Gundam SEED C.E. 73: Stargazer, a Limited but Interesting Third Installment

"Gundam SEED C.E. 73: Stargazer" is a three-episode arc that serves as a side-story to the Gundam SEED series. But at the same time, Gundam SEED C.E. 73: Stargazer looks to act as the third installment to the Gundam SEED franchise. The story takes place right after the Break the World event that occurred in "Gundam SEED Destiny", the sequel to Gundam SEED. As a result of the Break the World incident, the planet is in chaos with numerous major cities having been destroyed as a result.

Stargazer's storyline revolves around the aftermath that had killed so many people. Asides from the Earth Alliance and the Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty (ZAFT) organizations, two new organizations are introduced: Phantom Pain and the "Deep Space Survey and Development Organization (DSSD). Just about most if not all of the characters from both Gundam SEED and Gundam SEED: Destiny are non-present in Stargazer. Looking from all three episodes, it would seem as Stargazer is supposed to be a standalone series while operating within the same timeline of the Gundam SEED series.

Instead of ZAFT or the Blue Cosmos group being the main antagonists, the new threat is Phantom Pain which is an offshoot of the latter. The other main focus of the Stargazer series is the mobile suit: GSX-401FW Stargazer which is an experimental Gundam that is intended to explore outer space. The main protagonists are two people that haven't been introduced in either Gundam SEED or Gundam SEED Destiny: Sven Cal Bayan and Selene McGriff. The latter two are charged with the task to defeat the alliance of Phantom Pain and the ZAFT insurgents. At the same time, Sven Cal Bayan serves as a member of Phantom Pain. Overall, it seems go along with the theme of Gundam SEED C.E. 79: Stargazer as it focuses on a neutral group that only cares about exploring the infinite frontier known as outer space.