Zeraal was a male member of the Zentraedi race who emerged from the clone chambers on 29 July 1974, where he eventually rose to the rank of Captain within the Imperial Zentraedi Forces.
Biography[]
First Robotech War[]
His forces participated in the First Robotech War against Earth where he was a member of the Imperial Grand Fleet. After the battle, he became one of the few surviving flag officers of the fleet and immediately began forming a Malcontent band of resistance fighters in North America. The ultimate goal was to overthrow the Robotech Defense Force and usurp control of the planet so he could prepare for the arrival of the Robotech Masters. He proved to be a dangerous opponent as he was an expert tactician who was quite capable of assembling a large army of Zentraedi under his command. His forces eventually made a base of operations in Zentraedi City where his headquarters was a downed Zentraedi carrier.
Zeraal Campaign[]
The RDF struggled in combating the growing threat posed by Zeraal and there were worries that his forces would become near invincible if they joined forces with Khyron. However, Zeraal did not see eye-to-eye with Khyron, so much so that when Khyron launched his last attack on the SDF-1, Zeraal pledged his support only to hold back, allowing Khyron and Azonia to perish so that he could claim the title of Supreme Leader. He wanted to be the only Zentraedi Warlord left when the Robotech Masters arrived. During his campaign, Zeraal launched many operations against the RDF, taking large swathes of the wasteland and destroying entire towns. Many of these operations were thwarted or at least hampered by the actions of Base-6 and Jack Archer in particular.
However this did not stop Zeraal from overtaking the RDF at almost every encounter and eventually he managed to march his armies all the way to Base-6, the last stronghold of the RDF in the wasteland. His forces overwhelmed the base's outer defenses, though they took heavy losses at the hands of the Destroid Monsters, and they looked poised to win a swift victory. However Kiyora, his field commander and only remaining lieutenant following the death of Gorian and the defection of Skarrde, allowed her own grudge against Wolf Squadron to cloud her better judgment. She held back Zeraal's heavy forces so that she could confront Jack Archer, the only one who ever defeated her, and was quickly killed. The invaders just as quickly fell into disarray, allowing the RDF to rally and drive them back. Soon after his entire army collapsed, losing a series of battles and retreating all the way to Zentraedi City, where Zeraal and the last remnants of his once proud force held out against the enclosing RDF.
Ultimately Archer saw fit to finish what he had started. He attacked Zentraedi City itself, wiping out Zeraal's few remaining forces. Seeing death approaching, Zeraal activated the ships Space Fold engines leading to the entire carrier along with the settlement being jumped to near Saturn space. There he used a modified Officer Pod in order to battle Jack Archer, knowing that even if he died, Archer would never be able to return home. However Archer accepted that fate, stating it was worth it if Zeraal would never again threaten humanity, and finally slew the Zentraedi conqueror after four years of terror. (Robotech: Battlecry)
Personality[]
Zeraal's personality was unusual for a Zentraedi. Unlike his comrades, particularly Khyron, Zeraal was not blinded by pride and he did hold respect for his enemies, in particular Jack Archer, who he commended for his victories against the finest warriors in his army. He was also willing to lose a fight if it meant it cost his enemies something in exchange.
Zeraal was fiercely loyal to the Robotech Masters and preparing Earth for their arrival was one of his central goals during the Zeraal Campaign.
Zeraal was a cold, calculating, and extremely capable commander whose ambition could only be matched by his cruelty. Where Khyron would be more then willing to sacrifice his entire army to destroy the enemy, Zeraal would not allow such a waste of resources, and he utilized what he had to maximum effect. His discovery of Zentraedi City also allowed him to carry out much wider operations, so he delegated authority to a group of capable lieutenants and successfully won control of the majority of the wasteland.
Gallery[]
