RX-78GP02A Gundam “Physalis”

The RX-78GP02A Gundam "Physalis" (aka "Physalis", GP02A) is the second of four mobile suits in the Gundam Development Project and featured in Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory. It originally belonged to Earth Federation until it was stolen and piloted by Delaz Fleet's ace pilot, Anavel Gato.

While attempting to develop the most powerful MS to date, the Federation naturally came to a point where they decided to equip it with the most deadly weapon available, a nuclear warhead, the result being the RX-78GP02A Gundam "Physalis". The Federation viewed this as a necessary evil, since Zeon had deployed or attempted to deploy nuclear weapons on multiple occasions, even after the signing of the Antarctic Treaty.

Nonetheless, the production and development of the RX-78GP02A was technically not a violation of the Antarctic Treaty, which prohibited the "use" of nuclear weapons as opposed to the "development" and "storage" of them. The Antarctic Treaty was signed by the Principality of Zeon which was since replaced by the Republic of Zeon, following the end of the One Year War, rendering the treaty itself an agreement with a now non-existent government. Delaz cited the RX-78GP02A as a violation of the Antarctic Treaty primarily to illustrate the underhanded dealings of the Earth Federation and the to rationalize the capture and use of nuclear weapons by himself.

Despite being one of the largest Gundams in the Universal Century by sheer armor volume, the GP02A is highly maneuverable. Besides the nuclear warhead, the Physalis is armed with standard head-mounted vulcan guns and two torso- mounted beam sabers, which when activated glow green instead of the normal pink. The GP02A was designed to possibly work in tandem with its brother unit, the GP01.

It carried extensive heat and radiation shielding to protect it from nuclear blasts, as well as the standard Federation mobile suit armaments for defense. Mounted on the shoulder binders of the Physalis were a set of high power thrusters, three on each binder, which contributed to the exceptional maneuverability of the MS.

The Physalis, however, is at a disadvantage if the nuclear bazooka were ever destroyed in battle, as it could only rely on its thick armor, large shield, and beam sabers for protection, and could be destroyed easily at long range. In the hands of a skilled pilot, the Physalis may be able to overcome these disadvantages.