#newtypes

While I am generally lukewarm on newtypes as a concept, I do prefer them to later AU iterations of the idea of an 'ascended' form of humanity. With the Coordinators and the Innovators, the difference is very much placed at a genetic level. An artificial or natural improvement that grants superpowers. This is why my criticism of SEED and 00 is so heavily focused on 'they say eugenics works'. Because they do. Whether knowingly or not, they suppose the perfectability of human beings as a baseline conceit.

Yet that's not how the original newtypes are presented. In Gundam 79, the theory is that by moving into space, people are unlocking greater potential within themselves. This plays into the themes of a younger generation achieving a greater understanding than their predecessors: it's not some inherent biological difference but a change in perspective that mark out this 'new type of humanity'.

And that's much more interesting, as a concept. We see in the original series that the whole White Base crew develops a greater connection over the course of events, such that they can all hear Amuro at the end, and they showcase a variety of minor abilities, nowhere near the ESP of the 'proper' newtypes we see piloting Gundams, but in the same ballpark. The most powerful antagonistic newtypes (Paptimus, Haman) are those who have travelled further out and seen the solar system from a greater remove, their actions and philosophies speaking to the double-edge within this idea. You might gain more insight by voyaging into the dark, but it isolates you from the very humanity you learn to read on a more fundamental level. Judau making that same journey at the end of ZZ is implied to be driven by wanting to understand what drove Haman, so that he can couple that greater perspective to his natural compassion, thus maturing more healthily than those adults who cut themselves off from the possibility of understanding others.

Which goes to the heart of why newtypes work as a metaphor and the genetic-superiority versions stumble, at least in my mind. With newtypes, there is the constant undertone that the 'oldtypes' who perpetuate unjust systems are making an active choice. You can't force the change into becoming a newtype - both Char and the cyber-newtypes prove why attempting to is an ultimately arrogant and destructive act - but you can embrace greater human connection irrespective of whether or not you already feel the stirrings of extra senses. In some respects, having the imagination to see that possibility is the spark that lights the fuse on various people's nascent abilities. Refusing and turning away from this future or trying to control it becomes an act of malice. Because the possibility of doing otherwise always exists. There's no biological barrier between you and them. If we could launch all the politicians into space, perhaps they too would admit the reality that lies above their heads. But they won't get on the rocket.

With Coordinators and Innovators, you either are one or you aren't and it's very obvious which is the case. Newtypes don't have that inbuilt distinction - to begin with. It gets a trifle fuzzy as things progress and expand, as we lose that nice, neat conceit where newtype theory and the reality we are shown don't entirely match. Amuro is earth-born: there never was a hereditary component here. It's not evolution in the sense of escalating levels generational superiority; rather, in the sense of an unfolding pattern. The potential lies in all of us, providing we are open to the right conditions.

Newtypes are a concept from the Mobile Suit Gundam series; the term refers to a generation of people who were born during the age of space habitation who have developed certain telepathic, telekinetic, empathic, and even precognitive abilities to widely varying individual degrees. They are considered a new phase of human evolution, better adapted to life in space because of their unique capabilities.

The precise details of what makes a person a Newtype are intentionally left a little mysterious. The most common Newtype characteristic seems to be the ability to sense the “pressure” of other Newtypes, though the exact identity of the other person is typically an unknown factor-- this is evidenced by the fact that whenever someone with Newtype abilities senses another, their first response is usually to try and guess based on vibes who the source of “pressure” might be. People frequently share a similar "feeling" that can be mistaken for someone else, particularly if they have personal traits or life circumstances in common. 

Newtypes can usually detect powerful emotions and subconscious intent from anyone in proximity, regardless if those people are fellow Newtypes or not. Some especially powerful Newtypes develop the dangerous ability to invade or even alter the minds of other people, though this is very rare.

Another common ability of Newtypes is an increased awareness of their environment in all directions. In some cases this is accompanied by minor telekinetic properties that allow them to guide or move objects in their surroundings, though this is usually limited to machines designed specifically to respond to brainwaves. This extrasensory capacity makes Newtypes exceptional pilots, able to feel the movements of their craft as if it were an extension of themselves and easily navigate through space.

However, what is of greatest importance about Newtypes is their ability to immediately understand and empathize with other Newtypes simply by making a mental connection with them. Communicating on a wavelength of pure emotion and thought creates an intimate and deeply personal connection between Newtypes without their needing to speak or even meet one another. 

 Newtypes connect to each other via their emotions, their memories, their minds, their selfhood– things that together one might describe as the soul of a person. When a Newtype dies, they leave behind an impression of this soul that can continue to be accessed by other Newtypes.

…So why the hell does anyone care about their psychic powers? Newtypes can literally transcend death--

Amuro's meeting with Lt. Matilda Ajan gave me a couple realizations.

Between a messy bedroom, being an anti-social genius, a strained paternal relationship, and now a fondness for redheads, Miorine Rembran is never ever beating the Amuro Ray allegations^. If these two ever meet in a crossover, any attempts at friendship will entirely depend on whether either is feeling a bout of self-loathing at the time.

I was also reminded that, it is a good idea to double-check conventional fan wisdom, because I have been informed several times in good faith that the Newtype space magic that Gundam's become famous for came out of left field in the original, but this scene seems to contradict with straightforward foreshadowing: Amuro's not denying the existence of espers here, only the possibility that he might be one, thus implying that there is probability that they exist in this setting (and since esper is a reasonably common term in Japanese science fiction in general, it makes sense that the audience would be expected to understand this without explanation or disbelief).

In addition, Amuro's denial feels like a callback to the conversation between Char and his lieutenant, Dren, in episode 01, where Dren is not denying that the Federation might be developing more advanced mobile suits, but merely expressing his disbelief that they would be doing so in this particular location.

And since Dren was proven wrong earlier, this gives precedent for the audience to consider, well, what if Amuro is wrong too? What if he is a psychic like Matilda says?

I don't know yet if the show offers any foreshadowing beyond that, but between this scene and genre conventions, I don't think bringing psychic stuff later into this story is as unreasonable as I've seen some people claim.

Source: vlntslnt

Four really did have it rough....