Many fans may be surprised to learn that the genuine five protagonists of Gundam Wing are all teens, with the oldest being 16 years old. Despite this, one of the pilots, Wufei, had a wife who was slain in his zeal to fight for colonial freedom. While it may appear strange for such young individuals to be piloting gigantic weapons of destruction, each of them has a compelling purpose for doing so. Some do it out of love, some out of peace, and some just because they need to do something. It also served as an excellent disguise for the pilots, as no one would suspect such young people of piloting the Gundams. As a pilot departs his Gundam, one of the antagonists says, "he's only a child."