I keep building transformable mobile suits, and almost every single time I do, I end up mentioning the Methuss. And there’s a good reason why. It was a very, very early prototype for testing out transformation systems, and would go on to be the basis of future units like the ZII, the ReZel, and weirdly enough, the Guncannon Detector. Not to mention that its initial test results paved the way for the more intricate transformation system of the Zeta Gundam itself.
In short, it’s the progenitor of a whole bunch of iconic, important, and cool mobile suits. So I think it’s time for me to finally build the thing:
About the Mobile Suit
Here is the detailed description from the Gundam Wiki:
The Methuss was the first true transformable mobile suit produced by Anaheim Electronics for the AEUG under their "Project Zeta". It served as a testbed for the transformation structure and the gathered data was later used in the development of MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam and the MSZ-008 ZII.
The Methuss' standard armament consisted of two beam guns built into its forearms and six beam sabers stored in its legs. The primary form of the Methuss is the mobile armor mode, which is a capable space fighter with extremely high mobility and excellent defensive capabilities. In combat, the mobile armor excels in dogfighting and long-range anti-ship battle. As the cylinder frame that connected the Methuss' pelvis with its upper body is exposed in mobile suit mode, this form suffered from structural weakness and defensive issues, making it unsuitable for close combat with enemy mobile suits.
Nevertheless, the Methuss is easy to pilot and repair. When necessary, the Methuss could also serve as a second power generator for the upgraded Mega Bazooka Launcher.
About the Visual Design
The Methuss may be a trailblazer, but it’s not exactly a looker. That doesn’t mean I don’t like it; it’s more that my affection for it comes from the fact that it’s visually interesting, rather than because it is aesthetically pleasing.
There are a lot of mobile suits that are technically classified as prototypes, but most of them end up being fully formed and combat ready.
But not the Methuss. No, the Methuss is the rare case of an MS that looks like an actual prototype.
Most of its torso is unarmored and exposed (my headcannon is that this was because they were still figuring out the transformation system and didn’t want any armor to get in the way)
It’s limbs are big and blocky (my headcannon for this is that big blocky limbs were easier to work with and reposition during the transformation)
It’s nosecone sits right behind the head because that’s the simplest place to put it.
And on top of all that, it’s in an unusually bright color scheme that few mobile suits have ever used (I have yet another headcannon here, which is that perhaps it made it easier to see in outer space during testing)
If you’ve read this blog for long enough, you’ll know that I love when a mobile suit’s form follows its function, and that’s exactly what we get with the Methuss. It ain’t pretty because it was never meant to be.
Flight Mode
Okay, so I'm probably exaggerating when I call it ugly. That's largely true about its mobile suit form, but I think it actually does look pretty good when it's transformed:
It actually resembles a spacecraft, rather than a robot that's been stuffed and folded into a vaguely spacecraft-y shape like most transformable MS.
Desperate Times
Here's a question - if the Methuss is a prototype that was mainly designed to test out its transformation system, then why was if fielded for use in combat?As with so much of the lore and worldbuilding in Zeta Gundam, there is no explicit answer to this question, but I think we can make an educated guess. The AEUG was a small force, and was likely desperate for any mobile suits they could get their hands on. And since the Methuss was right there, why not just use it?
Portrayal on Screen
Sometimes it’s nice when I build a kit that has only a minute or two of screen time. It’s easy to zero in on that scene, get a few screenshots, and be done with it.
But the Methuss shows up quite a lot in Zeta Gundam, but more importantly, I remember it being beat up, damaged, and otherwise squashed.
A lot.
And sure enough, that seems to be the way the Collective Internet remembers it too, so I had to go back and verify for sure. That meant scanning through over 25 episodes of Zeta Gundam on DVD at 10-30x speed.
One day I’ll stop treating this blog like a job, but until that day comes I guess I’ll continue entire evenings doing things like this. 🤪
Anyway, I can confirm that yes, the Methuss does get beat up (and otherwise clowned on) a lot. Like in its first sortie, when a Marasai just grabs on and goes for a ride:
Or that time where it gets blown up (but somehow isn’t destroyed):
Or that other time where it’s blown up but not destroyed:
Or when it gets pinned down by the Baund Doc:
Or when it’s pinned down again by the Palace Athene (though to be fair, this was after it put up a decent fight):
I also found this somewhat humiliating scene in which it rides on top of the Zeta, despite it having its own perfectly good flight mode:
In most cases this poor performance is due to it being piloted by Fa Yuiry, a rookie pilot and who, according to one rumor-filled post I found on Reddit, was portrayed poorly because she was disliked by one of the writers.
In other cases it was due to it being piloted by Reccoa Londe, who made the horrible mistake of being female in a show with extremely sexist writing, meaning she often hesitated from acting when her womanly emotions took over:
Interestingly, one of its most triumphant moments is when it scores some good hits on a Byarlant, though interestingly enough that was the one time the Methuss was being piloted by Katz:
Despite being younger and even less experienced than Fa, Katz is a boy, so of course he was made to look strong:
The Methuss has one other fight scene of note (aside from holding its own against the Palace Athene), but it shows up in ZZ Gundam instead. It takes on the Zssa in a desperate attack, and while Fa doesn’t do great against it, she is able to keep it occupied long enough for reinforcements to help her:
Sadly, only a few episodes later the Methuss sees its final engagement. Fa saves Judau and the Zeta by tanking a hit from the Hamma Hamma
It’s a strange sendoff, as Fa sits in the cockpit as the upper half of the Methuss slowly floats back to the Shangri La colony, while her AEUG friends and old and new leave her to continue their mission.
And that’s it. That’s the fate of the Methuss. It may not have had a great track record, but it both literally and figuratively threw its body at the enemy countless times. That’s got to count for something.
Other Appearances in Media
The Methuss has shown up in a variety of video games, but it’s most recent and perhaps most famous appearance was as one of the starting mecha from the now-defunct hero shooter Gundam Evolution:
Support Unit?
In Gundam Evolution, the Methuss served as a support unit, as it flat out took on the same role as Overwatch’s Mercy:
What’s interesting here is that this doesn’t just happen in Gundam Evolution. According to my research, the Methuss has a history of being typecasted as support, as it also happens in the Super Robot Wars series.
It’s interesting that this has become something of a tradition, and of course it makes me wonder why. I don’t think there is a single explanation, but rather a confluence of factors:
- While it’s poor onscreen performance may be due in part to the prowess of its pilots, I don’t think it’s controversial to say that the Methuss doesn’t quite pack the same punch as its teammates. It’s best use is flying around in Mobile Armor mode, trying to distract and/or suppress targets. That’s very much a support role.
- It’s ability to use its power cables to energize heavy weapons is a non-combat support role, and while it’s only one ability (and while it isn’t used frequently), I guess it’s still enough to give game designers an out for typecasting the Methuss as a support unit.
- If you’re like me, you’ve probably wondered why the Methuss has six beam sabers. That’s overkill for a single mobile suit, but what if it’s carrying so many so it can toss them to allies in the middle of battle?
- There may simply be some good ol’ sexism involved. It’s got two female pilots, and women are often slotted into support-type roles by default, especially in roleplaying games.
Using its Power Cables
So when exactly does the Methuss use its power cables for the Mega Bazooka Launcher? I combed through all those episodes of the show, and I couldn't find it even once. Instead I found a scene where Reccoa uses what I'm assuming is an old Gelgoog Marine to do the same thing:
I'm not 99.9999% sure that that's the only time it happens in the original anime. So again, WHERE does it happen?
According to my research, they changed that scene in the Zeta Gundam New Translation films, swapping the Gelgoog for the Methuss:
About the Model
This kit is from 2006, and if I’m remembering things correctly that’s a pretty good era, where a lot of the High Grades are better looking and better engineered than you might expect.
With that in mind, I’m having a hard time getting a bead on what the build is going to be like, but rather than spoil it by looking for video reviews, I think it would be more fun to go in blind. I’m looking forward to it!