Technology & Combat Characteristics
During the Calamity War, a quarter of the human population was lost due to the extensive fighting against the mobile armors, which had been developed for the efficient extermination of human beings. To stop these mobile armors, the Alaya-Vijnana System, which establishes compatibility between a person and a machine, was employed. However, it was a key mobile suit in ending the war and became a figurehead of Gjallarhorn. Thus, Agnika and Bael were idolized during those times. Bael's main armaments consisted only of two swords, and this was proof that Agnika was fully compatible with the mobile suit via the Alaya-Vijnana System. For Agnika, who realized superhuman reactions, no other armament was better than these unbreakable swords. Agnika passed away as Bael went to sleep, and it was believed his soul resided within the Gundam.
Bael was stored in Gjallarhorn's headquarters, Vingolf, until it was awakened by McGillis Fareed. The mobile suit remained unchanged during its long slumber, so its frame structure, as well as its armaments, are as they were when Agnika was the pilot. The emblem on its left shoulder is a symbol of Gjallarhorn at the time of the organization's formation.
History
The ASW-G-01 Gundam Bael was the first of the 72 Gundam Frames created by Gjallarhorn near the end of the Calamity War 300 years ago to counter the threat of the powerful mobile armors such as Hashmal. It played key role in ensuring humanity's victory over the mobile armors, and was deified alongside its pilot, Agnika Kaieru. Because of this, it became an important symbol of Gjallarhorn in the post-war world.
Since the end of the Calamity War, Bael was kept in a basement hangar within Gjallarhorn's Earth Headquarters, Vingolf. After resting there for 300 years, it was reactivated by McGillis Fareed during his coup d'etat. Though McGillis initially assumed that Bael's prestige would garner him the support of the remaining Seven Stars against his political opponent, Rustal Elion, his treachery against Gjallarhorn was exposed by Gaelio Bauduin, who was thought to have died during the Battle of Edmonton, and the remaining members opted to observe who would gain the advantage.
Forced to a decisive battle against Rustal's Arianrhod Fleet, McGillis gathered both his own Revolutionary Fleet and Tekkadan's forces to confront Rustal. The battle went awry as Rustal launched a barrage of Dáinsleif that devastated Tekkadan and demoralized the Revolutionary Fleet. In an attempt to turn the tide, McGillis personally launched in Bael to rejuvenate morale and dueled against Gaelio's ASW-G-66 Gundam Kimaris Vidar. While this was going on, Tekkadan made a failed attempt to attack Rustal's flagship, and was forced to retreat to Mars. Additionally, McGillis had suffered a hand injury prior to the battle from stopping Almiria Bauduin's suicide and was unable to exert himself when fighting Gaelio. Before Gaelio could land a fatal strike, McGillis's second-in-command, Isurugi Camice, pushed Bael out of the way using the V08Re-0526 Helmwige Reincar and took the blow to guarantee McGillis's escape.
Believing that his road to the top required him to be alone, McGillis disbanded the Revolutionary Fleet and stayed in Tekkadan's Mars HQ as the Seven Stars declared their support for Rustal and surrounded the base. Seeking to slay Rustal nonetheless, McGillis departed in Bael to confront Gjallarhorn's vanguard forces, which included Iok Kujan, causing a large ruckus that served the secondary purpose of making an opening for Tekkadan leader Orga Itsuka to escape and meet with Togonosuke Makanai. After reaching space to fight against the Arianrhod Fleet by himself, McGillis launched a suicide attack with his last remaining ship before launching in Bael and attacking Rustal's forces. After destroying several Grazes and vessels, McGillis engaged Gaelio's Kimaris Vidar again.
During the battle, one of the two Bael Swords was destroyed by Gaelio, but McGillis responded by stabbing the Kimaris Vidar's right hand with the remaining sword and grazing the Kimaris Vidar's main camera with the damaged sword. After discarding the damaged sword, McGillis charged again, stabbing through the Kimaris Vidar's lance. Bael was then quickly forced back by a headbutt and was hit in the torso by a powerful knee strike. Bael was eventually driven into a corner of one of the engines of Rustal's flagship by the Kimaris Vidar, and then lost its other sword. Despite this, McGillis managed to stop the Kimaris Vidar's Drill Knee attack by kicking the drill bit out, but Gaelio had Kimaris Vidar grabbed the drill bit and drove it through Bael's chest. McGillis attempted to defend himself with Bael's Electromagnetic Cannons, but this was of little use as Gaelio forcefully dragged Bael into one of the hangars. McGillis was subsequently forced to abandon Bael and was fatally shot by Gaelio. McGillis's coup d'etat later became known as "McGillis Fareed Incident".
Several years later, Bael was placed back in Vingolf's basement hangar. Although repaired, it was heavily restrained and without a cockpit.