Top 5 Superweapons

One of the more persistent trends in Gundam, along with whiny protagonists and masked villains, is the superweapon. The superweapon is usually (but not limited to) a convoluted weapon of mass destruction that is often capable of destructive world-ending firepower. From solar rays to giant lasers, there is no end to the different ways in which armies have tried to end each other. Here is a list of what I think are the most powerful and memorable superweapons in Gundam history.

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5. Solar Flare System

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The Solar Flare System is a system of computer controlled mirrors that focuses the sun's rays and bakes the shit out of anything in its path. Note that there are millions of mirrors, so there is no escape if you're anywhere near it. It was used by the Federation during the Battle of Solomon, and manages to fry Solomon's primary gate and all mobile suits nearby. While its power is nowhere near the other entries on this list, it gets its place by being uniquely memorable. Who would have thought that a bunch of mirrors would be so devastating? Well, besides Archimedes...

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4.  Memento Mori

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The Memento Mori is the central superweapon of Gundam 00. It uses stored solar energy to fire a particle beam from orbit. It's strategically a satellite weapon, and capable of razing an entire country off the face of the Earth. This is THE sci-fi satellite beam that rains death and destruction from space. And it is successful in that regard; it manages to erase a good part of the Middle East in a single shot. Its epic power is unfortunately set back by a few design flaws, namely its limited firing angle and long charge times.

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3. GENESIS

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The GENESIS is a huge gamma ray cannon that appears in Gundam Seed. What it does is it uses nuclear devices to create a burst of gamma radiation, which is reflected onto a giant mirror and focused on another mirror which turns it into a laser beam. It is said that the beam would be powerful enough to destroy a large percentage of the surface of the Earth and pretty much kill everything and everyone on the planet. Even by being near the beam, a person will inflate and violently explode. It's disturbingly devastating, almost sickeningly so. If you're looking for THE world-ending death ray, you needn't look further than the GENESIS. 

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2. Nuclear Weapons

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Despite the super-advanced sci-fi weaponry that exists in the Gundam universe, it seems nuclear weaponry is still as devastating as it is now (and probably even more powerful considering the advancements in technology). They've been used all throughout Gundam lore, such as when Anavel Gato uses a nuclear warhead to destroy more than half a Federation fleet during Operation Stardust, or when the Titans successfully destroy Jaburo and an entire Federation force with a nuke. They are more accessible, easier to use, and more powerful in high yields and numbers when compared to something as complicated as the Solar System. There's no denying their destructive potential in reality and the Gundam universe. 

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1. Colony Drop

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A space colony? That's morbid, C.Jin. But it is, without a doubt, THE most effective superweapon ever used. And while it's technically not a weapon, it's been strategically used as one countless times. Just take note of a space colonies' size. Something of that size coupled with the simple fact that its plummeting from space, and you have something along the lines of a meteor dropping. Just to get an idea of how destructive it is, in Gundam X, a mass colony drop killed 90% of the Earth's population. So. Much. Death. It's like having mechanical meteors just ready to use. There is no escape.


Check out my other Gundam Top 5 lists~