Rau Le Creuset

Infobox animanga character
name = Rau Le Creuset
series = Mobile Suit Gundam SEED


caption = Rau Le Creuset in "Gundam SEED"
first = "Gundam SEED" episode 1
last = "Gundam SEED Destiny" "Final Plus episode"
creator =
voiced by = Toshihiko Seki (Japanese)
Mark Oliver (English)
alias =
age = 28 [GS] cite web |url=http://www.gundam-seed.net/01cool/character/main2.html |title=ZAFT character introduction |accessdate=2007-07-21|publisher=Sunrise |language=Japanese ] cite web |url=http://img191.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/users/6/4/6/5/dzz00000-img600x445-1148361599c06u.jpg|title=Rau Le Creuset trading card |accessdate=2007-07-21 ]
born = CE 46
death =
nationality = PLANT [GS]
relatives = Al Da Flaga, (DNA progenitor)
Mu La Flaga (son, by genetics)
Rey Za Burrel (brother, by genetics)
paux1 name = Genetic type
paux1 = Natural (Clone)
divider = yes
aux1 name = Allegiance
aux1 = ZAFT [GS]
aux2 name = Rank
aux2 = White uniform [GS]
Commander [GS]
aux3 name = Mobile weapons
aux3 = ZGMF-1017M GINN High Maneuver Type [GS]
ZGMF-515 CGUEcite web |url=http://www.gundamofficial.com/worlds/ce/seed/characters/chara_rau.html
title=Rau Le Creuset |accessdate=2008-04-08 |work=GundamOfficial |publisher=Bandai America Incorporated] [GS]
AMF-101 DINN [GS]
ZGMF-600 GuAIZ [GS]
ZGMF-X13A Providence [GS]

nihongo|Rau Le Creuset|ラウ・ル・クルーゼ|Rau Ru Kurūze is a fictional character from the "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED" anime series. Le Creuset is the principal antagonist to the main characters in the series.

Ruthless, enigmatic and mysterious, Rau Le Creuset is an elite ZAFT commander, a skilled mobile suit pilot, and an adept tactician, whose abilities are greatly valued by the ZAFT leadership. He always appears in public with his unique mask covering his face. He becomes famous early in the war during the Battle of Yggdrasil, using his ZGMF-1017M GINN High Maneuver Type mobile suit to destroy thirty-seven Earth Alliance mobile armors and six warships. This feat earns him the Order of the Nebula, a decoration awarded to ZAFT's most outstanding soldiers. After the Battle of Endymion Crater on the Moon, Le Creuset becomes the commander of the newly constructed "Nazca"-class destroyer, "Vesalius". Throughout the series, he takes part in various operations, but mostly stays behind on the "Vesalius".

Gundam SEED

Heliopolis raid and Archangel pursuit

Under his command, the ZAFT vessels "Vesalius" and "Gamow" attack the neutral colony Heliopolis, where the military contractor Morgenroete has been constructing prototype mobile suits for the Atlantic Federation. The raid ends with ZAFT capturing four of the prototype G-weapons. The colony is destroyed due to the use of heavy weaponry on both sides of the conflict, as ZAFT tries to capture or destroy the GAT-X105 Strike as well as the mobile suit carrier, "Archangel".

Apart from attempts to take down the "Legged Ship" (ZAFT's codename for the "Archangel"), he shares a strange connection with Earth Alliance mobile armor pilot Mu La Flaga and the two are shown to have a rivalry of sorts throughout the war.

True intentions

Despite his allegiance with ZAFT, Rau bears no loyalty to it, or anyone, for that matter. Rau's true aim is to put an end to humanity and what he sees as a 'world of endless desires'. He believes he can accomplish this through the nuclear arsenal of the Earth Forces and GENESIS, ZAFT's super weapon. Furthermore, he believes he is the person best suited to carry out the judgment and execution of humanity. Rau seemingly does not value human life in the slightest -- even his own. His intentions almost come to fruition at the Battle of Jachin Due, but they are thwarted by Kira Yamato and the crew of the Archangel.

His reputation is high enough that the ZAFT National Defense Committee Chairman, Patrick Zala, reveals to him the real plans for Operation Spitbreak. He then betrays Zala by handing over confidential information regarding the nuclear technology behind the two Gundams, Freedom and Justice, to the Atlantic Federation. This information is given to the Blue Cosmos Chairman, Muruta Azrael, a warmonger who derives immense power from his position as the director of the Azrael Conglomerate, the Earth Alliance's primary arms supplier.

Ironically, neither Zala, members of the Supreme Council, nor ZAFT suspected Le Creuset of treason. Although Rau supposedly only answers to Patrick Zala, it becomes quite clear that Patrick is manipulated by Rau to the point that in reality, Patrick turns out to be Rau's unwitting minion.

Origins

A chance encounter with Mu La Flaga and Kira Yamato in the abandoned colony of Mendel reveals his true identity and motives. His birth name is Rau La Flaga,cite web |url=http://www.gundamofficial.com/worlds/ce/background/timeline.html |title=Timeline |accessdate=2008-02-09 |work=GundamOfficial |publisher=Bandai America Incorporated |quote=C.E. 46: Al Da Flaga visits the Mendel colony at Lagrange point 4. He commissions Dr. Ulen Hibiki, the chief researcher of GARM R&D, to create a clone of himself. Rau La Flaga is born later this year.] the direct clone of Mu La Flaga's father, Al Da Flaga.

Considering his own son Mu as "nothing" because he was "diluted" by the inferior DNA of a mother, Al Da Flaga, a powerful and wealthy Atlantic Federation politician, conspired with Professor Ulen Hibiki to create clones of himself, of which Rau would be the first, and his heir, superior in every way to his brother, Mu, who was to be disinherited. Despite the fact that Coordinators had existed for quite some time, direct human cloning was illegal, but Al believed his wealth and influence put him above the law, and thus, Dr. Hibiki agreed to this transaction in exchange for the funds to finance his Ultimate Coordinator project.

Rau possesses superhuman spacial awareness and telepathic abilities, a trait he apparently inherited from his "father" and shares with his "brother" Mu. One other clone is accounted for: Rey Za Burrel, who is seen with Rau in a flashback in "Gundam SEED Destiny".

However, Rau has short telomeres within his DNA that cause him rapid aging problems. This is done intentionally, so that Rau can catch up to Mu in age and replace him. Rau decided that he was an abomination and loathed himself and his "father" for creating him. He takes a drug that stabilizes his aging; if he goes too long without taking the medication, he suffers intense pain. Rau becomes mentally unstable, deciding that Naturals and Coordinators are both unfit for living, and plans the imminent destruction of both.

He assumes the name "Rau Le Creuset" ("le creuset" being French for "The Crucible") and joins the ZAFT military, where his piloting skills, intellect, and powers of persuasion ensure his rise to command. His abilities allow him to pass for a Coordinator. He dons his trademark mask not to hide his identity but out of shame and hatred that he looks like the person he hates most: his father.

Rau believes that every human's sole purpose for living is to be "better" than everyone else, and that all people are miserable, selfish, and shameless creatures who will do anything to "get ahead." He justifies this point of view by his very existence: he is the direct result of human hubris - cloning. While he believes that humanity will eventually wipe itself out, he is not satisfied with waiting for that to happen on its own. As he is doomed due to his unstable genetic makeup, he believes all life deserves to perish along with him and works towards making that end a reality.

To help this plan, he leaks to the Earth Alliance the N-jammer canceller technology used to create the ZGMF-X10A Freedom and ZGMF-X09A Justice through a disc he entrusts to Flay Allster, who he captures during the Battle of JOSH-A. This eventually leads to the use of nuclear missiles by the Earth Alliance, and the eventual destruction of the ZAFT military asteroid Boaz and ZAFT counters with the GENESIS superweapon.

Second battle of Jachin Due

In the final battle of the war, Rau pilots the ZGMF-X13A Providence, the final ZAFT Gundam. Rau cripples the Strike and the Buster and destroys an escape shuttle launched from the "Dominion" that contains Flay Allster. He then battles with Kira Yamato in the ZGMF-X10A Freedom.

Rau cripples the Freedom using the powerful DRAGOON System installed in the Providence and yells out his beliefs of humanity and their need to be like Kira; however, Kira mortally wounds Rau by impaling his cockpit with a double-sided beam saber. Rau dies with a smile on his face, and the Providence is then destroyed during a misfire of GENESIS. In the ending credits of "Gundam SEED", Rau's mask is seen floating in space.

Gundam SEED Destiny

Although Rau dies at the end of "Gundam SEED" at the hands of Kira, Rau still makes a few appearances as a "character" of sorts in "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny". Kira is still haunted by his memory of Rau, and he has devoted himself to ensure that no one like Rau ever threatens mankind's future to live in freedom ever again.

Most importantly, in episode 29, Gilbert Durandal, Rau's former friend and doctor, imagines [cite web |url=http://www.gundamofficial.com/worlds/ce/destiny/story/page3.html |title=PHASE-29: FATES |accessdate=2008-02-09 |pages=PHASE 23-34 |work=GundamOfficial |publisher=Bandai America Incorporated |quote=In his imagination, Durandal hears the mocking voice of Rau Le Creuset.] conversing and playing a metaphysical game of chess with Rau. This game of chess is a recurring metaphor throughout the series for their conflicting beliefs about humanity's future in the universe. Rau asks Gilbert why he feels humanity is worth saving, and pities him for believing that anything other than disappointment and shame will result from his efforts, reminding Gilbert of his own miserable failure to "save" him. Gilbert swears to Rau that he will do anything to ensure the continued survival of humanity, no matter what the end "cost" of that survival might be. At the end of the episode, the scene is shown where Durandal's king chess piece falls down implying that he lost this metaphysical game of chess against Rau. However, he is shown having a smile on his face at the same.In the final episode of the series, as Rey and Talia embrace over Gilberts body, Rau is shown, maskless, smiling down at him before disappearing.

In games

In the "SD Gundam G Generation" series, "Super Robot Wars J", and the Gundam Wars card game, he is listed as a Newtype. However, the term Newtype was never officially used in "Gundam SEED" or "Gundam SEED Destiny" and the category of characters with his abilities was unnamed.

References