Episode zero, Act 2: Duo Maxwell A.C. 192 *A spaceship flies through (where else?) space.* Duo: Let go! Let me go! Duo: *Being held by two men in a room full of crates.* I'm telling you to let me go! Man: You've got a lot of nerve, stowing away on our Sweepers ship, kid! Professor G.: What's going on? Man: It's a stowaway! And he's been in the food supplies! Duo: Hey, even I want to eat something decent once in a while! Let go! Professor G.: ...Let him go. Man: But... Professor G.: It's okay. Let him go. Gundam Wing Episode Zero, Act 2: Duo Maxwell The secret horror story of Duo, aged 7 A.C. 187 *Some little kids make off with food from a market stall.* Man: Hey! You kids!! Duo: *Clutching an armful of food.* Ha ha, charge it to the Federation Army! Man: What are you talking about?! Duo: *Running into someone.* Ow! Duo: *On the ground, his loot scattered around him. A priest looks at him in concern.* Oww... Priest: I'm sorry. Man: Hey! Come back here! Duo: Oops! Sorry, man! *Leapfrogs over the priest's head and runs off.* Man: Ah, they got me again! I mean, I feel sorry for the war orphans, but they steal stuff all the time... *The children are sitting around eating apples and such in a crumbling house.* Kid: We pulled it off, huh, Duo. Duo: Yeah. Tomorrow we're gonna sneak into an army warehouse. Kid: Huh?! Isn't that a bad idea? Other Kid: If they catch us, we're dead! Duo: *Munching an apple.* It's just chance that we're still alive anyway. So let's do what we can! *In a warehouse. Sound of machine gun fire. Kids running.* Kid: Waa! Run! Run! Duo: They can't be serious?! What did they have to start shooting for right away? Kid: The army doesn't care about shooting women and children. Duo: Damn! *Back at the ruined house where the kids live. Grown-ups surround them.* Duo (presumably): Leave us alone! What have we done?! Man: You can't say you haven't done anything! You stole from the army, you idiots! Duo: Well, this is our home! And they smashed it up, so what are we supposed to do? Man: Maxwell Church has agreed to take you all in. Be grateful!! Duo: Church? *In the church.* Duo: Stop it! I'm telling you to stop! Priest: What's wrong? *Duo is dressed in a long priest outfit and squirming on a chair while the nun holds him down, with a scissors in her hand.* Nun: This child refuses to have his hair cut! Duo: You got that right! Duo: I can barely stand to wear these weird clothes, I'm sure not going to put up with having my hair cut! Nun: But it's all unkempt. It's unsanitary... Duo: It's fine! Priest: Sister Helen, do as Duo says. Nun: But... Priest: *Smiles and nods.* *Nun braids Duo's hair.* Nun: Okay, I'm done. Nun: You don't have a problem with that, do you? Duo: Ha ha, this is great! I can go anywhere and steal anything and it won't get in my way. Nun: You're still talking like that? Priest: Duo. As long as you're here, you don't need to steal. Duo: Oh, yeah. I'm not a thief anymore, I'm a beggar. Priest: A beggar? Duo: Isn't that true? Churches get their money from people's donations. Nun: This child... Priest: Well, that's true. I suppose you're right. Duo: Yeah! Don't pretend! *Nun and priest smile at each other, thinking he's cute.* *School kids in uniforms are greeting each other. Duo doesn't look pleased, in his black outfit, as he carries his school books. The kids stare at him.* Nun: I wonder if he's really going to be alright? Priest: Oh, if he just receives proper education, he'll become the best priest this world has ever seen. Nun: That Duo? All the other children were taken in by families, but this one keeps getting sent back here. Priest: He's just like I was when I was a boy. Nun: Wait! Duo! Nun: You did it again, didn't you! Duo: It was their fault! *Struggling to escape from her.* Nun: You put those children in the hospital, Duo! How can you say they were the ones who did wrong? Duo: *Looking guilty.* ...Yeah, but... Nun: *Thinking:* Duo... *Out loud:* What did they say to you? Duo: They said I smelled dirty. Nun: *Hugs him.* Duo: Huh? *Blushing a little.* Nun: You don't smell dirty at all. Duo: R-really? Nun: Really. So whenever people say things, just ignore it. Duo: *Smiling.* ...Okay. Nun: You say there's no God? Duo: Yeah. If there's really a God, He should stop the war. Duo: *Sitting on the priest's lap.* If there wasn't any war, there wouldn't be war orphans like me. Priest: Duo... God doesn't start wars, people do. People have to end what they start. Duo: Hmm.... So it doesn't matter if there is a God or not, huh? Nun: That's not true! Duo: I think the only God in this world is the god of death (Shinigami). Nun: Duo... You don't believe in God, but you believe in Shinigami? Duo: *Cheerfully.* Yeah! 'Cause I've never seen a miracle, but I've seen lots and lots of dead people! Nun: *Sweat drop.* Priest: A ha ha, it's hard to argue with you. Nun: You're an interesting child, aren't you. Narration: Since Duo came to live in Maxwell Church, the building was always full of laughter. But... Narration: One day, the laughter stopped. *Scenes of violence, death and destruction.* The year was A.C. 188 Injured Man: Uhh... Companion: Hang in there! Duo: *Watching the injured people being cared for in the church.* Leader: We have to take out the Federation's G2 Point Base! It's the only thing left for us to do! Followers: Yes, sir! Duo: *Thinking:* Is it all going to start again? We were all living here, being happy, up until now... Leader: All we need is one Mobile Suit! If we could get just one, our freedom is assured! Priest: Isn't it enough? Leader: What?! Priest: I believe Heero Yuy said it before: We colonists did not come into space to fight. Whatever happens, we should not fight. Leader: You! Try saying that again! Priest: I'll say it as often as possible. We must not fight. Man: You...! Man: *Hitting the priest with his rifle.* Shut up! Duo: Bastard! Nun: *Standing in front of the fallen priest.* Please stop! Don't do any more! Woman: *Slapping the nun.* Shut up. We must all be united! Why, at a time like this, do you have to preach peace and stir up confusion?! Follower: They might be Federation spies... Other follower: It's possible, isn't it. Nun: N-no...! Follower: Shall I make them confess? Duo: Wait!! Duo: One Mobile Suit is good enough, right? Leader: What? Duo: I'll steal one for you! In exchange for which, you guys all clear out of here, okay?! This is a place of peace! Leader: Kids' nonsense... Duo: I run, and I hide, but I don't lie, like you guys do! Leader: What?! Nun: Duo! Stop! Duo: I'll get a Mobile Suit and bring it here for you! Nun: DUO! *Duo runs out the door, and through some rubble.* Duo: *Thinking.* Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! *Out loud.* Why!? Up until a little while ago, everyone hated war! Why does it have to start again? *Leaping over a wall and still running.* Soldier: An intruder! Duo: *Thinking:* Sure, I hate the Federation Army! But... But... Soldier: Stop! Stop or we'll shoot! Duo: If they want war so much, why don't the people who like it fight each other and leave us alone! Duo: *Running, bullets spattering the ground around him.* Soldier: S-stop! He's just a kid! Other Soldier: Doesn't matter! We're to kill all the colonists! Duo: *Thinking:* All you do is create orphans like me...! *Arriving in a warehouse where Mobile Suits are tucked in on trucks.* Duo: That's it! Clueless Soldier: Huh?! Duo: *Leaping in the truck.* Soldier: Hey! Who the hell are you? Duo: *Swerving off in the truck.* Soldier: Don't let him get away! Shoot! Shoot!! Duo: *Driving.* It's just by chance that I'm still alive. I might as well be the one to do the dirty jobs... Duo: *Standing in the ruin of what used to be the church.* It can't...be... Nun: Du...Duo... Nun: *Lying in the rubble, blood trickling from her mouth.* I'm so glad... You're alright, aren't you? Duo: Sister! Nun: Don't worry us like that. The Father was thinking of you till his last moment... Duo: I-I'll call a doctor right away! Nun: The Federation Army has come. We can't... leave here... Duo: Is- is it my fault? Because I stole a Mobile Suit from the Federation?! Nun: The Father was... a wonderful example... He preached peace to... everyone... till the end... Duo: What do you mean, wonderful?! He was just stupid, wasn't he?! What did he accomplish by getting himself killed? Nun: Duo... *Reaching out to touch his face with her scuffed hand.* May God... bless you and... keep... you... *Her hand drops away.* Duo: *Staring with big, blank eyes.* UWAAAAA!!! *Head thrown back, silhouetted in the rubble of the church.* The death toll was 245 people. The rebellion of this colony was put down by the Federation and OZ Special Forces. The event became known as the "Maxwell Church Tragedy." *Duo sits in a prison cell. His black cap makes its first appearance here.* Guard: Hey, did you know, he's a survivor from Maxwell Church. Other Guard: Yeah? He must have made some deal with the god of death (Shinigami), hm? A.C. 192. The north pole of the moon. *A spacecraft sits on the lunar surface.* Guy in spacesuit: *Staring at a large pyramid-like hill, presumably hiding a spaceship (?)* With this spaceship, we could have left the solar system... Other guy in spacesuit: But right now, it won't do us any good. All we can do is let it sleep here until the day comes we can use it. Guy in spacesuit, now revealed to be Professor G. : What are you going to do now? Other guy in spacesuit: Go back to earth. I want to go to the seaside and feel the waves... Professor G.: Hn. Just what I'd expect from you... Other guy: Take care. Professor G.: Yeah... *Shot of spaceship now flying through (predictably) space.* Duo: Let go! Let go of me! Professor G.: Let go of him. Underling: But... Professor G.: It's okay, let him go. Professor G.: Kid... I can't believe you snuck into this ship. I thought my security system was flawless. How did you do it? Duo: That's a professional secret. But, so your pride isn't hurt too badly, I'll admit I had a rough time getting in. Professor G.: Interesting brat. Duo: I'm not a brat. My name is Duo. I run, and I hide, but I don't lie--Duo Maxwell! Professor G.: Maxwell...? Ha ha... Maxwell's little demon, hm? Duo: Not a demon. Duo: I'm Shinigami...! Thus the flaxen-haired angel became the god of death. Here's some background information on Duo, all official, from the novelization of his Episode Zero. Duo was not a native of Colony V08744 (one of the L-2 colonies), but "wandered" there by himself, presumably as a stowaway, when he was seven. There he met up with a group of street kids orphaned by the war. The oldest boy, Solo, was their leader. A virus swept the colony, and the Federation quickly came up with a cure for themselves and the colonists who could afford to buy it. But no medicine was provided to the homeless children, and Solo was dying. So Duo, an enterprising seven year old, stole some from a hospital. Unfortunately, it was too late for Solo. He told Duo that he wished they could have spent more time together. Duo was touched, since no one had cared about him before. He said they would be together always, and decided his own name would be Duo. He intended to die with Solo, having no particular reason to live, and having stolen enough medicine for everyone but himself. But he didn't catch the virus, which he attributed to Solo's spirit watching over him, and he was accepted as leader of the children. As for his last name, when he was taken in by the priest and Sister Helen, he became known as "Maxwell Church's Duo." On this poor colony, many people didn't have last names, and there was nothing unusual about Duo's case. After the massacre, he took the name "Duo Maxwell." So he himself chose both his first and last names, in memory of and tribute to those who had cared about him, as well as choosing the name "Shinigami" which he called himself when he first met Professor G, before his Gundam had even been built. Colony V08744 was very poor. Unlike on other colonies, many nationalities lived there together. So there were communication problems and cultural differences that caused conflict. Discontent led to periodic rebellion against the Federation army. Of course the Federation cracked down hard on them, making it a colony of poverty, hardship, and despair. Even water was rationed, and poor people such as the priest and Sister Helen could only obtain enough to drink. For washing and other purposes, they collected rain and snow. Remember that Sister Helen wanted to cut off Duo's long hair because it was unsanitary. And they could only wash their clothes about once a month. That's why the children taunted Duo, saying he smelled dirty. When Sister Helen said he didn't, she must have been lying. Duo went to a school run by the Federation army. The children of soldiers and Federation officials wore uniforms, and the colonist children didn't. The school was open to colonist children in order to brainwash them with Federation propaganda. Duo was the top student in his class, but he was always getting into trouble because he wouldn't look up to the Federation children or let them push him around, and the teachers invariably sided with the children whose parents ran the school. The priest was always being called in. But he told Duo, "I don't care how many times I have to go there and apologize. Don't worry about it, just go to school tomorrow and do your best." By the way, the spaceship that Howard and Professor G had just salvaged and were talking about near the end of Duo's Episode Zero would later be named the Peacemillion. Translation by Katherine, Copyright © The GW Archive. Do not move from here.