<h1>When Destiny Takes Over: Athrun x Cagalli (Part II, Version 2.0)</h1>

AsuCaga DVD Cover

Part I | Part III | Part IV

Welcome back, everyone! 

This second part focuses on the development Athrun and Cagalli undergo through the major events they encounter on their journey. The sadness comes from the difficulty of writing about them together, like I did the first time. Their gap widens. 

On another note, my original intention was to include Meyrin & Meer. However, the post became too long and their characters wouldn't get the justice they deserve. So, I'll dedicatee to Athrun and Cagalli's struggle as a couple.

Please use the links above to navigate other parts of the analysis.

After Kira kidnapped Cagalli, and Orb becoming a hostile territory to Athrun, both begin paving their own paths toward a peaceful future.

Since Athrun enlisted with ZAFT, and assigned to the same team as the protagonist Shinn, we see more action than on the Archangel. Let's begin there.

We saw Durandal enlisted Athrun as a FAITH member. This means he fell outside the chain of command, can act independently in the battlefield, and give orders as deemed appropriate. For any military, that's a huge privilege. FAITH members are accountable only to the Chairman, Gilbert Durandal. As per Fukuda's interview earlier this year regarding series narration and protagonist: 

...Athrun often felt like he was drifting, easily deceived by the Chairman, wandering from place to place...

Returning to SEED, Athrun believed war ended successfully if soldiers followed orders. His indecisiveness was his character flaw, especially considering the military condition he underwent pre-SEED. His arc was to defect from a institution that gave orders, to an alliance that fostered using power for authentic peace. 

2 years later, we see Athrun nearly devolve. Durandal took advantage of this because Athrun was still considered a hero and an ace pilot. Durandal needed both for his objective. 

Something to consider is what a boost to an ego it was to receive the incentives. Athrun wasn't known as Athrun, but Alex Dino. He wasn't treated as a hero, he was disrespected by his rival in Cagalli's relationship status (not loved because we know Yuuna did not care for her). He would mentor the pilots on the Minerva, and we saw his overall tone and body language changed. 

This was a good distraction because he lost contact with the three most important people in his life: Cagalli, Kira and Lacus. Now the complications truly began. They were aboard a renegade ship, deemed criminals because they kidnapped Cagalli, a politician. They were hidden for Lacus' safety, as it was assumed she was alive following the attempted assassination.

Staying hidden was the best approach...

...Until the Battle of Dardanelles.

The Archangel made their first appearance as interveners and failed miserably. Cagalli tried to assert her position as Head Representative and instruct the Orb fleet. She wanted them to ceasefire, and Kira was there as protector. Naturally, Athrun was confused: why were they doing this?

The first disaster was Yuuna's declaration that it wasn't the real Cagalli. Freedom and Strike Rogue were attacked and chaos ensued. This battle was a horrific learning for Cagalli - she broke down for lacking power and the death of Orb soldiers. 

While she underwent emotional damage, Athrun recognized everyone but was unable to make contact. Tragically, Heine was killed by Stellar and Athrun mistook Kira for the killer. Perhaps trauma resurfaced of Nicol, as that would explain his rage toward Kira and Cagalli. 

Taking out anger and rage on those who are unthreatening allows the angry person to be as they fit. Cagalli became the target of this rage and authority.

After the battle, Athrun, Kira and Cagalli finally met. With the setting sun, an imagery usually used to depict Athrun and Cagalli's relationship specifically, we saw tension. He came to tell them off, that what they did wasn't right. Their actions caused so many sacrifices and there were other ways. 

This wasn't per expectations of the Archangel team because they thought he returned to them. They wanted to understand the situation in PLANTS. Prior to meeting Athrun, Cagalli declared to go with Kira, and it was nice to see their sibling connection. He grinned at her assertiveness - there was no room for discussion. Side note, Kira x Lacus and Kira and Cagalli were the strongest relationships on this show.

Instead: 

• Athrun confirmed he was with ZAFT again
• Cagalli was clearly happy to see him, but it was one-sided
• Kira questioned Durandal's motives, mentioned assassins sent to Lacus
• Athrun criticized Cagalli's decision and forgot she was Head Representative, and instructed her to return to Orb, simplifying the entire issue at hand
• Athrun saw the ring on her finger, but suppressed any feelings around it

When I look at this image, it seemed like Cagalli was saying her final goodbye. From this point on, she prioritized Orb and her leadership. Athrun, again, was lost and lamenting a permanent place for him. 

This scene showed the audience there wasn't a 'true' right path. It questioned whether or not the Archangel should've interfered with battle. They didn't have the authority like they did in SEED, where from Earth Alliance they went to Orb. But that's for another discussion. 

Another purpose was to witness Athrun's stance on ZAFT & PLANTS - even after Kira told him of the assassination attempt on Lacus, he stuck to his opinion of Durandal.

So continued Athrun's path of solitude. At this moment, he believed he was not alone, especially when he found a friend in Heine Westenfluss. In regards of who developed Athrun's character later, I would have to say Heine, Shinn & Meer.

Heine role modelled that a higher ranking officer did not need to maintain hierarchy. Shinn constantly pointed out his indecision to fight the Archangel and Meer served as a catalyst for the truth and reminded him of who he could've been for the rest of his life - a puppet.

Then we have Cagalli, whose actions and reactions were affected by Kira, Uzumi and surprisingly, Shinn. For her, Shinn was the embodiment of Orb's failure and the trauma that comes with not following ideals. Uzumi was her constant reminder of the strength she could've maintained, and the mentorship she lost because of her need to be on the battlefield. Kira was her rock and her voice of reason.

As the show moved onto the Battle of Crete, it only became more chaotic and solidified what Athrun thought of Cagalli, and that Cagalli prioritized Orb.

Personally, it was sad to watch this battle from Cagalli's perspective. She couldn't return to Orb because Yuuna denied her. When the Archangel tried intervening again, they failed once again. Orb soldiers were loyal to the mission. The scene between Cagalli and the Orb Captain spoke directly to the issue:

Even though they did not want to do this, they must. They were soldiers of the nation and their leader gave orders. Although his words were harsh, he threw Cagalli away to keep her from harm. He then sacrificed himself to damage the Minerva immensely.

The loyalty between the Attha family and the army was showcased well in this episode. Despite everything, they considered her the true leader and commander, to the point where a pilot protected her from Shinn's attack near the Takemikazuchi, losing his life in the process.

When she cried this time around, it was different. She wasn't only crying for Orb but for the soldiers. There was a reason they were loyal to the Attha family - they cared for the military well-being. They believed in her, saving her life, but they could not listen to her.

Along with the emotional struggle, we saw the peak of disconnect between Cagalli and Athrun. Athrun showed some concern for her when she could've been in danger. He was angry they interfered again, and granted, they were failing again. He was trying to communicate his point and finally Kira had it. He called Athrun out and his anger faltered:

I know what you're saying. I know what you're saying, but it doesn't matter. Because at this moment, Cagalli is crying her heart out. She's crying because all of this is exactly what she feared. Why won't you understand that? And now you're saying that this battle... that these terrible sacrifices can't be helped!? That all of this is the fault of Orb and Cagalli? If you are saying that, then you are attacking the very thing that Cagalli is trying to save. Then I have no choice, I must defeat you!

The dedication Kira had for Cagalli and her cause was unbelievable. Did Athrun think it should have been him in Kira's place? Or that him staying in Orb or with the Archangel would have been more effective? I believe it was here that Athrun broke away from the ZAFT propaganda. He began to see things differently. 

He was being conditioned to see Orb as hostile since they were part of the Earth Alliance. Heine's death triggered trauma and it became motivation. No better motivation than trauma. I still don't believe Athrun was in the wrong in criticizing the Archangel, because there was a lot he didn't consider, but he wasn't in the right either. 

After the Battle of Crete, we find his mentees lost respect for him because Freedom beat him. Shinn was becoming more impatient with him and Rey consistently came to Shinn's defense. Shinn was a perfect ZAFT solider - see the target and nothing else. 

When Shinn did simulations against Freedom, Athrun was uncomfortable. He did not want anyone on the Archangel to die, especially not Kira. Rey picked up on this and determined where his loyalties truly were. 

On the Archangel side, the Takemikazuchi's crew joined them, following Takada's orders. He believed in Cagalli and Kira, albeit them still trying to find the proper way. He knew they would, sent his crew to them, and sadly, killed. 

Takada's death was such a dynamic. Cagalli, protected by Kira, witnessed Shinn about to sink and (to her knowledge) kill the Takemikazuchi's crew, the strongest fleet. Takada was the one who comforted Shinn after his family died. Shinn was in SEED mode and all he saw was red. Cagalli's tears and screams after Shinn kills Takada and transitions to Tears by Lisa in the Special Edition ending was beautiful. That was peak artistic craft. 

The reunion between the crew and Cagalli was emotional, with them crying for the soldiers killed. I was taken aback by this, because wow, leaders don't mourn with their military openly, nor does the military mourn openly.

Slowly, Cagalli's leadership development was becoming positive. Though Athrun was becoming less sure of him and the right path.

Many AsuCaga fans felt both were in love throughout Destiny. I disagree. If they were in love, then in the original series, they would've shown more reflections. As it was, the 2 year gap was a band-aid solution to so many things, including their identities. 

I found it sweet Cagalli kept her ring because Athrun was still important. Although they weren't priority, there was a level of care present. Things couldn't be as it was in SEED though, because Durandal was planning genocide. Even if the others didn't know about it, they could feel the impacts of planning: 

• Lacus' attempted assassination and Meer as replacement for government propaganda 
• Meer justifying the attacks on Orb (keeping a terrorists therefore they deserved to be attacked, does this sound familiar?)
• Attracting top pilots and using their trauma to keep them away from the bigger picture (e.g. Shinn's anger at Orb, Athrun's indecisiveness)
• Creating hostility of Earth's greatest military power: Orb 

These were just some actions taken. 

Like Kira and Lacus, Athrun and Cagalli needed to foster a relationship of trust and healing. Being in proximity to one another was not enough. Both didn't manage their grief of their fathers, whereas Lacus did. Kira worked through his grief for Fllay and overcame his solider's PTSD, with Lacus' help, because she was grounded. 

Athrun and Cagalli needed to be sure of themselves, especially because due to Cagalli's role, they would be consistently in an environment that would gaslight them. They need to love themselves before each other. 

Will that happen in the next part? Perhaps but look forward to an end of struggle in Part III ;)