↠ THE CHARACTER
Name | Alias: Aston Altland
Journal:![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
advanceguard
Age: around 15 or 16
Canon: Mobile Gundam Suit: Iron-Blooded Orphans
Canon point: Season 2, around the end of episode 5, before the fighting starts.
History: http://gundam.wikia.com/wiki/Aston_Altland#History
Personality:
Human Debris, orphan, and pilot. Quiet, reserved, dutiful, but one of the most aggressive fighters. Aston, at first glance, is just another one of Tekkadan's soldiers, part of the giant family of pilots and mechanics, just another space rat. However, because of his past, as Human Debris and how he was treated, his sense of self-worth was almost nonexistent until Tekkadan defeated the Brewers and offered all the orphans a place. He did care about his fellow Human Debris comrades, and fought like his life depended on it, but there was nothing to look forward to, nothing of value in his life. Human Debris meant mass burying, beatings, watching people being brutalised in front of his eyes, living from meal to meal and battle to battle...all the things that stripped humanity away. Ironically, he was somewhat more impulsive then, more defensive. Someone brought up the concept of being reborn and he readily accepting of the idea, saying he could be reborn as someone who's rich.
But maybe it's false hope, because Human Debris aren't supposed to have real feelings. Arguably, his life began after the Brewer pirates were destroyed, and he was taken in by Tekkadan, because from that point on, he had people that looked out for and cared about him. He earned a last name thanks to Akihiro (who was also ex-Human Debris and understood where he came from), and it was the beginnings of a family. Akihiro says that he regrets not talking more with Aston, but they definitely have a shared connection that went beyond being Human Debris. And it is in Tekkadan that he, arguably, own first true friend--in Takaki. He learned what it means to be cared about and how to cared, and what family and friendship mean.
One could say it was really was like being reborn, even if it baffles him still because having strong emotions for anything is a foreign feeling. He doesn't exactly care what people think about him as a person, unless he cares about them and if they're special, for showing him kindness. There's been words he has never used before in his mind or vocabulary, and he will spend a lot of time musing over and thinking about what they mean to him. Most of the emotions are in his eyes, and in his body language; the camera focuses primarily on these, rather than on his verbal responses. From the narrowing of an eye to how he shrugs, a lot can be picked up on his actions.
It's impossible to separate Aston from Takaki, because a lot of Aston's growth in personality and character is due to Takaki. Canon doesn't show how they began talking, beyond how they were both sent to Earth to maintain the branch there. Time passed, and while Aston, quiet as ever, had a new incentive now, with Takaki in mind. And it's not just Takakai, it's his sister, Fuka, as well. The two of them accepted Aston for who and what he was, and he considers both of them valuable and worth treasuring.
It's quite plausible that Takaki comes before Tekkadan in Aston, though he also cares a lot about Tekkadan and how Tekkadan does things, and he doesn't trust people outside of Tekkadan much, not unless they (and Takaki) trusts them. He's shown to be stubborn and to push for what he's learned to be the standard, arguing with grown men even, about what he thinks is right (with Takaki being mildly exasperated in one instance because of it). He still hasn't opened up much, but to Takaki, theirs is definitely something of a close relationship as well as dependence on each other. Aston is still taken aback, any time Takaki mentions him in context, but oftentimes he has a smile when Takaki says these things. It's another thing he's learning, how where his place is, and it's in the quiet moments where he says the most.
One of the biggest reasons he's quiet, is because he's searching and observing. For the right words, the right emotions, and the right thoughts. He couldn't name the sense of feeling pride for someone, and he also took some time to think about the nature of a fight and his place in it. Because of his past, he has nothing to relate to and no frame of reference--except what is in his present and what is in the people around him. Happiness is still a new concept to him that he's trying to grasp and understand for himself. Though, it does all come back to Takaki and how Takaki feels about something. In the observational sense, he is constantly noting things about people, and even if it takes some time for him to put it into words, if it's important, he'll speak on it and he'll give his opinion--startling people in the process because of how laconic he usually is.
The only time he oversteps Takaki is in battle, because, in his words, "I'm up front, and you're behind". In some way he sees himself as the shield and the defense; it could be his reasoning that he's seen more combat, but he's found something worth protecting, someone that he wants to go home with. Up the point of his last battle, he was promising Takaki that they would go back together. It's not hero worship, but it is a loyalty, a sense that he has been placed into a better place with a better person, and now he has to make sure that person survives and approves of him.
A lot of the Human Debris struggle with this; orphaned from an early age, and used for grunt work, they live to die, or fight aggressively because that's the only way they can show their worth. And Aston is--was--no different. Two years have passed since he was free from that life, but it still remains in the back of his mind. And it's very easy for him to switch back into the mentality, of orders and everything narrowing down to winning, even at the cost of death, simply because he's been so used to it.
As such, it makes him rather easy to be swayed, and he's noted by someone that he's like a trainable dog, ready to follow orders. Human Debris aren't used to making their own decisions; they're used to people making it for them and handing them the order, which they will carry out as far as they can. It's why he ends up looking at Takaki for so much. In many of his scenes, he's looking at Takaki, and Takaki only. But this blindsides him, and it's how he was so forcibly dragged into this war. Takaki said that Radice was part of Tekkadan, and Aston didn't act on his wishes to get revenge. Takaki trusted in Galan's judgment and fighting expertise, and Aston followed suit. He become on of the best, usable pawns, and it culminated in his death.
Which, happens all too soon. At his death, he laments, and says he wishes he never met Takaki, because he didn't want to this life he had now from dying. He died for a cause, because of feelings for a friend, and it's almost like how Human Debris are used and killed. However, he judged it to be a worthy death, because he protected what he promised he would. His world was black and white, but in the moment he was seeing colours, it was sadly taken away from him. There is no doubt though, that with time, he would've understood what it means to be human, to have self-worth not linked only to another person, and to find happiness in being alive for more than just fighting.
Name | Alias: Aston Altland
Journal:
advanceguardAge: around 15 or 16
Canon: Mobile Gundam Suit: Iron-Blooded Orphans
Canon point: Season 2, around the end of episode 5, before the fighting starts.
History: http://gundam.wikia.com/wiki/Aston_Altland#History
Personality:
"Human Debris can't survive if they have feelings.
If you mourned a friend's death, you'd be crushed.
We survived by killing our own souls."
Human Debris, orphan, and pilot. Quiet, reserved, dutiful, but one of the most aggressive fighters. Aston, at first glance, is just another one of Tekkadan's soldiers, part of the giant family of pilots and mechanics, just another space rat. However, because of his past, as Human Debris and how he was treated, his sense of self-worth was almost nonexistent until Tekkadan defeated the Brewers and offered all the orphans a place. He did care about his fellow Human Debris comrades, and fought like his life depended on it, but there was nothing to look forward to, nothing of value in his life. Human Debris meant mass burying, beatings, watching people being brutalised in front of his eyes, living from meal to meal and battle to battle...all the things that stripped humanity away. Ironically, he was somewhat more impulsive then, more defensive. Someone brought up the concept of being reborn and he readily accepting of the idea, saying he could be reborn as someone who's rich.
But maybe it's false hope, because Human Debris aren't supposed to have real feelings. Arguably, his life began after the Brewer pirates were destroyed, and he was taken in by Tekkadan, because from that point on, he had people that looked out for and cared about him. He earned a last name thanks to Akihiro (who was also ex-Human Debris and understood where he came from), and it was the beginnings of a family. Akihiro says that he regrets not talking more with Aston, but they definitely have a shared connection that went beyond being Human Debris. And it is in Tekkadan that he, arguably, own first true friend--in Takaki. He learned what it means to be cared about and how to cared, and what family and friendship mean.
One could say it was really was like being reborn, even if it baffles him still because having strong emotions for anything is a foreign feeling. He doesn't exactly care what people think about him as a person, unless he cares about them and if they're special, for showing him kindness. There's been words he has never used before in his mind or vocabulary, and he will spend a lot of time musing over and thinking about what they mean to him. Most of the emotions are in his eyes, and in his body language; the camera focuses primarily on these, rather than on his verbal responses. From the narrowing of an eye to how he shrugs, a lot can be picked up on his actions.
Aston: Don't you get lonely? Being away from Mars.
Takaki: No. I like my life here. I get to live with Fuka. I can even send her to school. And I've got friends here, too.
Aston: ...
Takaki: Sorry, was I being too familiar?
Aston: No...
It's impossible to separate Aston from Takaki, because a lot of Aston's growth in personality and character is due to Takaki. Canon doesn't show how they began talking, beyond how they were both sent to Earth to maintain the branch there. Time passed, and while Aston, quiet as ever, had a new incentive now, with Takaki in mind. And it's not just Takakai, it's his sister, Fuka, as well. The two of them accepted Aston for who and what he was, and he considers both of them valuable and worth treasuring.
It's quite plausible that Takaki comes before Tekkadan in Aston, though he also cares a lot about Tekkadan and how Tekkadan does things, and he doesn't trust people outside of Tekkadan much, not unless they (and Takaki) trusts them. He's shown to be stubborn and to push for what he's learned to be the standard, arguing with grown men even, about what he thinks is right (with Takaki being mildly exasperated in one instance because of it). He still hasn't opened up much, but to Takaki, theirs is definitely something of a close relationship as well as dependence on each other. Aston is still taken aback, any time Takaki mentions him in context, but oftentimes he has a smile when Takaki says these things. It's another thing he's learning, how where his place is, and it's in the quiet moments where he says the most.
Takaki: Aston? You've been acting weird lately.
Aston: I'm not that smart, you know. So I don't know how to put it. But I was really surprised when I saw Chad dressed up. It made me wish everybody could see him.
Takaki: You mean you're proud of him?
Aston: That's it. I'm proud.
Takaki: Oh, so you were happy.
Aston: ...yeah.
One of the biggest reasons he's quiet, is because he's searching and observing. For the right words, the right emotions, and the right thoughts. He couldn't name the sense of feeling pride for someone, and he also took some time to think about the nature of a fight and his place in it. Because of his past, he has nothing to relate to and no frame of reference--except what is in his present and what is in the people around him. Happiness is still a new concept to him that he's trying to grasp and understand for himself. Though, it does all come back to Takaki and how Takaki feels about something. In the observational sense, he is constantly noting things about people, and even if it takes some time for him to put it into words, if it's important, he'll speak on it and he'll give his opinion--startling people in the process because of how laconic he usually is.
Takaki: I can't put everybody at risk
Aston: I'm with everyone. I want to get revenge.
Takaki: Aston...
Aston: But supporting you is even more important to me.
The only time he oversteps Takaki is in battle, because, in his words, "I'm up front, and you're behind". In some way he sees himself as the shield and the defense; it could be his reasoning that he's seen more combat, but he's found something worth protecting, someone that he wants to go home with. Up the point of his last battle, he was promising Takaki that they would go back together. It's not hero worship, but it is a loyalty, a sense that he has been placed into a better place with a better person, and now he has to make sure that person survives and approves of him.
Aston: I'll do anything to protect your happiness.
Takaki: Anything?
Aston: But...all I can do is kill or die protecting you--
Takaki: Stop that!
Aston: Takaki?
Takaki: Don't talk about killing and dying so easily.
A lot of the Human Debris struggle with this; orphaned from an early age, and used for grunt work, they live to die, or fight aggressively because that's the only way they can show their worth. And Aston is--was--no different. Two years have passed since he was free from that life, but it still remains in the back of his mind. And it's very easy for him to switch back into the mentality, of orders and everything narrowing down to winning, even at the cost of death, simply because he's been so used to it.
As such, it makes him rather easy to be swayed, and he's noted by someone that he's like a trainable dog, ready to follow orders. Human Debris aren't used to making their own decisions; they're used to people making it for them and handing them the order, which they will carry out as far as they can. It's why he ends up looking at Takaki for so much. In many of his scenes, he's looking at Takaki, and Takaki only. But this blindsides him, and it's how he was so forcibly dragged into this war. Takaki said that Radice was part of Tekkadan, and Aston didn't act on his wishes to get revenge. Takaki trusted in Galan's judgment and fighting expertise, and Aston followed suit. He become on of the best, usable pawns, and it culminated in his death.
Aston: Does it? I don't really care whose orders they are. Human Debris' job is to fight.
Takaki: What's that supposed to mean?!? It's not like before. It's not because of orders. We're allowed to fight for ourselves.
Aston: Takaki...
Takaki: Sometimes, I get scared watching you. Of course, working in Tekkadan means risking our lives. I know that we could die any day under these circumstances. But I don't want you to accept death from the beginning.
Which, happens all too soon. At his death, he laments, and says he wishes he never met Takaki, because he didn't want to this life he had now from dying. He died for a cause, because of feelings for a friend, and it's almost like how Human Debris are used and killed. However, he judged it to be a worthy death, because he protected what he promised he would. His world was black and white, but in the moment he was seeing colours, it was sadly taken away from him. There is no doubt though, that with time, he would've understood what it means to be human, to have self-worth not linked only to another person, and to find happiness in being alive for more than just fighting.
