Application
☆ Character: Tieria Erde
☆ Series: Mobile Suit Gundam 00
☆ Character Age: 17, but it is apparent that isn’t his real age
☆ Special Abilities/Powers: Tieria can interface with a particular computer system (he is what boils down to being a human peripheral for the main computer) and communicate with others of his own kind in a sort of display of telepathy.
☆Timeline: Season 2, post episode 8 and the cross dressing shenanigans.
☆ Character's Personality: Tieria, the long and short of it, is a very cold person. He doesn’t enjoy social interaction, nor does he enjoy the mere presence of other people. He is a hermit by nature, feeling more comfortable around the impersonal company of computers over other humans, though at this point in his artificial life, he seems to be making an effort to change this in light of having lost someone important to him. He has a very short temper and is quick to judge others actions, preferring to find fault in their course of action than to try to find any redemption in others. This temper is not explosive and violent, but if you find yourself on the receiving end, you’ll find yourself on the end of a very harsh and pointed strain of verbal abuse. Despite his harshness towards others, he is equally as hard on himself. Having a very buried sense of self-loathing because of what he truly is, and what others like him are doing to the world he lives in. He is pragmatic; perhaps to the point of irrationality, regardless of what the surrounding situation may be, he will always do what is the most straightforward and logical course of action. Though there are times he simply goes on instinct, when this does happen, he doesn’t handle it well, being very hard on himself and considering himself a failure. He finds his own emotions another source of weakness, despite striving to be able to consider himself human.
☆ Character's Background: There is little known about Tieria’s past prior to joining Celestial Being, what is certain however is that he was created many decades before the present, making him much older than the 17 years old he appears. Tieria was part of an artificial human program, utilizing nano machines and genetic modification to create an ageless “human being” who can withstand the amount of time it would take for their purpose to be fulfilled. The Innovators, as they are called, were created to make sure a plan to lead humanity to a life in space was fulfilled, a plan made by a political radical, Aeolia Schenberg. Each model of Innovator had their own specific genetic code, and there were two copies of the same genetic code, all of which are very ambiguously gendered. It would appear that the Innovators had the option of choosing the gender they identified themselves with, Tieria choosing male, on the grounds that traditionally, Gundam Meisters are male. Though it would seem they could pass as their opposite gender with very little trouble.
And here is where Tieria’s past gets fuzzy, at this time its uncertain how Tieria is separated from the Innovators, it is never explicitly stated but it is implied that Tieria was planted within Celestial Being, another part of Aeolia Schenberg’s plan. Celestial Being was a group with the technology known as Gundam’s to eradicate war on Earth. Tieria’s position in Celestial Being was as a fighter, in addition to accessing their main computer, Veda, which mandated who was worthy of being the next Gundam Meister. Tieria’s position within Celestial Being was held under the assumption that he would continue to be aware of his purpose and life and maintain the Innovator’s way of thinking. It is apparent that his interactions with humans were not expected to change him as much as they did. Somehow, he forgets his origins and his purpose as an Innovator, instead fighting with Celestial Being and taking their ideals as his own.
It would seem Tieria has seen a good number of Gundam Meisters, as he compares his Veda mandated companions to some invisible standard, constantly telling the others that they aren’t worthy to be a Gundam meister, despite his blind devotion to Veda and its choices. It is very likely that Tieria uses these tactics as means to keep himself isolated from humans. And largely, it works, many of his crew members keep well away from him, only interacting with him when its entirely necessary. One exception to this is a Meister code named Lockon Stratos, Lockon is friendly towards Tieria despite Tieria’s constant attempts to push others away. Lockon really does ware away at Tieria’s façade, Tieria eventually having some sort of quasi-platonic-almost-love like relationship with Lockon. It was very much one sided, as Lockon Stratos was a very genial man, but it was a great step for Tieria and his need to be human (which, at this point in his life he wasn’t entirely aware of). Tieria finds some kind of high in his life through Lockon Stratos, his mood altogether better and his interactions with the crew more frequent, though still holding onto irrational grudges against certain members of Celestial Being for completely arbitrary reasons.
Tieria’s attempts at being positive are short lived, interrupted by a string of tragic events. During what seemed like a rather routine battle, Tieria finds that he can no longer access Veda, which much of Tieria’s existence has depended on. Veda was a source of guidance and truth to him, and he suddenly found himself isolated with out it, and feeling extremely lost. Another blow to Tieria’s psyche occurs while fighting against one of the 3 main military forces on earth, Lockon’s eye is damaged, making him very little use in a fight. Tieria blames himself for the whole ordeal, he’s very hard on himself about it, he even goes out of his way to apologize to Lockon for what he feels he’s done to the man, something Tieria Erde would have previously never considered. In their final battle Lockon Stratos loses his life, which really pushes Tieria into a downward spiral, he was entirely prepared to die in his Gundam at that moment, verging on being entirely suicidal. Though after this ordeal the world does unite itself, but its new target is now Celestial Being.
There is a 4 year gap between Tieria’s emotionally damaged state and when he’s seen again. Not much is known as to what he’s been doing during this time, outside of trying to gather the scattered members of Celestial Being, hoping that they have not outlived their usefulness to the world. It is very clear very early on that something about Tieria has changed, he’s still very terse and can be very cold, but he seems almost happy to have Celestial Being reunited, as though he had missed his companions, again, something Tieria Erde would have never admitted previously. Tieria had been the sole force in bringing Celestial Being back together, again, another dramatic change in character for him. However, as is the story of his life, doesn’t stick for too long, as Lockon Stratos’ replacement is the original Lockon’s twin brother. Tieria does not take kindly to the new addition, and Lyle (the new Lockon’s real name) seems to know that his brother meant something to Tieria and uses this against him, teasing him and calling him cute at inappropriate times. Tieria refuses to call Lyle by his code name, insisting that he is not worthy to carry his brother’s name.
It is also at this point where the other Innovators, who have been sitting back and watching their plan unfold, decide to enter the social spotlight. They leaked Gundam exclusive technology to the Federation, the world’s new army, which is a great cause for alarm to Celestial Being. They seemed content, for the time to leave Tieria to Celestial Being and only involve him with their group later on, but a member of the Innovators, a Regene Regetta - who happens to be Tieria’s genetic clone - appears before Tieria, telling him exactly what he is, and what he was truly meant to do with his artificial life. This frightens Tieria, as he had gone about his life not knowing any of this, his delusions that he was a human being proved completely false, which he takes to heart, and from then on seems to make a conscious effort to prove his humanity to himself, not wanting to identify himself as an Innovator. This newfound sense of lenience going as far as to allow himself to be dressed as a woman to infiltrate a party where the Innovators would be present. Tieria doesn’t find out much that would benefit Celestial Being, but learns more about himself, which he finds horrifying. At this point Tieria seems to be insistent that the other members of Celestial Being hate him for what he is, that it is because of his kind that they are in the trouble that they’re in, which they seems to shrug off, assuring him that he’s part of their ‘family’ as it were, and his past means nothing to them, because he is still with them.
☆ Third Person Sample: Tieria didn’t seem to pressed to understand where he was, or how he got there. The place was bare, it reminded him very much of the medical wing in Ptoltemaios, a place he would have preferred not to give too much thought. He knew he was being dramatic, perhaps more so than the situation called for, but he couldn’t shake that face, his own face, his own face speaking in a voice that wasn’t his own. He felt betrayed by himself, as though he’d lost his own individuality. That he was just a copy of a copy, how could he call himself human now? How had to lived for so long and not known what he really was? He was disappointed himself, he was disappointed in Veda, disappointed that Veda hadn’t told him.
Though, Veda was dead to him, or rather, he was dead to Veda. And he had moved on, he really had. As lost as he had felt, losing Veda, losing Lockon. Tieria somewhere along the line had found his bearings, found that he could survive without the things he’d clung to and tried to mold himself after. He found that maybe he did have a personality; it was simply stifled by Veda. Though, he had no one to share it with. Not here anyway, wherever here was. He’d managed to survive with minimal interaction for a good deal of his life, there was no need to keep being personable now. Tieria was not one to compromise his own goals, but if he had to be a recluse, he would have to sacrifice all the progress he had made, but if it meant being able to live in this nameless place, it was something he was willing to give up. He’d already lost enough in his life, what would one more thing hurt?
☆ First Person Sample: I’m pleased, at the very least, that there is a computer at my disposal, at least there’s something I’m familiar with in this hellish place. I suppose this is here with the hope that we’ll communicate with each other, which seems entirely asinine, what motivation would complete strangers have to socialize in such an impersonal manner? Though I very much doubt there’s much of a choice, considering I seem rather isolated in this room for the time being.
Perhaps socialization in this manner is seen as a privilege, something we’re given out of pity due to our rather shoddy living conditions. Perhaps I’ve become too accustom to the comforts of Ptoltemaios. Perhaps I should learn to be flexible and accept new and unfamiliar situations. Perhaps. But I find this unlikely.
I don’t suppose I’d be fortunate enough to come across anyone I know, would I? I don’t have that kind of luck. If I even believed in luck.