology by force to solve its own food crisis, or to destroy it. This event, known as the Light of Gaia, sees the "Illuminati" resistance, based in the "New Manhattan" colony of Side 4, thwarting CONSENT and its government. Following this and other incidents, CONSENT is overthrown by the Illuminati.

Non-Canonical

Tomino claims these events are not consistent with the rest of the Universal Century timeline, thus Sunrise lists the following as an alternate history.

Revolt of MHA

In UC 0203, the Man Hunting Attachment (MHA), an organization created by the Earth Federation to search out and deport illegal aliens, rebels against the Federation government. Renaming themselves "Metatron" (also known as the "Zi Zeon Organization"), its members reveal "Afranshia Char", a memory clone of the original "Char Aznable", as their figurehead. By using the "α000-0001 Gaia Gear Alpha", they attempt to overthrow the Earth Federation.

References

References