In U.C. 0074, a young man calling himself Char Aznable enters Side 3, the Autonomous Republic of Zeon, and enrolls in the Space Defense Military Academy established at its Guardian Banchi. Among his classmates is Garma Zabi, the youngest son of the Zabi family, who have been launching behind-the-scenes preparations for the outbreak of a war of independence against the Earth Federation.

The academy's residential system consists of dorms numbered 1 through 7, with two students lodged in each room. Char is placed in dorm 3, and Garma later moves here from dorm 1 to become his roommate. Transfer requests of this type would normally never be approved, but it appears that the school deferred to the influence of the Zabi family. Now that they are roommates, the friendship between Char and Garma grows stronger.

The objective of this military academy, with Garma's brother Dozle Zabi serving as superintendent, is to train future officers for the Space Defense Force. During their three-year training program, the students will acquire the abilities needed to serve as regular officers, and be given the knowledge required to demonstrate leadership.

In addition to the general education necessary for a regular officer, the students follow individual courses of study, selecting from subjects such as human physiology, computer science, economics, military history, law, management, space navigation, spaceflight technology, international relations, political science, history, behavioral science, mechanical dynamics, aeronautical engineering, civil engineering, and electrical engineering.

The academy's physical education curriculum improves their physical fitness, not only training them in motor skills but also engaging them in exercise programs designed to cultivate leadership. Subjects such as fencing and basketball are part of this curriculum.

Just before the end of their third year, after sentry training, running obstacle courses, marksmanship and artillery training, marching with heavy equipment, and other forms of basic training, the students fight a mock battle against the Federation Forces garrison as a comprehensive exercise to determine their level of proficiency in their special training course.

As third-year students, Char and Garma also participate in this mock battle. But soon afterwards, an accident takes place in which a Federation warship destroys an agricultural block. Due to the large amount of debris produced, even the students are assigned to debris-clearing duty.

As they are collecting micro-debris, Char spots a strange mobile worker performing debris-clearing tasks. This mobile worker is the MW-01 Final Type developed under Dozle's supervision. Garma tells Char that the next generation of the MW-01 will be a new weapon called the mobile suit.

The destruction of this agricultural block further turns public opinion in the Autonomous Republic of Zeon against the Federation. The Diet unanimously demands complete independence, and even in Zum City, Side 3's "Mother Banchi," subversive activity breaks out as mobs run amok. Degwin, the chairman who leads the Diet, is worried that the Federation Forces will intervene to suppress the riots.

In effect, the military cadets at the Guardian Banchi have now become hostages, whose lives are in the hands of the Federation Forces stationed there. The gifted colony-born students at the military academy include many children of prominent colony families. And its location is next door to the Federation Forces garrison, with only a training area in between.

U.C. 0077...
Char urges Garma to turn the gears of history. This is the beginning of the major incident that will later be known as the Dawn Rebellion.