Degwin Sodo Zabi

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Degwin Sodo Zabi
Image:Degwin Zabi (Gundam).jpg
Degwin Sodo Zabi in Mobile Suit Gundam.
DOB: UC 0017
Age: 62
Nationality: Principality of Zeon
Allegiance: Principality of Zeon
Rank: Sovereign of Zeon
Family: Cicero Zabi, Gihren Zabi,
Dozle Zabi, Kycilia Zabi, Garma Zabi (children)
Mineva Lao Zabi
(granddaugter)
Height: 170 cm
Eye Color: Black

Degwin Sodo Zabi is a fictional character in the anime Mobile Suit Gundam universe. He was the absolute dictator of the Principality of Zeon and came to power in UC 0068 after the suspicious death of Zeon (Zion/Jion) Deikun.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Contents

[edit] Rise to Power

Degwin was Zeon's chief of staff and claimed that on his deathbed, Zeon, with his dying words, declared Degwin his successor. Given this much, general consensus tends to automatically connect Degwin Zabi with the sudden death of Zeon Deikun. But nothing concrete has ever been uncovered.

Degwin initiated a purge of Deikun loyalists and declared Side 3 colony the Principality of Zeon and himself as Archduke. He initiated a war with the Earth Federation and set his children up in high ranking positions.

[edit] War with the Federation

While initially fiercely promoting war with the Federation, Degwin is also consumed by the intrafamilial feuding between his ambitious children, most notably Gihren and Kycilia.

Also, Degwin never recovers from the death of his youngest and most unspoiled son Garma. He falls into a depression and leaves most of the day to day operations to Gihren, his eldest. As a result, Gihren effectively becomes the self styled "fuhrer" of Zeon, leaving Degwin as little more than a figurehead.

Although Gihren dismisses his father as a tired old man, Degwin does not hide his disgust for Gihren's ruthlessness. Never having any respect for Gihren's lofty ideals, Degwin once humiliated his son by stating that he would never be Zeon's idea of a Newtype but only a caricature of Adolf Hitler. And he anticipated that as with Hitler, Gihren's own followers will eventually want to kill him.

[edit] Death

Although Degwin gives Giren approval for the Solar Ray laser project, Degwin is genuinely tired of war and arranges for a meeting with General Revil to discuss peace negotiations. When the two sides' fleets arrive at the neutral area for discussion, Giren arranges for an "accidental" firing of the Solar Ray laser that incinerates his flagship, The Great Degwin, as well as the flagship of General Revil and much of their accompanying fleets.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Notes

Universal Century Characters
Earth Federation / Titans / Londo Bell / League Militaire:
Matilda Ajan · Shiro Amada · Frau Bow · South Burning · Gates Capa · Paolo Cassius · Uso Evin · Ryu Jose · Karen Joshua · Yu Kajima · Hayato Kobayashi · Sleggar Law · Reccoa Londe · Christina Mackenzie · Sayla Mass · Eledore Massis · Jerid Messa · Four Murasame · Michel Ninorich · Bright Noa · Adenaur Paraya · Amuro Ray · Tem Ray · General Revil · Terry Sanders Jr. · Kai Shiden · Admiral Tianem · Kou Uraki · Admiral Watkins · Reed Wolf · Mirai Yashima
Anti-Earth Union Group (A.E.U.G.) / Karaba:
Char Aznable · Judau Ashta · Henken Bekkener · Kamille Bidan · Blex Forer · Hayato Kobayashi · Reccoa Londe · Bright Noa · Amuro Ray · Emma Sheen
Principality of Zeon / Delaz Fleet / Axis / Neo Zeon:
Char Aznable · Black Tri-Stars · Crowley Hamon · Zeon Zum Deikun · Aiguille Delaz · Cima Garahau · Anavel Gato · Von Helsing · Haman Karn · Colonel Killing · Thomas Krutz · Shin Matsunaga · Norris Packard · Quess Paraya · M'Quve · Ramba Ral · Johnny Ridden · Aina Saharin · Ginias Saharin · Steiner Hardy · Lalah Sune · Bernard Wiseman · Degwin Sodo Zabi · Dozle Zabi · Garma Zabi · Gihren Zabi · Kycilia Zabi · Mineva Lao Zabi
Civilian / Miscellaneous:
Alfred Izuruha · Nina Purpleton · Kiki Rosita · Haro · List of all characters
In other languages