Death Stinger

The Death Stinger is a type of Zoid, a race of mechanical lifeforms from the fictional Zoids universe.

Overview
The Death Stinger is a Sea Scorpion-type Zoid, created by the Guylos Empire, and is one of the most powerful Zoids ever created.

The ultimate product of the Organoid System technology, the Death Stinger is the combination of a powerful Zoid core discovered in an ancient ruin and an artificially created Organoid System. The result was one of the most powerful Zoids ever created, a machine comparable in many ways to a sea-going Death Saurer. In addition to being fully amphibious, the Zoid is capable of burrowing through even the densest rock.

The Death Stinger possesses a gigantic arsenal of weapons, the greatest of which is a Charged Particle Cannon. Unlike with the weapon on the Genosaurer, the Death Stinger does not need to be immobilised in order to fire the weapon. The Zoid mounts a considerable number of other weapons, most notably a massive 930 mm Shock Cannon, along with numerous claws and blades. All of the weapons are designed to be used both on land and water. The Death Stinger is protected by an omni-directional energy shield, as well as dense armour.

Along with its considerable arsenal, the Death Stinger also possesses an unusual ability. The Death Stinger has the capability to operate completely unmanned for extended periods of time, controlled by the Organoid System itself. There is also a special version of the Death Stinger created during the Neo Zenebas regime called the Zarka Special (or ZS for short), which has the ability to "spawn" copies of itself; apparently through altering the cores of Zoids it destroys.

Battle Story appearances
The Death Stinger first appeared in ZAC 2100, developed by Guylos Regent Gunter Prozen as a counter to the Helic forces. However, once unleashed, the Zoid ran amok, attacking both the Helic and Guylos armies. The Zoid caused a considerable amount of devastation to both armies, before being defeated by a Geno Breaker.

Despite this, the Death Stinger was later employed by the Guylos Empire in the defence of the Dark Continent of Nyx, and later by the Neo-Zenebas Empire in their invasion of the Republic.

Media appearances
Anime

Guardian Force
The Death Stinger is used heavily by Hiltz during the second half of the Zoids: Guardian Force series. The Death Stinger was created by merging the Zoid cores of the two scorpion-type Zoids responsible for defeating the original Death Saurer.

Hiltz used the Death Stinger to launch a campaign of terror against the Republic and the Empire, completely annihilating several civilian populations.

The Death Stinger was eventually defeated by Van Flyheight. After its defeat, the Zoid Core of the Death Stinger fused with Hiltz and the core of the cloned Deathsaurer created by Prozen four years earlier. This combined core then merged with the body of the original Death Saurer, reawakening it.

The revived Deathsaurer, enhanced by the Zoid Core of the Death Stinger, appeared undefeatable, and was able to destroy several towns before a weakness was located. The Death Saurer was destroyed by Van.

Like the Death Saurer, the Death Stinger was depicted many times larger then its model scale would indicate, albeit inconsistently. At its largest, the anime Zoid was able to pick up a Blade Liger and Lightning Saix in its claws.

New Century Zero
In Zoids: New Century Zero, the Death Stinger itself does not make an appearance. However, the Charged Particle Gun used by the Backdraft Group to attack the Judge Satellites bears a very close resemblance to the tail of the Death Stinger.

Manga
Chaotic Century
The Death Stinger appears in the Chaotic Century manga, piloted by Lieutenant Hanna Hanna of the Prozen Knights. Hanna is under orders from Prozen to start a war against the Republic by attacking the border town of Mule. Although initially repulsed by Van's Blade Liger and Herman's S4, the Death Stinger returns when another Imperial officer, Lieutenant Kirsche Hartriegel, attempts to pilot the Zoid.

The Death Stinger is equipped with the "Berserker System", which sends combat data directly to the mind of the pilot. Only those pilots implanted with special genetic material can handle the mental strain. When Hartriegel attempts to pilot the Zoid, the overwhelming data causes her to revert to her animal instincts, causing the Death Stinger to go berserk.

The rampage of the Death Stinger is only stopped when the Zoid Core of Caesar (Van's Zoid), which had been heavily damaged in the previous fight, is transplanted into the chassis of a prototype Liger Zero, then empowered by the ancient Zoid Oluga.

Models
New Japanese Release

*Assembly required. (Snap-together, no glue needed. Scissors or X-acto knife recommended for trimming off excess plastic bits.)
*The model's colours are moulded into the plastic, and it does not need any paint. Some sections come pre-painted.

The Death Stinger kit comes on six frames, along with a battery-powered motor with light, a clear frame, thirty-two rubber caps, a small blue pilot figure, and a label sheet. The Death Stinger is moulded in blue, red, and bronze with silver blades, clear red eyes and some painted red and silver details. The Zoid's design and mechanisms are based on the 1/24th scale Deathpion Zoid, even if the two kits don't share any parts.

The Death Stinger’s construction is reasonably involved and complex, especially given the Zoid's size. The Death Stinger uses a pair of “AA” sized batteries for motion. Once activated, the Zoid walks forwards, its pincers and claws snapping. The Death Stinger's eyes also flash on and off. The tail can be manually positioned.

Although not representative of an 'in-world' upgrade, the Death Stinger is compatible with the . With the Controller, the Death Stinger can walk both forwards and backwards, as well as turn.

New American Release
The Death Stinger was released as part of the New American Release. The only changes made to the kit were to the box.

After the cancellation of the NAR, the Death Stinger was released in Australia, in the form of leftover American stock. The Zoid was never a part of the New Pacific Release.

Death Stinger ZS
A version of the Death Stinger was released as part of the 'Yuji Kaida' limited series in 2003. Named the Death Stinger ZS (ZS standing for 'Zarka Special'), this version of the Death Stinger was depicted as a Neo-Zenevas Zoid.

No physical changes to the model were made, although it was recoloured. Parts of the grey structure have been replaced with dark red, while the armour is now light grey and dark red. The translucent cockpit parts are now green. The sticker sheet was redesigned; replacing Guylos for Neo-Zenebas, and including several custom stickers.

The Death Stinger ZS sold rather poorly. The Zoid was the final release of the 'Yuji Kaida' limited series, which was cancelled after its release.

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See Also

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