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» Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Episode Zero
Episode Zero is a prequel manga that takes place at various points before the series and gives a bit more information on the backgrounds of the main characters. At the start of Quatre's chapter, we see a much different person from the sweet, good-natured pilot in the series. He's resentful and hates himself, feeling that he's a pawn that can easily be replaced because of the way he was born.
When space colonies were first developed, the harsh conditions of space led to reproductive abnormalities, so only artificial reproduction via test tubes was permitted. Fortunately, by AC 100 (100 years "After Colony" development), most of the issues were overcome, and natural childbirth was allowed again. The Winner family had been in space from the very beginning, however, which led to a predisposition to complications. As a result, 29 of Zayeed's children--all daughters--were test tube babies. The thirtieth child, Quatre, was the first and only one who was born naturally, but it was at the cost of his mother Quatrine's life. Quatre was never told this, though, believing himself to be one more obedient tool created for the sole benefit of the Winner Corporation. His purpose was to be an heir and nothing more.
Fast forward thirteen years. Feeling worthless, Quatre decided to run away to Earth. During the trip, the Winner shuttle was hijacked by the Maganac Corps, a forty-man army of mobile suit pilots. They took the shuttle hostage in an attempt to free the workers on the MO-III satellite, where they were being held without proper pay. When they contacted Zayeed Winner and explained their cause, Zayeed supported them and granted access to any of the Winner resources they might find on the satellite. He then asked to speak to Quatre, whom he was surprised to see on the shuttle. It prompted an outburst from Quatre, who explained that running away to Earth was his way of showing his father that he wasn't just a tool for the Winner family and that he could act and think for himself. Unimpressed with this reaction, Rashid, the head of the Maganac, smacked Quatre across the face and told him to have some pride in himself. It turned out that Rashid and the rest of the Maganac Corps were test tube babies as well; the fact that Quatre thought of himself as a mere creation because of the way he was born was an insult to them. "No matter what your circumstances, once you've been given the gift of life, you must live a life you can be proud of. That's the way of the Maganac."
This philosophy awakened something in Quatre. From that point, he began to change, discovering the compassionate soul he truly possessed. It started with his discovery of a traitor among the Maganac. Yuda was a double-spy for the Alliance (a coalition of most of Earth's nations, which exercised oppressive control over the space colonies) and notified them of the Maganac's coordinates. This resulted in an unexpected attack. When Rashid wondered how they'd been found so quickly, Quatre informed them of Yuda's betrayal and led the man, bound by ropes, to stand before the Maganac. Unfortunately, the ropes weren't tied very well; Yuda escaped and grabbed another man's gun, firing a shot at Rashid. Quatre attempted to intervene by jumping in front of the bullet, but it went through his shoulder and hit Rashid, anyway.
With their captain incapacitated, the Maganac set out to battle the Alliance on their own. Surprisingly, Quatre insisted that he help, wanting a chance to prove that he was useful so that he could be proud of himself. Although they were hesitant at first, Rashid told them to give Quatre his goggles and to let him pilot his mobile suit.
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