Johnny Ridden

Johnny Ridden (ジョニー・ライデン Jonī Raiden?) was one of the many ace pilots who fought for the Principality of Zeon during the One Year War. His nickname was originally said to be the Red Blitz (赤い稲妻 Akai Inazuma?), but this was later retconned into the Crimson Lightning (真紅の稲妻 Shinku no Inazuma?). Ridden gained fame as a character from Mobile Suit Gundam 's variant line, MSV.

Early Years

Early History

He was born at Side 3 in Universal Century 0056, and a third-generation descendant of Australian settlers. He lived well since he was the son of a politician. During a protest on Side 3 in U.C. 0071 over the seizure of property by the Zeon military, a 15-year-old Ridden tried to assist a man who was involved in the protest. Other soldiers started heckling Johnny until he was saved by a young Kycillia Zabi. Ridden enlisted in the Zeon military at the age of 22 and underwent basic training in UC 0078, just months before the outbreak of the war. Zeon Involvement.

The One Year War

Ridden was assigned to the Mobile Assault Forces under Kycilia Zabi and made a name for himself in the Battle of Loum on January 15, 0079. Ridden destroyed three Salamis-class warships before an order to retreat was issued, and it was widely believed he would have rivaled Char Aznable's equally impressive mark of five had he remained on the battlefield longer. Johnny Ridden was then given a special two rank promotion to Lieutenant, since his previous rank was Ensign. Due to his exploits, and preferred color scheme of red and black, he was nicknamed 'Crimson Lightning'. Ridden scored most of his kills during the war with his customized MS-06R-2 Zaku II High Mobility Type. The unicorn emblazoned on the Zaku's elbow was a tribute to Kycilia, and it symbolized his feelings for her, as the legend of the creature stated that it only opened its heart to a pure-minded woman. Shortly before being assigned to the Chimera Corps, Ridden is promoted to Lieutenant Commander and is given perhaps his most famous and trademark mobile suit, the MS-06R-2 Zaku II High Mobility Type, of which he and only three other pilots have.

Even though he is assigned one of the first Gelgoogs, Ridden questions whether the new mobile suit design is enough to change the fate of Zeon. He is one of the few aware that the Zeon forces are short on experienced pilots.

In October, Ridden was assigned to the elite Chimera Corps and upgraded to the MS-14S Gelgoog prototype. At the Battle of A Baoa Qu on December 31, 0079, Ridden was overwhelmed by the Earth Federation's onslaught. With time running out for the beleaguered base, he fought desperately to protect Kycilia's escape via a Zanzibar warship, unaware that she had already been assassinated by Aznable. Ridden was officially listed as missing in action following the battle, but was assumed dead and promoted posthumously. (In the last cutscene of the Ridden Ace mode in Encounters in Space, it shows a floating crimson Gelgoog head.) It has been recorded that after his final battle, he shot down a staggering one hundred eighty-five enemies in all, for the entire war. It was said that Johnny Ridden was so feared at the battle of A Baoa Qu that a full rank promotion was offered to anyone who was able to shoot the ace down.

Relationship

Kycilia Zabi

During the months of the One Year War There is some debate as to the nature of ace pilot Johnny Ridden's relationship with Admiral Kycilia, however, they appear to share a courtly love. He refers to himself as as Kycilia's knight, and uses the symbol of a unicorn as a dedication to her. Immediately before his sortie at A Baoa Qu, Ridden hands Kycilia a hand-carved amulet of a unicorn, an heirloom from his grandfather, which she accepts as a token and secures to her pistol. When she shoots Gihren, however, she is seen discarding the amulet - perhaps in the belief that she is no longer pure and worthy of the Unicorn.

Trivia

• Ridden's nickname was originally said to be the Red Blitz, from an RB that was found on the model kit of his customised Gelgoog by Bandai. In recent games and material, he is clearly stated as being the Crimson Lightning. It is possible this change was because Red Blitz was too close to Red Comet, the nickname of Char Aznable. Crimson, on the other hand, is often mistaken for red and could be seen as a metaphor for Ridden's own misfortune in being misidentified as Aznable.

• Ridden's Gelgoog is known to not carry a shield so that its maneuverability is slightly better then that of a normal Gelgoog.

• Despite his success as a pilot, Ridden is often overshadowed by the more famous Aznable, and sometimes it is jokingly said that his Zaku is more famous than he is. In fact, in the Playstation 2 version of the strategy game Gihren's Greed, he has the following conversation with fellow ace Shin Matsunaga:

Ridden: "Hey, I've heard of you. The White Wolf, right? Nice to meet you."

Matsunaga: "Oh, this is a pleasure. I didn't expect to meet with the famous Red Comet."

Ridden: "! I'm not the Red Comet; I'm the Crimson Lightning!"

Matsunaga: "Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Then, I'm counting on your support, Crimson Lightning Char Aznable."

Ridden: "... Forget it..."

Matsunaga: "Hm? What's wrong, Char?"

Furthermore, Char Aznable himself has heard of him, but is confused as to his nickname, referring to him as the Crimson Nightmare or the Red Nova. Needless to say, Ridden is less than amused.

• In SD Gundam G Generation DS, he and Char do not get along well at all (shown by having a negative affinity in the game's squad system). He does get along well with Shin and perhaps with Cima (neutral at least; both are a part of the Chimera Corps). This grudge persists long past the OYW part of the game.

• • The game gives him some events when fighting Kycilla and finishing off her ship. The reasons are currently unknown why he sided with Char instead of her as there isn't a plot guide for the game.
• The Data Gundam book installments also lists Johnny Ridden as commander of the Mars Zeon forces that appear in UC 120 as told in the story of the manga series Mobile Suit Gundam F90, although Johnny himself never appears in the manga.
• In the video game Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space , Johnny Ridden's last Ace Pilot mission does not involve him fighting the Full Armor Gundam, but instead several enemies including Philip Hughes in his RGM-79GS GM Command Space Type. The Full Armor Gundam instead fights Shin Matsunaga's MS-14Jg Gelgoog Jäger.