ZGMF-X23S Saviour Gundam is the machine Athrun Zala flies through the middle of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny (2004, C.E. 73). It is one of ZAFT's five Second Stage prototypes and the one built for air combat, developed from the ZGMF-YX21R Proto-Saviour.
What it does in the story
Its development ran late, so it was not at Armory One when three Second Stage suits were stolen, and Athrun flies it to Earth himself after the Break the World incident. It joins the Minerva, disables the Gells-Ghe in the Gulnahan Ravine, holds off the Chaos Gundam, and helps bring down the Gaia Gundam at Lodonia. The Freedom Gundam wrecks it off Crete.
What makes it different
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It changes shape instead of packs.
Where the Impulse swaps Silhouettes, the Saviour transforms into a fighter-like MA mode with higher acceleration and cruise speed. Its two large wings carry it in MS mode too.
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The big cannons run on the battery.
The M106 Amfortas plasma beam cannons are developed from the Freedom's Balaena but redesigned to run on a battery rather than a reactor, because the treaty limits ruled out reactors. The MA-7B Super Fortis cannons above them fire in both modes.
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Some weapons work in one form.
The MMI-GAU2 Picus 76mm guns sit in the backpack cowl that covers the head in MA mode, so they belong to the flight form. The Vajra sabers work only in MS mode.
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The shield is part of the aerodynamics.
The MMI-RD11 shield has auxiliary wings and an aerodynamic profile. In MA mode it mounts on the torso, cutting drag and covering the cockpit.
How big is it?
- Overall height: 18.61 m, with a full weight of 77.13 t, per Bandai's published spec
- 1/144: roughly 13 cm
- 1/100: roughly 18.5 cm
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Frequently asked questions
1. Why give Athrun a transformable suit?
The Saviour was built for hit-and-run air combat, which fits a pilot sent ahead to Earth. Its MA mode has the acceleration to break contact.
2. How does it relate to the Proto-Saviour?
The Saviour is the Second Stage machine developed from it. The Chaos Gundam was built the same way, on an earlier prototype of its own.
3. Why did it miss the Armory One raid?
Because it was not finished in time. Its development had fallen behind the other Second Stage suits.
4. What ended the Saviour's service?
The Freedom Gundam. Kira Yamato damages it beyond repair in the naval battle off Crete, and the Saviour does not appear again in the war.
Background sources: ZGMF-X23S Saviour Gundam — Gundam Wiki · セイバーガンダム（日本語版 Wikipedia）
