Canard Pars

Infobox animanga character
name = Canard Pars
series = Mobile Suit Gundam SEED


caption =
first =
last =
creator =
voiced by =
alias =
age = 17Fact|date=September 2007
born =
death =
nationality = Eurasian Federation [GSA]
relatives =
paux1 name = Genetic type
paux1 = Coordinator
divider = yes
aux1 name = Allegiance
aux1 = OMNI Enforcer [GSA]
Junk Guild [GSDA]
Serpent Tail [GSDA]
Mercenary Group "X" [GSDA]
aux2 name = Rank
aux2 = Lieutenant (EAF) [GSA]
aux3 name = Mobile weapons
aux3 = CAT1-X1/3 Hyperion Unit 1 [GSA]
YMF-X000A/H Dreadnought H [GSA]

nihongo|Canard Pars|カナード・パルス|Kanādo Parusu is a fictional character in the Cosmic Era timeline of the "Gundam" metaseries. He is a member of the Earth Alliance's Eurasian Federation where he served as a special operative and piloted the CAT1-X1/3 Hyperion Unit 1.

He is a failed prototype of the same "Ultimate Coordinator" project that produced Kira Yamato and is the sole survivor of the failures and one of only two survivors of the project as a whole. Although he is a failed Ultimate Coordinator, his abilities are still comparable to, perhaps even superior, to regular Coordinators.

Background

Canard, being a "failed" Ultimate Coordinator experiment, was supposed to be disposed of. However with the aid of a worker that felt sorry for him, he escapes from the Mendel research facility and is found by a group of scientists from the Eurasian Federation. He is brought to yet another research facility where attempts to gather information on his abilities are carried out through torture and other cruel tests. They often refer to him as a "failure", which emotionally scars Canard and becomes fuel for his anger and hatred, particularly of Kira Yamato. It is known that he escapes this facility at least once, events that lead to an encounter with a mysterious man who is aware of the project that spawned Canard. This man suggests to him that he should become the "real version" of himself. Canard contemplates this and states the he wants to be the "real version" to which the man responds by telling him that Kira Yamato is the "real version" and thus the person he must defeat. It is unknown if he is caught or returns voluntarily, but he does end up back with the Eurasian Federation where he is then linked to the group "Special Operatives X" under the command of Admiral Gerard Garcia.

Gundam SEED X Astray

As a special operative, Canard is given the duty of piloting the prototype CAT1-X1/3 Hyperion Unit 1 for the Eurasian Federation. He is also given the special assignment of eliminating Kira Yamato, which he swears to do although it is more out of his hatred than the fact that it is his official mission. During his search for Kira he comes to blows with Lowe Guele, in his MBF-P02 Astray Red Frame, of the Junk Guild as well as Gai Murakumo, in his MBF-P03 Astray Blue Frame G, and Elijah Kiel, in his ZGMF-1017 GINN Elijah Kiel Custom, of the Serpent Tail mercenary group. Not too long after both encounters he learns of the existence of the N-Jammer Canceller and is ordered to obtain the stolen, nuclear powered suit that ZAFT is trying to regain so the technology can be used by the Eurasian Federation. He accepts this mission, knowing that the N-Jammer Canceller could be used to remove the time limit of his Hyperion's "Armure Lumiere" mono-phase lightwave shield system. Once again, fueled more by personal desire, he sets out to complete his objective.

His new goal brings him to another meeting with Lowe and his first encounter with Prayer Reverie and the Dreadnought, the suit that had been the source of Canard's knowledge of the N-Jammer Canceller, although he was unaware of its identity as it was equipped with a ZGMF-600 GuAIZ head at the time. Canard decimates the ZAFT squad that was trying to regain the Dreadnought and then forcibly boards the ReHOME and searches for the nuclear powered suit. After some trickery on Lowe's part and a delivery by Gai, he finally encounters the Dreadnought whose proper head and reactor had been quickly put into place. Although technically still incomplete, the Dreadnought's DRAGOON controlled "Pristis Reamers" prove to be too much for Canard and his Hyperion, which is heavily damaged. After the battle Canard awakens at his base, injured and angry but wastes no time in returning to attack the Junk Guild. Prayer, fueled by compassion and not wanting to harm Canard again, fields the Dreadnought and surrenders both it and himself. Canard insists that Prayer tell him why he allowed himself to be taken in and Prayer tells him that he felt a strong hatred that grew during their fight. He also states that fighting would not help anything to which Canard replies that their battle ends when one of them is killed by the other.

With the Dreadnought on hand, Admiral Garcia contacts his superior and tells him that they have completed the mission to obtain the N-Jammer Canceller. To his dismay however he is told that "Special Operatives X" no longer exists as well as the fact that the Alliance had already acquired the N-Jammer Canceller and that he was too slow in his mission. Garcia, due to leaving the mission to Canard and having a severe dislike of him stemming from him being a Coordinator combined with his general attitude, blames the failure solely on him and orders his arrest. Canard, fellow special operative Meriol Pristis and Prayer flee from Artemis. This escape is actually done with the intent of completing the goals of their group but the act is still treasonous at its core.

Garcia orders "The Eagle of Artemis", Captain Balsam Arendo, to pilot the CAT1-X2/3 Hyperion Unit 2 and destroy Unit 1. Canard, despite his unit not being fully repaired from Prayer's attack and missing half of its limbs and backpack, manages to disable Unit 2 with a surprise attack utilizing the beam shield as a weapon. He proceeds to kill Balsam and proclaim that there can be only one Hyperion, his, and that fighting is his only reason to live. He uses Unit 2 as a source of parts for repair and bolsters his firepower with a second beam machinegun.

Canard tells Prayer that he would not take the Dreadnought's N-Jammer Canceller because he would need it for when they battled to see who was stronger. He goes on to explain that the Atlantic Federation is mass producing the cancellers and he would instead take one from them. It is also revealed that the goal of "Special Operatives X" is to prevent the Atlantic Federation from winning in a battle, should it come to that, with the Eurasian Federation; they were not truly allies.

With his Hyperion repaired, Canard infiltrates the Ptolemaeus Moon Base to acquire an N-Jammer Canceller. He encounters Morgan Chevalier in his GAT-01A1+AQM/E-X04 Gunbarrel Dagger whom he manages to defeat. He then places the N-Jammer Canceller and a nuclear reactor in the Hyperion and christens his unit the "Super Hyperion". A short time later, Canard allows Prayer to leave with Gai and return to Lowe and the Junk Guild so that the Dreadnought can be upgraded to its true form. The prospect of them fighting in their upgraded suits proves enticing to Canard and he warns Prayer that even if he runs, he will be found.

The final battle between the two takes place on September 27, C.E. 71, at the Second Battle of Jachin Due. They exchange ideals as well as blows and eventually Prayer reveals that he is a clone. Canard is ecstatic, stating that they are the same and have no purpose but to fight and as such they should battle to the fullest of their abilities. Prayer tells him that he has suffered as well and that it was the compassion of those around him that helped him survive. Canard is incensed by this and denounces compassion but Prayer tells him that although he doesn't realize it, many people have compassion for him and the he has always felt as such. He traps Canard in a pyramid shaped shield formed by his DRAGOONs, telling him that it is his compassion embracing him and that rather than denying Canard's existence he is acknowledging all of what he is.

In an attempt to break the barrier, Canard plugs his "Forfanterie" beam cannons to the nuclear reactor and fires a full-power shot that overloads it. Prayer dashes to the suit as it goes critical, telling Canard that he won't let him die. Canard opens his cockpit and begins to step out only to have the Hyperion explode, engulfing both suits in a nuclear explosion. Prayer had managed to grab Canard and uses the Dreadnought to shield him from the blast. He stumbles out of his cockpit, revealing that the cloning process used to make him was flawed and that he would die soon. Canard cannot understand, as the loser of the battle and having the inability to become perfect he believes he has no right to live. Prayer explains that neither of them is alone, compassions bonds everyone and then dies in Canard's arms.

Prayer's death deeply affects Canard and several months later when he meets with Reverend Malchio he states that he has inherited Prayer's will. Shortly after, he sees Kira Yamato while walking down the beach at Reverend Malchio's orphanage. Rather than kill him or become enraged, he instead acknowledges that he is himself and killing Kira will not change that fact. He will instead, make his own path in life.

Gundam SEED Destiny Astray

After the incident which supposedly killed Prayer, (he is later seen in "Gundam SEED Destiny Astray") Canard joined the Junk Guild. He assists Lowe in the construction of the rebuilt YMF-X000A/H Dreadnought H which uses small elements of the Hyperion and lacks the DRAGOON system. He uses his new suit to fight against EA mobile suits in a bid to protect GENESIS Alpha when Lowe decides to use it to get to Mars.

By CE 73, he has fought at the side of the Junk Guild and Serpent Tail but leaves the factions to start his own mercenary group, named simply "X". This group operates from the modified "Agamemnon"-class carrier "Ortigia", commanded by Meriol Pristis. "X" and Serpent Tail are both hired by the Junk Guild in C.E. 73 to protect GENESIS Alpha from a large-scale Earth Alliance attack, allowing the station's crew to escape. He also learns that the mysterious man that set him on his path to killing Kira Yamato was none other than chairman of the PLANT Supreme Council Gilbert Durandal who also used to be a scientist who worked on the Ultimate Coordinator project.

Prayer seems to be guarding Canard against returning to his old ways.

Trivia

* Canard Pars is voiced by Souichiro Hoshi in the video game "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny: Generation of CE". This is fitting as both of Hoshi's roles, the other being Kira Yamato, are the only known survivors of the Ultimate Coordinator project.
* Canard and Prayer's final battle is reminiscent of the final battle between Kira Yamato and Rau Le Creuset (coincidentally taking place near the same place at approximately the same time). Both battles were between a clone and an Ultimate Coordinator; furthermore, both battles involved nuclear-powered mobile suits, and both Rau and Prayer pilot DRAGOON-equipped units.
* Curiously, Canard can actually be considered the antithesis of Kira, as not only are their personalities polar opposites, but for some time, the Atlantic Federation and the Eurasian Federation, Kira and Canard's initial employers respectively, have traditionally been rivals. Also, by the time of Destiny, both had fought not merely out of orders from a superior but rather for the betterment of the world (even if Canard now lives as a mercenary). The Junk Guild has also saved both of them at one point: Lowe Guele saved Kira from the Strike's wreckage while Prayer saved Canard from himself and the overload of the Hyperion.