Yang Wen-li
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| Yang Wen-li | |
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| Nationality: | Free Planets Alliance |
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| Allegiance: | Free Planets Alliance Star Fleet Yang Irregulars El Facil Provisional Government |
| Rank: | Commodore (FPA) [Eps. 1-3] Rear Admiral (FPA) [Eps. 3-7] Vice Admiral (FPA) [Eps. 7-16] Admiral (FPA) [Eps. 16-49] Fleet Admiral (FPA) [Eps. 49-53] Commander-in-Chief (Yang Irregulars/El Facil Provisional Government) [Eps. 53-82] |
| Family: | Fredrica Greenhill (wife) Julian Minci (adoptive son) Yang Tai-long (father-deceased) |
| Hair: | Blue |
| Eyes: | Black |
| Flagship: | Patoroklos [Eps. 1-3] Hyperion [Eps. 3-52] Leda II [Eps. 34, 82] Ulysses [Eps. 79-82] |
Yang Wen-li is a character in Legend of the Galactic Heroes. Throughout the 110 episode animated series, he was voiced by the late Kei Tomiyama in his last role.
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[edit] Overview
Yang Wen-li is one of two protagonists within the series, the other being Reinhard von Lohengramm. Both share similar roles within their respective nations as famous national heroes renowned for their military skill. Compared to Reinhard, Yang is much more humble and dislikes his popularity as being a burden, while Reinhard relishes his prestige and desires more. At the start of the series, Yang has gained some fame as the "Hero of El Facil" for his exploits in the evacuation of the planet before Imperial occupation, and gains much more fame to become a national hero by the end of the first season. During the second season, he generally takes a lesser role compared to Reinhard, but returns in full force in Season 3 before he is assassinated by members of the Terraism cult.
[edit] Early life
Yang was born into a wealthy family. His father, Yang Tai-Long was a merchant who collected and invested his fortune in a large amount of antiques. When Tai-Long died in a spaceship accident, the very young Yang inherited his father's estate only to discover that all of his father's antiques were worthless fakes. Penniless, and now an orphan (his mother died when he was a baby), Yang Wen-Li originally enrolled in the Free Planets Alliance Officer's Academy in the Historical Studies department, but was later transferred to the Strategy Department when the Historical Studies department was closed. A pacifist, Yang enrolled in the Academy solely because he had no means to pay the tuition of any other university, and planned to leave the military once his service obligation was complete.
In U.C. 788 Yang first gained fame as a Lieutenant Junior Grade, then age 21, serving as part of the Free Planets Alliance garrison on the planet El Facil when it was attacked by the Galactic Empire. While the rest of the Alliance fleet fled the planet to save themselves, Yang organized a civilian evacuation effort in record time and managed to evacuate the planet's population while the Imperial forces pursued the fleeing Alliance military fleet. His efforts were later acknowledged as the "Miracle of El Facil," and Yang was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant then to Lieutenant Commander in the course of one day.
In U.C. 789, Yang was recalled to Heinessen and was assigned to to HQ, 8th fleet, combat operations.
Yang served as advisor to the FPA forces during the fifth operation against Iserlohn fortress. He was promoted to the rank of Captain by October of 794 for his role in the sixth Iserlohn offensive operation.
By U.C. 795, Yang was promoted to Commodore of Free Planets Alliance's 2nd Fleet, and served as a tactical advisor to Vice Admiral Paeta. In September of the same year, the 2nd fleet faced the Imperial forces nearby planet Legnica, and the flagship survived the skirmish thanks to Yang's foresight, although a large portion of the fleet was lost.
[edit] Season 1
It is during his tenure as tactial advisor that his first on-screen fleet command is shown. During a standoff between several Alliance fleets and a large fleet from the Galactic Empire led by Imperial Admiral Reinhard von Lohengramm at the Astate Starzone, Yang is thrust into command when Admiral Paeta is wounded. With the Alliance fleets in disarray and sustaining heavy casualties as a result of the Imperial assault, Yang manages to rally the remaining ships and counterattack. The battle, later known as the Astate Encounter, results in a tactical draw, although the Alliance sustained more than ten times the losses Empire suffered. This battle is first of many fought between Yang Wen-li and his Imperial rival, Reinhard von Lohengramm.
Once again hailed as hero by the Free Planets Alliance government, he returns to the Alliance capital planet of Heinessen to attend a memorial service for the soldiers lost as well as to honor him as a hero of the battle. Yang, whose personal life is notoriously slobbish, declines to appear at the ceremony citing that he is too lazy, dislikes such events, and dislikes the politicians in the government even more due to their continuous pursuit of the war with the Empire. During the ceremony, Jessica Edwards, the fiance of one of Yang's friends killed during the Astate Encounter, begins to criticize the Alliance government directly in front of the assembled crowd. After being ushered out of the stadium where the ceremony is being held, she is attacked by a group called the Patriotic Knights Corps., a group of violent nationalists secretly in the employ of the National Defense Secretary, Job Truniht. She is later rescued by Yang and his friend/subordinate, Dusty Attenborough. Yang's house is later attacked by the Knights in retaliation, but Yang is successful in holding them off using the fire suppression systems until the authorities arrive, at which time the Knights flee.
In recognition for his achievements during the Astate Encounter, Yang is promoted to Rear Admiral and assigned command of the newly formed 13th Fleet, a ragtag group composed of Astate survivors and new recruits. He is then tasked with capturing the Galactic Empire's Iserlohn Fortress, a massive installation that guards one of the only two navigable passages between the Alliance and the Empire. He enlists the aid of General Walter von Schenkopp, the commander of the Rosenritters, a brigade composed of former Imperial citizens who have defected or escaped to the Alliance and are known for their skill and brutality in battle, but are mistrusted for their Imperial ties. Placing his trust in the controversial commander, Yang's fleet successfully fools the Imperial forces at Iserlohn into abandoning the fortress, and succeed in capturing the vital installation without the loss of a single Alliance soldier, turning the tide of the war in the Alliance's favor and putting the Empire on the defensive.
Originally planning on retiring from the military after capturing Iserlohn, Yang was persuaded by General von Schenkopp and Fleet Admiral Sydney Sitolet to remain in the military, and was promoted to Vice Admiral for his accomplishments. Known throughout the Alliance as "Magician Yang" for his near-impossible capture of the mighty Iserlohn Fortress, Yang at the same time succeeds in making many enemies in both the government and the military due to his anti-war stance and criticism of the corrupt Allance government.
With Iserlohn Fortress firmly in Alliance hands and the Iserlohn Corridor open to Alliance fleets, the government and military begin to plan an invasion of Imperial space to end the war. Yang sees the pending invasion as nothing more than a political ploy to bolster approval ratings in time for the coming elections, yet has no say in the matter. Over the objections of Admiral Yang and HQ Chief Sydney Sitolet, a plan designed by the ambitious and charismatic Commodore Andrew Fork is decided upon. Admiral Yang and the 13th Fleet are to be a part of the invasion, which is to involve eight full fleets and more than 30 million soldiers.
The inital Alliance invasion runs smoothly, with more than 200 systems falling in the first push and no resistance encountered. However, it is all part of an Imperial trap devised by Admiral Reinhard von Lohengramm to trap the Alliance fleets in Imperial territory and destroy them. Yang suspects this and warns the other commanders, although the upper-level echelons dismiss his warnings. When the attack does come, Yang escapes the Imperial fleet sent to attack him and falls back to the Amlitzer system, where the survivors of the Alliance fleet attempt to rally. Despite overwhelming odds, Yang is able to hold off the combined Imperial fleet, under the command of Admiral Reinhard, long enough for the survivors to escape to Alliance territory.
In the wake of its crushing defeat, the Alliance promotes Yang to full Admiral and assigns him command of Iserlohn Fortress and its garrison fleet. As the government and military attempt to reorganize to deal with this new defeat, Admiral Reinhard attempts to distract the Alliance from his own revolution within the Empire by causing civil war within the Alliance. In a coup d'état secretly masterminded by Reinhard, a group of military officers seize control of the government in order to continue the war with the Empire. Unable to sway Yang to their cause, they dispatch the 11th Fleet to attack Yang's fleet, which has left Iserlohn to attack Heinessen and reinstate the rightful government. In a skillful manipulation of information, Yang manages to convert an agent sent by the military government to assassinate him, and manages to ambush the 11th Fleet in the Doria Starzone, annihilating more than 90% of the fleet until the remnants surrender. Taking a cue from the fictional history of the Alliance, Yang uses large ice blocks equipped with Boussard ramjets to destroy the defenses surrounding Heinessen and force the military government to surrender, restoring the democratic civilian government.
[edit] Season 2
Shortly after returning to Iserlohn Fortress, Yang is summoned by the newly-reinstated government for an inquiry into his actions during his counter-revolution. Yang again realizes the political nature of the inquiry, but attends regardless, seeing himself as a loyal soldier fighting for his country. During this time, the Empire attacks Iserlohn Fortress with a large fleet of ships and Geiersburg Fortress, which has been equipped with engines and moved into the corridor to support the Imperial Fleet. While Yang defends himself against a political inquiry, his subordinates defend themselves against a determined Imperial attack while trying to maintain the illusion that Yang is still aboard the Fortress. Eventually, word of the attack reaches Heinessen, and the government orders Yang back to Iserlohn with a hastily assembled fleet of police and patrol ships. With the assistance of former Imperial Admiral Merkatz, Yang is able to destroy Geiersburg fortress and cripple the attacking fleet, although he is turned back from his pursuit by another massive Imperial fleet.
[edit] Character Analysis
Yang is portrayed as an idealist who believes very firmly in the principles of democracy and free choice. He rebels against the military government despite the fact that such a government likely stood a better chance of winning the war because it was not a justly elected government. He is an avid scholar of history who provides many historical comparisons and references which influence his decisions and tactics.
Humble to a fault, Yang is unhappy with his hero status because he feels it makes others place unreasonable demands on him. He refused to attend the ceremony honoring him after the Astate Encounter and barely made it to the 13th Fleet commissioning ceremony.
Personally, he is a slob in house and relies on his ward of the state, Julian Minci, to take care of the household chores. Later, he begins to rely on his assistant and later wife, Fredrica Greenhill to keep the house neat and to prepare his meals.
[edit] Comparison with Reinhard
Yang Wen-li and Reinhard are designed to be foils for each other, both being military geniuses but both also having radically different views on politics. Yang believes in the democratic government system such as the one used by Free Planets Alliance and downplays his own accomplishments, while Reinhard believes that he is destined to unite all of humanity under his absolute rule. While Reinhard works to eventually ursurp the throne and become the new Kaiser of the Galactic Empire, Yang is given multiple opportunities to seize power in the Alliance and declines it on all occasions.
Militarily, Yang is often shown to be a better tactician than Reinhard. On the field of battle, Yang is often the victor in fleet-on-fleet battles, coming within seconds of destroying Reinhard's flagship, Brunhild in a straight battle before being ordered to stand down by the surrendering Alliance government. Because he is never given control of more than one fleet, it is difficult to evaulate his effectiveness as a strategic leader compared to Reinhard, but he is often able to predict Reinhard's strategic moves and devise countermeasures, which are almost universally ignored by the Alliance military command. Both Yang and Reinhard share an intimate grasp of politics, with Reinhard able to manipulate the Alliance military into a coup d'état to draw attention from his own ambitions, and Yang able to predict such a move (but not prevent it). Reinhard, however, is more willing to seize power and eventually becomes Kaiser of the Galactic Empire, with the whole of the Imperial military under his command, while Yang steadfastly refuses any sort of political power and never commands more than one fleet.
This reluctance eventually led to the fall of the Free Planets Alliance due to its inept leadership and corrupt power struggles. Had Yang taken control of the government, it is likely that he could have prevented the defeat of the Alliance and sued for peace with the Empire. It is likely Yang would have deployed the entirety of the remaining Free Planets Alliance Star Fleet to the task of killing or capturing Kaiser Reinhard, as he realized that Reinhard was the sole unifying force for the entire Empire. Instead, the Empire was able to defeat the Alliance military through sheer weight of numbers despite Yang's valiant efforts in defense of his homeland because the cowardly leadership on Heinessen surrendered immediately to the attacking Galactic Empire before Yang had his chance to kill Reinhard.
