Bernard Wiseman

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Bernard Wiseman
Bernard Wiseman, as seen in Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket
Alias:	Bernie
DOB:	UC 0060
Age:	19
Nationality:	Principality of Zeon
Allegiance:	Principality of Zeon
Rank/Position:	Petty Officer 2nd Class
Height:	175 cm
Mobile Suit:	MS-06FZ Zaku II Kai

Bernard Wiseman (or simply Bernie) is a major character from the Original Video Animation Gundam 0080. He is a rookie soldier for the Principality of Zeon.

[edit] History

Bernie is one of many thousands of young men and women recruited by the Principality of Zeon for the war against the Earth Federation. By the time of the Gundam 0080 OVA, storywise the Federation was already on the offensive having fought off the Zeon attempt to invade the secret Federation base at Jaburo.

He is one of a force of Zeon troops who invade the neutral colony of Libot in Side 6 for reasons that were at the time unknown. This is also apparently the first public appearance of the Federation's mass-produced Mobile Suits, as their existance is treated as rumor until they engage the Zeons in battle.

Bernie is shot down within Libot and befriends a boy named Alfred Izuruha. Despite telling Al that he is one kill away from being an ace, Bernie has never actually shot down a Mobile Suit and is the lowest ranking officer on Cyclops Team.

After a failed attempt to capture Gundam Alex at the Earth Federation's Arctic Base, Colonel Killing assigns Bernie to the Cyclops Team headed by Steiner Hardy. The Cyclops Team soon commences Operation Rubicon. Bernie's mission is to aide Cyclops Team in capturing the Federation's new mobile suit, Gundam Alex.

While on Libot, he encounters a young woman named Christina Mackenzie as he sneaks around Al's house. Thinking that Bernie is a peeping tom or a prowler, Chris attacks him with a baseball bat, knocking him out with one hit. Despite this rocky start, the two got along well. If the reaction of Chris' parents is any indication, their attraction to each other is fairly obvious.

After Operating Rubicon fails, Colonel Killing orders the nuclear destruction of Side 6. Bernie decides to flee to Franchesca (a luxurious colony) but changes his mind and makes a life-changing decision. Bernie goes back and attempts to destroy Gundam Alex as the only surviving member of the Cyclops Team to avoid the nuclear destruction of Side 6 by Colonel Killing. With the help of Al, Bernie repairs his damaged Zaku and prepares to lure out Gundam Alex. Bernie then gives Al a tape to use in case he should fail, not knowing that the Zeon's weapons have been discovered.

On the day of the proposed attack, Al becomes aware of the news that the Federation forces have found the nuclear weapons on a captured Zeon ship and attempts to stop Bernie from fighting. For Bernie it is too late.

He engages in battle with Gundam Alex (piloted by Chris). Sadly, neither he nor Chris know that the other is their opponent, and the battle is both violent and merciless. Thanks to Chris's relative inexperience in battle, Bernie is able to lure her into a trap, and heavily damages the Gundam with the Zaku's melee attacks. Unfortunately for Bernie, he is killed instantly when his Zaku's entire upper body explodes from Gundam Alex's beam saber stabbing straight through him. His death is mourned by Al, who rushes to the site only to witness the tragic attack. Later, when Chris tells Al that she is leaving Libot, she asks him to say goodbye to Bernie for her, unaware of what truly occurred.

[edit] In other media

While not the most famous, skilled or popular character in the Gundam franchise, Bernie is quite well-known in his own right for his tragic fate. As a result, he appears quite often in other media that involves the Universal Century.

He is among the Zeon characters that appear in the SD Gundam G Generation series of strategy games, and depending on which title it is in the series may either survive his battle with the Alex or (more often) perish. He is also a rentable pilot (i.e. he can be hired to pilot one of the player's Mobile Suits for one battle).

In the Giren's Greed series of games, Bernie also appears on the Zeon side. Reflecting his rookie status, his stats are quite low compared to other 'named' pilots. In fact, in the PS2 version of Giren's Greed, Bernie's statistics (shooting, dodging, melee and so on) at maximum level are only equal to Char Aznable, Johnny Ridden or Anavel Gato's lowest levels. Also in Giren's Greed, like other doomed pilots such as the Black Tri-Stars and Ramba Ral Bernie can be spare his fate through the player's decisions. In the PS2 version, one of numerous results can occur including the destruction of the Cyclops team as in the OVA, the successful destruction of the Alex but loss of the entire team or the destruction of the Alex and Bernie's triumphant return. Improbably, another possible result is Bernie's capture of both the Alex and its pilot Chris!

Because of Gundam 0080's generally weaker Mobile Suits than the powerhouses of other Universal Century series, Bernie and Chris do not appear very often in the Super Robot Wars. When he does appear, Bernie is generally an enemy for much of the game but eventually joins the player's side. His relationship with Chris is the source of much teasing by other characters.

In many mecha games based on the Universal Century, such as Encounters in Space, Gundam: Lost War Chronicles or Gundam Climax U.C., Bernie and Chris often have special dialogue when opposing each other on the battlefield. For example, in Lost War Chronicles, Chris exclaims "Bernie?! You're a Zeon?!" while in Climax U.C. Bernie calls on Chris to stop fighting as he doesn't want to hurt her.

He is also the unfortunate butt of many jokes in various 4-koma comics based on the Gundam and Super Robot Wars series.

[edit] Trivia

• In most strategy games where he appears, Bernie's melee skill is normally somewhat higher than his shooting skill. This is likely because of his surprisingly successful battle with the Alex (where he managed so slice off part of the right arm and damage the cockpit).

• In the above Giren's Greed example, should Bernie survive Operation Rubicon he is automatically risen to maximum level. While still no match for true aces such as Char, Ridden or Amuro Ray, this does put him on even footing with other pilots such as Kou Uraki or Bernard Monsha.

• Many jokes about Bernie in various 4-koma comics involve the fact that his (apparent) girlfriend pilots a far more powerful Mobile Suit that him. 4-komas based on the Super Robot Wars also poke fun at him for the fact that, as part of a team that includes numerous Gundams and powerful Super Robot warriors, he still pilots a comparitively very, very weak Zaku. He is also portrayed as a (very reluctant) benchwarmer, as far more skilled pilots and machines are available.