Athrun Zala

Bio
Athrun is a mobile suit pilot and military leader of the Orb Union, and a second-generation Coordinator. He originally hailed from PLANT, but the events of two wars saw him change allegiances. More info can be found on the Gundam Wiki.

Personality
Athrun is very much a person who lives by his beliefs. He signs up with ZAFT because he believes that Coordinators as a whole are under attack by the Earth Alliance, and fights for the same reason. Later, when the Archangel deserts the Earth Alliance, Athrun once again lets his beliefs dictate his actions and sides with the Three Ships Alliance. He does this despite the fact that it means going against his own father, because it's what he believes to be right. Then, again, during the Second Bloody Valentine War, he rejoins ZAFT because he believes that Blue Cosmos needs to be stopped, and feels that the ZAFT military is the best place in which to do that, then again leaves when he sees what Gilbert Durandal is really like.

At the same time, Athrun is not content to pick a belief and blindly follow it. Athrun searches for the truth. For the better part of both series, Athrun finds himself questioning what ZAFT is doing and what he is doing in ZAFT. When Lacus helps Kira steal the Freedom, Athrun decides to get to the bottom of Lacus's apparent betrayal rather than blindly follow his father's orders. This is also the driving force behind Athrun's decision to confront his father shortly after the Archangel and the Kusanagi leave Earth, and later leads him to search out Durandal's true goals.

Despite actively participating in two wars, Athrun is a pacifist at heart. Kira constantly says that Athrun once told him that he despises the whole idea of war, and this is true. He fights not because he wants to, but because he thinks he has to in order to protect his ideals and to bring about a quick, just end to the wars. Even then, he prefers to negotiate rather than to kill, though he's much less adamant about avoiding killing than Kira is.

Off the battlefield, Athrun is somewhat quiet, but at the same time, mannerly and kindhearted. Athrun himself admits he's not the best at getting to know people, but he does try. He's been raised well, and normally tries to carry himself with dignity. He knows his manners, and always follows them when he deems the situation appropriate. Athrun also loves to make things for other people; he made a robotic bird for Kira and a swarm of Haros for Lacus. Being a Coordinator, this comes easily to him.

Athrun's manners especially surface in his dealings with women. Athrun always approaches Lacus with the utmost dignity and respect, and treats her extremely well (Lacus's infamous swarm of Haros came to be because Athrun made one for her and she said she liked it). In this vein, he's also something of a prude. After a tense scene with Cagalli trying to steal his gun, Athrun's first act after the situation was defused was to turn away, blushing, and ask her to put her clothes on (she had gotten them wet in an earlier mishap and they were hanging out to dry, so she was in her underwear). Then there was the time that he woke up to find Meer, asleep and wearing a nightie, in bed next to him. Athrun's reaction? Shout and scoot backwards, only to fall off the bed.

Not that Athrun can't dish it back, though. Even though he's very serious in nature, he knows how to tease others. He teases Cagalli lightly on more than one occasion, like when she had a crab crawling under her shirt or upon her insistence that she was the elder twin.

Last but not least, Athrun is loyal to his friends when it comes down to it. Athrun and Kira spent over half of the original series (and briefly in Destiny) on opposite sides of the war, but the entire time, each was hoping they could talk the other down and avoid killing each other. Furthermore, the only time he was hell-bent on killing Kira was after Kira had claimed the life of Nicol, one of Athrun's squadmates and a good friend. He holds his friends and comrades in very high regard, tries his hardest to keep them safe, and would be willing to lay down his life to ensure their survival.

Abilities
Coordinator - As a Coordinator, Athrun possesses superior potential compared to the average Natural. His reflexes are faster, his muscles strengthen more quickly, his endurance is higher, his immune system is stronger, and his intelligence is on a genius level.

Computer programming - Athrun is a highly skilled computer programmer, including in the field of hacking. He was able to take the initial operating system in use in the Aegis (which was still only half complete) and reprogram it to function well enough to fight properly with the Gundam. He's also able to program AIs, as seen with Birdy and the Haros.

Robotics - Athrun loves to build robotic pets. Birdy, a robotic bird, was a gift he made for Kira when they were both preteens, and he also made every Haro that Lacus owns.

Ace Pilot - Athrun is arguably the best mobile suit pilot in the Cosmic Era timeline. He repeatedly fights Kira to a standstill, and in their final duel in SEED, wins. Then in SEED Destiny, he manages to show up at least four Gundam pilots in a mass-produced ZAKU Warrior during Operation Break the World. And still after that, he holds his own on the battlefield in a new (albeit similar to an older machine) mobile suit against Shinn, despite having a cut on his head and a gaping chest wound. He's also the only pilot undefeated in SEED mode.

SEED - Athrun possesses the SEED factor, which means that he can enter a state known as SEED mode. While in SEED mode, his reflex speed increases even further, and his thought process speed increases dramatically, to the point where he can perform complex calculations in a matter of seconds at most. He must will himself into this state, and he cannot do so if there is any doubt plaguing his mind.

Combat on foot - Athrun is skilled in military martial arts, and he's an excellent shot with a pistol -- arguably the best in either series. He shows his skill throughout Destiny first by earning a perfect score in target practice, then later by consistently shooting weapons out of his foes' hands.

What Should I Know?
Athrun serves the Orb military as a mobile suit pilot. He has a unique mobile suit, the ZGMF-X19A ∞ Justice Gundam, which he has used in combat multiple times in the Havens. He's helped to fend off manikins, zombies, Shadows, and alien slavers.

Daily Life
Athrun spends most of his time at work or in his home office, where he engrosses himself in his work.