Dearka Elsman

Dearka Elsman is a major character in Gundam SEED, Gundam SEED Destiny, and Gundam SEED Freedom. He is one of the classmates of Athrun Zala and Yzak Joule and the pilot of the Buster Gundam.
He is currently voiced by Akira Sasanuma in the Japanese version, and Johnny Yong Bosch in English version. In the original Ocean Group English dub he was voiced by Brad Swaile.
== Personality and Character ==
Dearka was described as humorous and somewhat arrogant personality, especially towards Naturals, who he initially referred to as "weaklings" with his usual sarcasm. However, his personality changed when he was imprisoned at the Archangel especially after the encounter with Miriallia Haw, Dearka re-evaluates his opinions towards the Naturals and realizes that all human life is equally worth protecting. His view regarding the war between Naturals and Coordinators also takes a drastic change after Kira Yamato and Athrun's discussion regarding the deaths of Nicol Amalfi and Tolle Koenig, where he understands that holding on to such grudges and preconceptions would only lead to further bloodshed.
== Skills and Capabilities ==
Dearka is a skilled pilot and specializes in long range combat, piloting the artillery mobile suit GAT-X103 Buster Gundam during the First Alliance-PLANT War. During the Second Alliance-PLANT War, he piloted the artillery use ZGMF-1000/A1 Gunner ZAKU Warrior, before switching to a high mobility use ZGMF-1001/M Blaze ZAKU Phantom. With the Blaze Zaku Phantom, Dearka also showed that he is is capable of close range combat, defeating a number of mobile suits and battleships.
== Background ==
Dearka is the son of Tad Elsman, a member of the PLANT Supreme Council. He entered the ZAFT military academy, where he graduated as the third place, following Athrun Zala and Yzak Joule.
== History ==
=== First Alliance-PLANT War ===
Dearka was assigned as a elite member of the Le Creuset Team led by Rau Le Creuset, Dearka alongside Athrun, Yzak, Nicol and Rusty had started their mission to infiltrate and attack Heliopolis. Dearka successfully piloted one of the GAT-X mobile suit such as the GAT-X103 Buster Gundam.
As Dearka continues his pursuit against the Archangel crew and Kira Yamato, the pilot of the Strike Gundam. In Earth, he also continues the battle, however as he witnessed Nicol's death. He surrendered to the Archangel after his defeat and his attitude towards Naturals much of his arrogance. Somehow later, he was almost killed by Miriallia Haw and later by Flay Allster but Miriallia saves him.
Before the start of the battle in Orb Union, Dearka freed by Miriallia after he learned the Archangel defected from the Earth Alliance. Dearka soon rushed towards the Buster Gundam and later joins them until they escaped into space.
In the battle in the abandoned Mendel Colony, Dearka along with Mu La Flaga went to investigate inside the colony, however he met Yzak and views Dearka labeled as "traitors" especially Athrun and Lacus Clyne involved in the battle. Dearka reminds Yzak as who among them are truly being decieved and left him at the scene.
In the battle of the Jachin Due, Dearka along with the Three Ships Alliance to stop both nuclear missile attacks and the GENESIS. He witnessed Yzak killed Shani Andras after he saved Cagalli Yula Athha from the attacks. Later on, Dearka and his Buster Gundam had suffered major damage by the Providence Gundam, Yzak rushed to save him but he was attacked by Clotho Buer and allowing Yzak using the Buster's rifle and destroys him. Dearka was aboard the Archangel and witnessed the destruction of the Jachin Due.
After the First War, Dearka reinstated as a ZAFT soldier and joined Yzak's team. At some point he had a relationship with Miriallia but somehow she "dumped" him for some unknown reasons.
=== Second Alliance-PLANT War ===
Dearka continues as Yzak's right hand man of the team and became the pilot of his black-colored Gunner ZAKU Warrior, he was assigned to demolish the remains of Junius Seven. However, the team were under attacked by a group of rogue Coordinators and followed by the Earth Alliance's "Phantom Pain", Dearka along with Yzak and suddenly reunite Athrun and joins the fight until the demolishing the debris of the colony.
As Dearka later participated in the battle in Aprilius One, however he realized their first attack was a decoy and they about to deploy the nuclear missile to fire at PLANTs but luckily the Neuron Stampeder fired a full blast, resulting them a victory. He and Yzak met Athrun again and convinces him to rejoin ZAFT.
Yzak and Dearka(now he used his Blaze ZAKU Phantom) launches with the Joule Team determined to destroy these objects that the Alliance are trying to protect. They turn out to be part of the Requiem, a giant laser on the moon that then fires and destroys six PLANTs; four direct hits, two more from the impact of the four. Dearka and Yzak barely make it out of the way of the Requiem's beam, and then watch in helpless horror as over a million and a half people are killed in front of their eyes. Dearka and the Joule Team passionately follow Yzak's order to take out the Gounods before the Requiem can fire again at all costs. When ZAFT launches a counter-attack, Dearka and the Joule Team fight as hard as they can.
In the final battle of the Second War, Yzak and Dearka rushed to join Kira and Athrun and helped to destroy one of the Requiem Station One. He later joins the Eternal and survived in the battle.
=== Post Second War Aftermath ===
After the Second War, Dearka got promoted to a higher rank, and he alongside Yzak, Shiho Hahnenfuss and the new PLANT Chairwoman Lacus waiting for Kira, Athrun and the others. He was smiling as he witness Kira and Lacus hugging each other while the rest were surprised. After Yzak promoted as the commander of PLANT Intelligence Division, Dearka became the deputy commander.
One year later, Dearka became the current pilot of the newly upgraded and nuclear-powered ZGMF-103HD Lightning Buster Gundam.
== Quotes ==
== Gallery ==
File:Dearka-and-Lightning-Buster.jpg|Dearka and the Lightning Buster Gundam
== Trivia ==
* Dearka joining the Archangel in Gundam SEED was not planned from the start. Reportedly, sales of Buster Gundam model kits and figures were lackluster, leading to the character changing sides in hopes of boosting both his and his Gundam's popularity.
* Originally in Gundam SEED, Dearka was a red elite, wearing a red uniform that is given to elite soldiers. In Gundam SEED Destiny, however, he wears the regular green uniform which is given to regular soldiers. Although it was never stated clearly, it was likely that Dearka was demoted to a common soldier as punishment for his defection. Later in the Gundam SEED Destiny ending credits he can be seen wearing a black commander's uniform, suggesting a promotion in the epilogue.
* There has been a couple of cases where his voice actor wasn't able to voice him for a game (mostly because Sasanuma has been less active for years after voicing Link in The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess), the first being Super Robot Wars Z, leading to Dearka being unplayable.
* For the HD Remastered version of Gundam SEED Destiny, Dearka's Gunner ZAKU Warrior is painted black like his Blaze ZAKU Phantom.
* Dearka shares the same voice actor as Martin DaCosta, second-in-command of Andrew Waltfeld, namely Akira Sasanuma.
* In Gundam SEED Destiny, Dearka shares the same English voice actor as Auel Neider, Brad Swaile.
* In the SEED Encyclopedia of Never Ending Tomorrow, it is revealed that Japanese dancing is his hobby, further indicated by the item needed to unlock him as a playable character which is a folding fan.
== External links ==
* Dearka Elsman on the Gundam Wiki
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