The idea of redeeming Char in the eyes of the viewer is so funny. Sure, he was a high-ranking space-Nazi officer, but he didn't actually believe in the space-Nazi cause. He was just a revanchist monarchist dedicated to reestablishing the House of Space-Hohenzollern! Isn't that so much more relatable? We don't know for sure that he was actively involved in war atrocities, except for that one child soldier he groomed, and he's really sad she died so that's okay.
You must log in to comment.
in reply to @nex3's post:
He's not a monarchist! His dad was a political philosopher who got elected, led a democratic independence movement, and then assassinated and his movement coopted!
There’s really only the lightest suggestion of it in 0079, and a little bit more later in Zeta, I think this material is mostly from Tomino’s novels?
I just think it’s thematically very important to recognize Zeon as a democratic independence movement that’s taken over by fascists to get what’s going on there.
okay that's comforting, I'm glad I didn't just completely miss major worldbuilding. tbh these first two series works be a lot better if they put more focus on the underlying politics
Okay our rewatch got to 38: Char and Sayla and it does briefly mention him as the prime minister of the Republic of Zeon. And also him having talked about Newtypes. The actual content of that philosophy is what’s in the books I guess.
i think depending on the episode/writer/adaptation, char aznable's goals range from "murder all royals" to "restore Zeon Zum Deikun's values" to "monarchy but with a Deikun on the throne" to "feddies should be destroyed because they're weaponizing newtypes". and that's before his whole AEUG deal in Zeta.
See, this is why I like Zechs Merquise better. He's like Char if Char weren't a total asshole. (Also, the Tallgeese is just so cool)
Tallgeese Is the best mech name in the series